Eddie Kantar's bridge tips

Bridge Tips — Leading Edited 1-30-07
LEADS VS. DOUBLED CONTRACTS
1	When partner doubles the final contract, partner either:
	(1) Thinks that the combined defensive strength between the two defensive hands is enough to defeat the contract.
	(2) Has a strong trump holding.
	(3) Can tell from the bidding that it is a touch and go contract and that YOU have trump length. This double is an effort to give declarer a false impression of who has the missing trumps. These are called "offside" doubles and require a special relationship with partner when they don't work.
	(4) Is trying to direct your lead to a particular suit, a suit you might not otherwise have led. These "lead directing" doubles apply vs. slam contracts or when partner has preempted.
2	When partner makes a penalty double, assume partner is short in your long suit. Penalty doubles work best when the doubling side is misfitted.
LEADS VS. DOUBLED SLAM CONTRACTS
3	If partner has bid and later doubles a VOLUNTARILY bid slam, do NOT lead partner's suit (the normal lead) and do NOT lead a trump. Partner's double shows either:
	(1) A void (the most common reason).
	(2) A desire for a lead in dummy's first bid suit.
	(3) The AK of one of the declarer's bid suits. If partner has NOT bid and later doubles a VOLUNTARILY bid slam, do not lead the unbid suit. ( the normal lead) or a trump. Partner's double shows either:
	(1) A side suit void
	(2) A desire for the lead in dummy's first bid suit.
LEADING VS. A SLAM WHEN THERE IS NO DOUBLE TO HELP YOU OUT
4	If dummy makes a wild leap to slam in partner's suit (no Blackwood), assume a void, strong trump, a long powerful side suit and perhaps a control in the shorter side suit. It is usually right to lead that shorter side suit.
	North East South West (you) 1H Pass 1S 2C 6S !! You hold S. A43 H. Q5 D. J64 C. AQJ95 Dummy certainly has a club void with a long heart suit. Lead a diamond and hope to build up a trick in that suit before your SA is removed. If the CA would have cashed and you lose it, I don't know you.
LEADING PARTNER'S SUIT
5	With a terribly weak hand and Qxx(x) or Kxx(x), lead the honor in case you need to switch to another suit. If you lead low, you may never get in again.
6	With the ace and any length, lead the ace unless you feel you must get partner in at once to: (1) give you a ruff; (2) the dummy has bid notrump and you think dummy has the king. Underleads of aces when they don't work out also require a very special relationship with partner.
7	With 10xx, Jxx, or Qxx lead low. However if dummy has bid notrump, lead the high honor.
8	With three or four small, lead low if you have NOT supported; lead high if you have.
9	If you have led high from xxx, play your middle card next. If you have led high from xxxx, play your lowest card next. If you have led low from xxx, play your highest card next. If you have led low from xxxx, play your lowest card next. In each case you are giving partner count.
10	Leading a suit partner has overcalled is USUALLY safer than leading a suit partner has opened. However, if the bidding has indicated that partner has made a light third hand opening, tend to lead partner's suit. One reason for opening light is third seat is to attract the lead.
THE OPENING LEAD VS. SUIT
11	The card you select as your opening lead is probable the most important card you are going to play during the entire defense. Therefore, you should give it a little thought. Your focus should be on the likely distribution around the table (easier when there is plenty of bidding), declarer's likely strength and the degree of trump fit that the bidding seems to indicate. Of major concern is this whether you should be making an aggressive or passive opening lead. Again you must go back to the bidding to help you out. Does the dummy figure to have a long side suit? If there is a long side suit, how is it breaking? If breaking evenly, make an attacking lead. If you have it well under control, a trump lead is usually best. Should I be looking to ruff? Lead a short suit, particularly with a trump holdings that look like Kxx, Ax (x). Not with QJx or J10xx of trump. Should I be looking to give partner a ruff? You have a trump entry and partner is makred with shortness in a particular side suit. Should I be trying to shorten the declarer's trump holding? Should I just be sitting back and waiting for tricks rather than attacking here, there, and everywhere? Passive defense. Avoid break new suits. Should I be leading a trump to cut down on ruffs in the dummy? Declarer has bid two suits, winds up in the second suit, and you have length and strength in the first suit. Has partner passed a low level takeout double? A trump lead is quasi- mandatory in this case.
TRUMP LEADS
12	Don't even think of leading a trump when the opponents are in the throes of a misfit.
13	Holding a balanced hand with broken strength in each suit, a trump lead from two or three small when dummy has given a single raise is usually best.
14	With a strong sequence in trump (KQJ, QJ109), a trump lead is usually best.
15	If partner is marked with a singleton trump, there is no point in leading a trump from Kxx because neither of you will be able to continue the suit. Try another lead and hope that partner will find the trump switch, if necessary.