Evening star., 1944-09-03
With the Bridge Players
BY Frank B. Lord.

| ~ WV ~ w 0S
By Frank B. Lord.
The question Of what to lead,
especially against q slam contract
Is one that almost always troubles
inexperienced players, often those
who consider themselves average
players, and at times even the ex-
perts themselves. "A certain lead will
frequently enable the adversaries to
set the declarer, even II his bidding
has complied with all the conven-
tional requirements, while another
lead will allow q declarer to make
doubtful bid without difficulty.
How then can an opener determine
what the correct lead should be
from his standpoint? Actually, he
cannot, but there are certain leads
he can and should avoid and others
which constitute good defense If
there is any defense that will set
the hand.
In the play Of almost any hand,
the opening lead Is very important.
Every declarer hopes to have the
opening lead come up to his ace
queen-ten-ace, and so good players
seek to avoid doing so. What then
should one lead? The question Is
often asked, and the effort here Is
to give satisfying answer.
Every hand is different from every
other one, and hence it is possible to
lay down only general principles. 1t
Is the pattern of the hand from
which the opening lead must be
made, rather than the specific cards
it contains, that must govern the
leaders course. When the decla-
ration is in a suit slam, If the OPEN
er holds a singleton in another suit,
it is well to lead 1t. If the contract
is no-trump, such singleton is q
very bad lead. Holding any three
touching honors without the act, 1t
is well to lead the top honor in
either q suit or a no-trump slam
declaration. Leading partners in
dicated suit is good in either a suit
or no-trump slam declaration. To
lead from a suit with only two
touching honors is only fairly good
in a suit slam declaration, and is
bad against a no-trump slam. Lead
ing low from king or queen against
a suit slam is only a fair lead; it
should be avoided against a no.
trump slam.
An ace lead against a suit slam
also is only fair, but it is very bad
against no-trump slam declara-
ton. A doubleton lead is not good
against either suit or no. trump slam
declaration. Leading low from king
of dummy's declared suit in a slam
contract either in suit or In no.
trump is only fair lead. Some
times, 1t is good; sometimes, it is
bad. It should be avoided when the
king is supported by only two small
ones.
The leads described here are
known as attacking leads. Culbert-
son has what he calls protecting"
leads. These may be listed about
as follows:
Three honors in sequence, good in
either suit or no-trump contract;
holding 10-x-x- or xxx of trump
leading the highest in a suit decla-
ration is a good lead. The same is
true holding jack-x, 10-x or Xxx of
trumps. Leading a singleton trump
in suit contract is very bad, but
may be excused when the leader Is
convinced that declarer's trumps are
solid. Leading partners suit in
either a suit or a no-trump declara-
ton Is good. Leading from a six
card suit to the queen or a five-card
suit to the jack or lower is good in
any declaration. A four-card suit to
10 or lower is only a fair lead and
a three-card suit to 10 or lower Is
doubtful. A worthless doubleton is
only fair lead in either instance.
A low lead from single honor or
any lead from two honors in Sc
quence is not recommended.
In grand slam contract where
the partner Of the leader has dou-
bled and previously made no bid, it
is generally well to make an unusual
lead. rather than the one the leader
would ordinarily make. In fact, it
Is almost obligatory to do so In
order to enable the partner to make
good his double.
Those who read bridge columns
sometimes comment upon the fact
that the writers OF illustrated hands
almost invariably have the declarer
sit in the South position and usually
devise deals or select hands where the
declarer makes his contract. Sell
dom do they present hands where
the declarer is set. The practice of
having the declarer sit South is
merely a custom that has grown up,
and is used more or less for con-
venience and Standardization. 1t is
not, as George S. kaufman has hu-
morously suggested, because the
writer's sympathize with the South
because they lost the war and are
now willing to make some conces-
sion to the section.
1t is true, however, that they usu-
ally do have the declarer sit South