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Published byRocio Benham Modified over 10 years ago
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Improver Lessons Leads and Discards
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Plan your opening lead Why? Watch bidding – what is it telling you? Start thinking about your lead during bidding if it looks likely opposition will win contract
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Plan your opening lead Use REAL Review the bidding Examine your cards Analyse the situation Lead after thinking through the above
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Review the bidding Confidant auction? 1H 2H 4H – Take a risk Struggling auction? Eg 1H 2H 3H 4H – Play a safe lead so not to give away a trick on lead
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J X X X 76 T A K 7 6 5 2 K 8 6 3 T X A X X X T 4 3 A Q A K Q X X Q J X X X X X X X J X X X K X X X Q J Dlr: E Vul: N-S N E S W P 1H P 2H P 3H P P What would you lead from W?
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J X X X X 76 2 - K J 7 6 5 2 K 8 6 3 T X K X X X T 4 3 A Q A K Q X Q J X X X X X X X X J X X X A X X X A Q Dlr: E Vul: N-S N E S W P 1D P 1H P 4H P P P What would you lead from W?
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Examine your cards Top of touching honours – KQXX in suit and KQJXX in NT – T9XX – KJT – QT9XX AX doubleton AK or AK? – AK doubleton AND AKXX – or vice-versas
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Examine your cards Top of sequence (2+ in suit and 3+ in NT contract) Low from an honour – T 4 2 – Q 8 6 4 – J 8 4 MUD when not partners bid suit – 9 5 4 – 8 7 3 – 9762 Doubleton (high then low)
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Differences Suit – AT95 – AQ T98 – A JT – A K XX – A X X X X – KQXX NT – AT95 – AQT98 –AJT–AJT – AKXX – A X X X X – KQJXX
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Lead after consideration Suit contracts NT contracts
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Suit contracts – partners bid suit Your partners bid suit – Low from an honour – Highest from a doubleton – Highest (then middle) of worthless tripleton eg 964 – Singleton – Consider leading another side suit if opposition may be void
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Suit contracts Lead an unbid suit. Often the other major can be a good lead eg H if in S contract Top of a sequence of at least two touching honours eg KQxxx Top internal sequence K JTxx / Q T98 A from AK K promises the A or Q eg AKxx, KQxx
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Suit contracts – trump lead If contract high for point count (as declarer will be relying on ruffs) EG 1s -2s -3s-4s Sacrifice bid When NT been a consideration by opposition eg 1S-2S-2NT- 4S Slam contract Safe lead XNot if you have ++trumps – lead your long suit XNot if you hold one trump XFrom honour doubleton eg Q5
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Suit contracts – more desperate Small card if you have the K or Q in suit eg Q 8 6 4 - lead the 4 Doubleton eg 9 7 Middle Up Down (MUD) in unbid suit eg 9 8 5 4 - lead the 8
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Suit contracts - singletons Singleton if there is a good chance partner may have A & you have trumps
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How to get in a 2 nd ruff…. Contract 4S 9 7 6 4 A 7 Q T 7 6 4 Q 6 4 3 9 87 6 5 3 2 A 4 3 2
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What NOT to lead in a suit contract Any card if holding an unsupported Ace in suit eg A 9 8 3. If you do lead this suit, lead ACE From split honours unless not much choice AQX Honour trump doubletons eg Q4 A singleton if you dont have trumps or partner unlikely to have Ace / a way to return suit in time Singleton trump
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Play boards 1/9 and 2/10
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No trump contracts 4 th highest longest and strongest suit eg QJ54 Note that if 2 led, that it is from a 4 card suit, 3? Your partners bid suit (low if you have an honour and 2+ more / high if you do not have an honour or only have two cards eg Qx) A major suit if Stayman not used eg 1NT – 3NT Lead through strength and away from your weakness
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No trump contracts Top of a sequence if 3+ honours eg QJ10XX or close QJ9XX
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No trump contracts A major suit if Stayman not used eg 1NT – 3NT
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J X X X X X X T X A K 7 2 K 8 6 3 T XX A X X T 4 3 A X X A J X X A K X X K X Q X K X X Q X X X J X X X Dlr: E Vul: N-S N E S W P 1D P 1NT P 3NT P P What would you lead from E?
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No trump contracts Lead through strength and away from your weakness
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J T 5 4 Q 76 2 X K J 7 6 K 8 6 T XX K X X T 4 3 X A Q X X A K Q J X X X X X J X X X A X X X A Q X Dlr: E Vul: N-S N E S W P 1D P 1H P 2S P 3NT P P P What would you lead from E?
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Play boards 3/11 and 5/13 and 7/15
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Leads against a slam Dont give away a trick! Trump often a safe lead Dont lead an Ace without King Singleton if p may have Ace Look at bidding – may p have an Ace?
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Signaling on a lead in a suit contract Reverse Attitude Little - I LIKE High - discouraging
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What would you play if your partner led the following card? 1. KS (answer= 4) 2. KC (answer= 8) 3. KD (answer= 7, then 8 next round) 4. KH (answer= 3) A 7 5 4 Q 9 6 3 8 7 5 8 3
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Discards in a NT contract Any suit you do NOT like Want something more sophisticated? Try Lavinthal -The 6+ in suit says you want the HIGHER of the other 2 suits -2-5 in suit says you want the LOWER of the other 2 suits
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What would you discard when C is played? 1.To show a S 2.To show a D 3.To show a H A Q 9 7 6 3 K 7 4 K 7 8 7 5 A 7 J A 7 6 3 K 7 3
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What would you discard when D is played? 1.To show a S 2.To show a H 3.To show a C A Q 9 7 6 3 K 7 4 K 7 8 7 5 A 7 J A 7 6 3 K 7 3
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In summary Use REAL Review the bidding Examine your cards Analyse the situation Lead after thinking through the above
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Play boards 4/12 and 6/14 and 8/16
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