1. Bridge with Harold Schogger © Opening Leads

2. Bridge with Harold Schogger © Blind Opening Leads Against Suit contracts 1. TOP of Sequence So if I lead a King I will be promising QJ10 So if I lead a 10 I will be promising 1098 WHY ? To eventually build TRICK

3. Bridge with Harold Schogger © Blind Opening Leads Against Suit contracts continued 2. TOP of Singleton So if I lead a 7 I might be promising Just one or ? Why ? Looking FOR A POSSIBLE RUFF

4. Bridge with Harold Schogger © Blind Opening Leads Against Suit contracts continued 3. TOP of Doubleton So if I lead a 8 I might be promising A lower one next time part of doubleton OR ? Why ? Looking FOR A POSSIBLE RUFF

5. Bridge with Harold Schogger © Blind Opening Leads Against Suit contracts continued 4. TOP of Nothing So if I lead a 9 I might be promising Lower ones to come or ? Why ? SAFE GIVING LITTLE AWAY

6. Bridge with Harold Schogger © The 4 TOPS :- 1. TOP of Sequence 2. TOP of Singleton 3. TOP of Doubleton 4. TOP of Nothing

7. Bridge with Harold Schogger © TWO DON’TS WHEN BLIND :- 1. Don’t lead from a Tenace – a broken sequence of Honour cards 2. Don’t lead from an Unsupported Honour ie honour with small cards

8. Bridge with Harold Schogger © Differentiating between a doubleton & trebleton rubbish Standard methods you lead top of doubleton and top of nothing so how does Partner know whether you have two or three With the 4 TOPS Both of these we lead the 8 RECOMMEND MUD = Middle Up Down with three And stick with top of Doubleton Now we lead  8Now we lead  5 then 8

9. Bridge with Harold Schogger © BLIND OPENING LEADS against suit contracts The 4 TOPS :- 1. TOP of Sequence2. TOP of Singleton 3. TOP of Doubleton4. TOP of Nothing 1. Don’t lead from a Tenace – a broken sequence of Honour cards 2. Don’t lead from an Unsupported Honour ie honour with small cards So what shall we lead from these hands :- against a 4 contract Can’t lead ? A Club as it’s a Tenace So you can lead either  K top of Doubleton or  9 top of nothing A club as its unsupported honour A diamond as its unsupported honour So you can lead  Q (top of sequence)

10. Bridge with Harold Schogger © ALPS A = P = L = S= Always Lead Partner’s Suit Which one ? 1. Ace if you have it 2. Top from Doubleton 3. Top from sequence 4. Top of nothing 5. Top from singleton 6. Low from an honour other than Ace so with Q642 or K82 lead the 2 on both occasions

11. Bridge with Harold Schogger © More points on Opening leads :- Contract 4 Lead ?  K probably best DON’T LEAD A SINGLETON WITH GOOD HAND IT PARTNER CANNOT HAVE ANYTHING THEIR 26 PLUS your 14 PARTNER HAS ZILCH

12. Bridge with Harold Schogger © More points on Opening leads continued :- Contract 4 Lead ?  K probably best LONG IN TRUMPS LEAD LENGTH YOU HAVE LOADS OF TRUMPS

13. Bridge with Harold Schogger © More points on Opening leads continued :- Contract 3NT After auction Of 1NT – 3NT Lead ? 9 probably best TRY AND FIND PARTNER WITH BAD HANDS YOU HAVE VERY BAD HAND

14. Bridge with Harold Schogger © Analyze the lead 1. Is it 4 th highest ? 2. Is it top of sequence ? 3. Is it top of Nothing ? 4. Is it promising an honour (entry) later ? 5. Is it a singleton ? USE THE BIDDING TO WORK ALL THIS OUT LOOK AT DUMMY AND YOUR OWN HAND ESPECIALLY THE SMALL CARDS FOR ALL THE CLUES

15. Bridge with Harold Schogger © Some examples Probably top of nothing Or singleton Probably 4 th highest Promising honour No sequence at top Of suit Almost certain to be top of sequence USE THE BIDDING TO WORK ALL THIS OUT LOOK AT DUMMY AND YOUR OWN HAND ESPECIALLY THE SMALL CARDS FOR ALL THE CLUES