Lead with Barry by Barry Rigal

LEADING FROM WEAK HANDS

It is easy to get discouraged when you hold a weak hand and not to focus on what your partner might or must have to get you the maximum on defense. The weaker your hand the more imagination you sometimes have to use to conjure up the winning defense. Once dummy comes down it may be too late – in more ways than one, as we shall see in this set.

Question 1

Your Hand
♠ 7 3
♥ K 7 5 4 2
♦ 10 9 5
♣ 10 8 5

Q: 1 - You are South. What do you lead against 4♠?

South	West	North	East
-	-	1♥	1♠
3♥	3♠	p	4♠
p	p	p

A: ♥K: It could be right to attack either minor, but the most likely way to work out which suit to play on is to try to hold the lead with the heart king at trick one, and then to work out from the sight of dummy where to go for honey. This idea, of leading an honor from length has much to support it in theory –even if something always happens to prove the idea unsound…

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Your Hand
♠ 7 5 2
♥ K 10 8 4
♦ 8 7 6 3
♣ 8 5

Q: 2 - Again as South, the opponents are in 4♠. What do you lead?

South	West	North	East
-	1♦	p	1♠
p	4♠	p	p
p

A: ♣8: Your partner is unlikely to come through with three top tricks on defense here; your best shot to develop winners is to find a ruff -– and clubs looks your side’s best bet to do that. Many people will tell you "Don’t lead from…” maybe from a doubleton, maybe from a king. IGNORE THOSE PEOPLE! Never use never, when talking about leads. (But always listen to me).

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

Your Hand
♠ 7 4
♥ 10 8 4 2
♦ 9 3
♣ J 7 4 3 2

Q: 3 - What do you lead as South against 3NT?

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1♣
Pass	1♥	Pass	1 No-trump
Pass	3 No-trump	Pass	Pass
Pass

A: ♦9: Neither hearts nor clubs look inviting, so you might as well try to hit partner, who you will need to have opening values or so. In that case he is far more likely to have diamonds than spades, as he would surely have bid spades, but might not have acted with a minor suit here. There seems no good reason to lead hearts: you have too many of them for this to look attractive.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Your Hand
♠ 10 8 6
♥ J 7 4 2
♦ 9 6 4
♣ J 7 3

Q: 4 - You are South. What do you lead?

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1♦
p	1♥	p	1 No-trump
p	3 No-trumps	p	p
p

A: ♣3: To have a shot to set this hand, partner needs close to an opening bid, and you probably have to find his suit. If he had spades, he might have bid them on the first round of the auction -- but with clubs, he might have felt less inclined to get involved.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Your Hand
♠ Q 7 5 2
♥ 10 4 3
♦ 9 6 4 3
♣ K 4

Q: 5 - Against 4♥, what do you lead as South?

South	West	North	East
-	-	p	1♦
p	1♠	p	2♥
p	3♥	p	4♥
p	p	p

A: ♣K: Lead the club king, and cross your fingers. How are you going to beat the contract unless you can cash some club tricks on the go? Even that may not be enough, but it is surely your best shot!

Your result so far:

Open Question

Overall Results

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What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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