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 Opening Leads Against Notrump by Larry Cohen

When the auction goes 1NT-3NT by the opponents, there isn't much imagination required.
Choose your longest and strongest suit and usually lead the 4th-highest card in it.

A few "what-ifs"
1) What if it is just about a "tie" for longest and strongest?
With two 4-card suits or two 5-card suits, roughly of equivalent strength, prefer a major when in doubt. (Your opponents would usually look for or show a major if they had one).
2) What if you have a "sequence?"
If 3 in a row (QJ10 or KQJ), lead top. If "almost" 3 in a row (such a KQ10 or QJ9), also lead top. Otherwise, tend to lead 4th best.

Question 1

  Your Hand
♠ Q J 5 2
♥ K 7 6
♦ 8 7 6
♣ 5 4 3 		 
Q: 1 - What is your opening lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1 No-trump
pass3 No-trumpspasspass
pass


 Your choice:
A: ♠2 - Fourth from your longest and strongest (not an honor when no true 3- or almost 3-card sequence).

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
♠ 8 5
♥ Q 8 7 4 2
♦ K 9 7 6 3
♣ A 		 
Q: 2 - What is your opening lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1 No-trump
p3 No-trumpspp
p


 Your choice:
A: ♥4 - Even though the diamonds are a little better, resolve close questions in favor of leading the major. The dummy won't have 4 or 5 hearts (no Stayman or Transfer). Dummy could easily have 4 or 5 diamonds. Break ties in favor of major-suit leads.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
♠ K J 6 2
♥ A 7 6 5 3
♦ J 7 6
♣ Q 		 
Q: 3 - What is your opening lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1 No-trump
pass3 No-trumpspasspass
pass


 Your choice:
A: ♥5 - There is nothing wrong with leading away from such a holding against 3NT. Lead 4th from your longest and strongest.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
♠ J 10 8 7 3
♥ 4 3
♦ A K 4 3
♣ K 2 		 
Q: 4 - What is your opening lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1 No-trump
pass3 No-trumpspasspass
pass


 Your choice:
A: ♠J - With an "almost" sequence (2 in a row, then skip one, then the next one), lead the top honor. With ♠J10432, lead 4th best.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
♠ K Q J 10
♥ 10 9 8
♦ A 5 4 3 2
♣ 2 		 
Q: 5 - As South, what is your opening lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1 No-trump
pass3 No-trumpspasspass
pass


 Your choice:
A: ♠K - Yes, the diamonds are longer, but it feels much better to set up at least 4 defensive tricks with the very safe (yet also attacking) lead from the top of the spade sequence.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

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