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Lead?


KurtGodel

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We are vul, they are not. P deals and passes, RHO bids 2H and that ends the auction. Your guess:

Kxxx Jxxx AQx Kx

 

You have the additional information that you have the greatest number of points at the table (it's a robot tourney). I think that any non trump lead could be right. Btw the spot cards really are tiny. Your second highest trump is the five, so no complaints of how you can't plan for some ridiculous trump promo.

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A simple lead for me noting that I am leading around to a weak 2 opener so hopefully the chances of dummy having the Q and opener the A aren't great.

 

EDIT: Of course this could hurt when dummy has the Ace and opener the Q, but I like other leads even less.

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Dia ace---odds have to be heavy (would not shock me if they are 5-1 or better) either p or dummy has the dia K and (if nothing looks better) continue with a low dia since it might appear to be a doubleton even if the KJ appear in dummy. Spade is all too easily a disaster no matter where the A and Q are.
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Dia ace---odds have to be heavy (would not shock me if they are 5-1 or better) either p or dummy has the dia K and (if nothing looks better) continue with a low dia since it might appear to be a doubleton even if the KJ appear in dummy. Spade is all too easily a disaster no matter where the A and Q are.

 

I would lead a trump. Leading from the other suits risks giving away a vitsl trick. If you happen to run through partner's trump honor,that's too bad but it's likely to be a dead duck anyway.

There is an old bridge adage "When in doubt,lead trumps"

Like most mottos in the game,there is more than a grain of truth in it.

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I would lead a trump. Leading from the other suits risks giving away a vitsl trick. If you happen to run through partner's trump honor,that's too bad but it's likely to be a dead duck anyway.

There is an old bridge adage "When in doubt,lead trumps"

Like most mottos in the game,there is more than a grain of truth in it.

I too think a trump is the lead least like to cost something, although IMO the adage of 'when in doubt lead trumps' is not enough of a reason to lead one.

 

This digresses from the thread topic but it's something I feel strongly about. For a trump lead to work it has to be right; when you lead a trump you are conceding a tempo to declarer. The opening lead is the one advantage the defending side has in the play, and if the defense needs that tempo to build their tricks up before declarer gets his tricks - and they boot it away by leading a trump - there is often no recovery.

 

I'm not saying a trump lead is never right; I'm saying one needs a good reason to lead one (like when you are 'loaded' in declarer's side suit). "When in doubt" IMO does not qualify.

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I'm leading a spade. Seems like the goal here is not to give away a trick and I think it far more likely that declarer has the DK than that the outstanding spades are favorably placed for declarer. The only reason to prefer the club K over a spade is if you think your partner has club tricks that need to be set up quickly but I don't see where declarer's club losers could be going. You don't want a ruff. A trump could also easily give away a trick.
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We are vul, they are not. K x x x J x x x A Q x K x

P deals and passes, RHO bids 2H and that ends the auction. You have the additional information that you have the greatest number of points at the table (it's a robot tourney). I think that any non trump lead could be right. Btw the spot cards really are tiny. Your second highest trump is the five, so no complaints of how you can't plan for some ridiculous trump promo.

IMO x = 10, A = 9, Q = 8, x = 6, K = 5. Rixi Markus recommended that you lead an ace against pre-empts but I admire Phil King's Q lead.
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I would lead a trump. Leading from the other suits risks giving away a vitsl trick. If you happen to run through partner's trump honor,that's too bad but it's likely to be a dead duck anyway. There is an old bridge adage "When in doubt,lead trumps". Like most mottos in the game,there is more than a grain of truth in it.
John McLaren admonished his partners "You don't have a license to lead trumps", which he dubbed "the idiots' lead" :( That might be going to far but sometimes it's a lazy lead :)
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John McLaren admonished his partners "You don't have a license to lead trumps, which he dubbed "the idiots' lead" :( That might be going to far but sometimes it's a lazy lead :)

 

Hmpf...and my K scores a 5 and the "lazy trump lead" scores a 6 :P?

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John McLaren admonished his partners "You don't have a license to lead trumps, which he dubbed "the idiots' lead" :( That might be going to far but sometimes it's a lazy lead :)

 

How often and I giving up a trump trick when I lead from Jxxx around to a weak 2 opener?

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All bridge leads are suit driven, and the choice of suit is dependent on the objective to be achieved. This objective or objectives are simply based on the four kinds of contracts that one defends. the Hand in question is being led to a trump contract below the slam level. therefore the first decision to make is whether a trump should be led. In this bidding, dummy made no trump bid, thereby ruling out the lead of a trump. The means a choice should be made between the lead of a long suit for dink purposes versus a short suit lead for ruffing purposes. Given the six card nature of the open, the chance for a dink, say in spades, is quite remote. It therefore falls to leading the king from king doubleton. The think it has going for it that as a short suit lead , the lead of a doubleton is quite fine for low level contracts. In this case all that is needed for success is for partner to hold the ace of clubs. Hope this helps.
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Hmpf...and my K scores a 5 and the "lazy trump lead" scores a 6 :P?
Just my opinion. I assume one motive for the K lead is to score ruffs, which seems unnecessary with a probable trump trick. The trump lead may sacrifice a trick and a tempo, so maybe it's worse. I like neither lead.
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