AUCTION BRIDGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 29 March 1930, Page 4

AUCTION BRIDGE

EASY LESSON No. 12. The opening leads against No Trump bids given in the last lesson are few, and easy to remember; but leads against a suit call are many and difficult. You are not expected to learn them in a day; but if you write the card combinations on slips of paper, with tho correct lead on the reverse side, and go through the slips carefully, you will soon master them. When playing with friends, don't be afraid to take a list of the leads with you and consult it when necessary. The first lead is a blind one, and, when possible, you should lead a card which will do the least possible damage to your hand. Holding Ace, King, and others, the correct lead is the King.! Unless trumped, it takes the trick, and partner knows you have' the Ace. You can now have a look at Dummy, and lead accordingly. If partner wins _ a trick and wants you to lead a suit through Dummy, ho can lead a card of your Ace, King suit, knowing you have the Ace. When holding Ace, King, without other cards, lead the Ace, then the King, and partner knows you have no more of that suit ,and can trump the third round. Naturally, after leading the Ace and King, you would try and give him the lead. If there were two Ace suits in Dummy, you would lead a card of the other suits. ,

When partner has bid, the best lead is the highest card of his suit; but if 'your hand contains either of the combinations given above, or a singleton Ace, lead from that suit first, and then lead tho highest card of partner's suit. Many p'aycrs neglect to do this, and so miss opportunities of giving valuable information. TABLE OF BLIND OPENING LEADS AGAINST A SUIT DECLARATION. The bracketed card is the one to lead. A.(K.)Q. A.(K.) and others. (A.)K. alone. (K.)Q. alone or with others. (Q.)J. alone or with others. (J.) 10. alone or with others. (10.) 9. alone or with others. Highest card of suit bid by partner. A singleton, provided it is not a King. The fourth highest of longest and strongest suit. A weak doubleton. Lead highest card. DISADVANTAGEOUS LEADS AGAINST A SUIT DECLARATION. Do not lead from any suit containing honours not in sequence, such as: A.Q.J., A.Q., A.J., K.J., Q.lO. alone or with 'other cards. Any suit headed by a King without the Queen. Do not lead a low card from a suit headed by the Ace. Of ■ course, conventional leads are not found in every hand, and when not present, lead low from a worthless three-card suit or fourth best. The matter given in this and the foregoing s lesson does not cover all the leads; in many cases, the lead-de-pends on whether you hold a car of re-entry or not, but the leads given are sufficient for- ordinary Bridge. Memorise them, and you will avoid a lot of trouble. t (Copyright by S. N. Lythgo, Box 401, G.P.O.,<Meibourne.)