THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue CXXIII, 10 April 1937, Page 19

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Specially Written for "The Post" by" "Approach Bid"

THE WAITING LEAD

Tae lead of'a worthless doubleton from a hand,. containing tenaces in other suits' is an .ideal waiting lead. Partner, is not; likely /to be .misled by this lead, as," .if. "a .card-./led cannot: be read as a<:fourth best the usual assumption, .is that "it shows a.; doubleton! or top of nothing—it very rarely, shows a ; singleton. ':.,, Partner will .not .return, the suit lead, but will cnoots another line of play.' For instance holding, 4 K.Q.x.; . :j'Hf/-&-.T.- -■'." 4'.-A.Q.6..5. "'• Q.9;6.2. after an' opening lead of; the nine iofhearts, :'the partner willVnot return •a.heart.on gaining the'Jead.'.but will .be.i'gdided by his own,hand and that of'-dummy'as to what suit'to, play torus'partner.. ■ ... ''; ' - - s ■:' ■■

In a/choic^ between the'lead ofj'a doubleton and 'the lead of a three-card suit thel' doubleton should always be preferred.; An' occasional ruff, results from'-a doubleton lead, but not from a three-card/,suitV '.\ ': V-..-;-' ' , :_'■

■ When-the. hand .contains.tenaces but no ; .plain .suit .doubletoh, the '.opening' lead of. -'&" trump", when .holding '-two. or: three; small .trumps is ;an excellent waiting lead. A singleton trump, how-, ever, is.'characterised .by .Culbertsoitas: one of'the worst leads in bridge often trapping. Q.x.x.. or j.x.x.x. in the partner's 'hand, thus playing into the'-de-;, cla'rer's.hand and-saving him.the necessity of ■•worrying about : the;..advers?e: trump .position. ■ • !■ ■ ■■■■■'■ '.-

A waiting trump.lead should-not be confused with the defenders' trump defence. - The former is simply a way of protecting tenaces in other suits, while the latter makes use. of trump, leads to prevent declarer from making tricks.with, riiffers. This is a powerful defence against the. declarer's' ruffing game, particularly when the bidding has indicated; a cross-ruff, position. -

A trump is .'led as part of the antiruff game, in the following situations: —

(l)'Wh'eh the.bidding has shown that dummy's- hand.' consists mainly of distributional' strength—short suits and trumps. For instance: Opening bid one spade, and partner gives a direct raise to four spades,, showing at least five trumps and a'singleton, but very little outside value, 1J- honour tricks at most. . This is a most favourable position for a defender to open, with a trump lead, and, if the opportunity occurs, to- lead a second trump, thus lessening ruffing values in the opposition hands:

(2) When the bidding, has shown that the declarer has only four trumps end dummy has at m<?.-.t four trumps.

(3) figainsl pfe-emptive bids, when the trump suit is usually solid and it :'s desirable to throw the 'declarer 'in; and so make him lead any outside suit

Weekly Chat on Contract

from his own hand. Any lead, other than' a trump, may ; possibly give him an extra trick, whereas the trump lead does not give any information regarding outside-suits. .".-... .' ... .

.The.' lead" pf >:a': small-trump.- when holding A.x.x. or. X.x.x; is as .'effective as. leading' from: ■'. ■•' worthless,, trumps. Holding. A.x.x., .the opening'lead "of a small trump is particularly' effective, when you hold the' ace..,of a suit'which either, you. .of your partner' has; bid, and the opponents' bidding has indicated ...a. ruffing play... One trump *is immediately removed from -each of ■ the opposing '.hands,:and;. if 'your outside ace:must ;be ; got rid; pf-before that suit can ,be ruffed, you are an."a position to .lead the Ace of trumps and follow with: the remaining worthless trump, thus-preventing the'-ruffing game on which your, opponents -depended for the success of.their,,contract. The.following hand from' Culbertsori's "Red Book," is an illustration of.' this play:— ■:vv;.:;: :7:.;*>::.;' -.V:'-;;/.' :" '' '• ■■:$ Q-»:6.2.' '■.'.'■ -;•■ :■ ■'■•'■ ;■ ■■■ ■'< ■''•^'.KJ-.sJ.?.' ■:■ '■'-•.: ■■■'.. . ••■.;)■ . ; ;;:^j.7.4;3.3.i ;!.:.; • [ - * 5.3.2.' • :.—KSFthTT'4* A.K.J.10.6.' ; -~»•■A.T.4.-■ '■■' f::/.: |;• 5'3----';'4 6.3.2. ■■-'■'■ ' g- • ■■':& ■> J. 10.8.7. f^Q.8.6.5.; | South.' ;-l 10.9- ----■"::■■■. "" 4 . i Q.'J9.B ; <:■'.■■": '; ' , •:,' .- y K.J.10.8.. ,' .■ .... '■■':': , .-:'■; ,4 a.q:4. .'-■'.■ '■ " ". ■ ■♦"ax.' ■..■'.•■ .■"..; ■' ■•: "The bidding:' ? ■■'''- '• South. West. North. East.' 1 * ;Pas3 -2,^ 2 4 Double. Pas 3 • ,3^' Pass '' 3K.T. Pass "'■ 4 Pass Pass . Pass ~.'"•: .'. . Souths double of East's two-spade overcall, after North had supported his opening "heart '■bid, marked him with four spades. North's ■' taking his partner out of the double indicated a.singleton spade and at least four hearts.

West had no card of entry.other than the'1 Ace of hearts.; 'He could have led the Ace and another trump, removing at once, two of dummy's possible ruffers,. but he ■ knew that the singleton spade must be cleared from dummy's hand before a ruff in that suit was possible. ;If-;East,held two trumps and the Ace of .his spade suit, three ruffers could be .removed from ■ the dummy hand. West, therefore, opened with a small heart'jfrom the Ace. When East won the first spade trick and returned his remaining trump, -. West took out two further rounds .of hearts. Dummy could now only ruff once, and the contract was defeated, South losing three spade tricks and the. Ace of hearts. No other opening could have defeated the contract.