Friday, August 18, 2006 10:17 PM
Hand Evaluation – Opening leads ( Ask Questions )
PITBULLS:
The rules of Bridge
are against non disclosure . You are entitled to the same information as the
opponents have announced with their bidding. Your opening leads depend on their bidding so sometimes your
bidding depends on their
system. Professional players ask a lot
of questions about your bidding. Do you think they are just interested in what
system you are using ? They want to have all the
available information before they
lead or bid & so should you !
My
partners & I have different understandings after a strong NT depending on
whether their 2♣ overcall or
double is artificial.
If both bids are artificial , we just ignore them so systems are on including
transfers. We have a special understanding over their artificial 2♣ that
a double is Stayman. The meaning of XX changes , depending on whether the double is penalty or artificial. If artificial , the XX retains the standard meaning of a good
hand so let me at them. If the double is penalty , the
XX shows a single suited run out. In other words , you
have no idea what is going on, unless you ask questions.
My partner was on lead against an opponent who had their own meaning of a 2NT rebid. The auction went
1♣-P-1♠-P
2NT-P-4♠-P so you are on lead
with ♠Axxxx ♥AQxx ♦x ♣Qxx . You ask what the
2NT bid means . It is explained as long clubs with as
many as 16 HCP. You have 12 HCP & they responded ,
so partner is limited with very
little on this auction. Where is the heart king ? The
odds that it is in declarer’s hand is miniscule as he just shows spades so partner or the 16 HCP board has that card. How are clubs behaving for declarer
? They look good so a blind lead
is not recommended. Leading a singleton blind
when partner is marked with very little points with you having
long trump is silly. You will just find a queen for them & allow declarer
to retain control of the hand with a bad trump break coming their way. Anyway , partner leads the heart
Ace , the board hits with ♠void
♥Jxxx ♦AQJ ♣AK109xx . I encourage in
hearts so partner continues & declarer ruffs. Declarer had 6 spades , so he is now down to the same length as partner. Partner
ducks the spade Ace , takes the next one &
declarer has lost control of this hand. Declarer finesses the diamond, I win the King so
declarer goes down 3 vul getting no diamond tricks
with his 6-5 in spades & diamonds.
Opening
leads are bidding
dependent. You translate
the bidding into patterns & HCP’s so
you get a good idea where all the HCP’s
are located via the 40 HCP’s in the deck
rule. Your opening leads are a result of asking the opponents questions .
If the opponents give you wrong information that result in the incorrect
opening lead , there are rules & laws to handle
those situations. Silence is not golden
when opening leads are concerned. Be sure the opponents have let you in on their bidding secrets.
Use all the information available to you or
advantage opponents.