Sunday, July
20, 2008 8:23 pm
Hand
Evaluation - Three Blind Mice
PITBULLS:
The gambling 3NT has been reduced to an
ineffective toy because the opponents have "smartened up". They
do not just adhere to the platitude of 4th best
from longest & strongest & lead blind after a gambling 3NT . They
lead an Ace & watch partners signal.
If partner does not like that suit , you try a
different one . If there is a suit
wide open , you have two chances to find it . These Ace leads almost
destroyed gambling 3NT's as a convention. In addition , you wrong side the contract as well as the
opponents are defending well against the toy.
Leading blind is "advantage declarer" so an Ace lead brings partner into the picture.
By partner signalling , you have two opinions rather
that just one. There are certain "gambling 3NT's" that occur within an auction.
If the opponents announce to the table thay have a
long running suit , it is deja
vu when you are on lead. A player held this hand ♠Q10xx ♥AQxx ♦x ♣Axxx & made a T/O double of 1♦.
RHO XX'd & partner leapt to 3♣. This was passed
around to the redoubler who bid 3♦. Opener now bid 3NT most likely based on a club
stopper & the long diamond suit. Is this auction not like a gambling 3NT auction ?
You can count thier tricks before the opening
lead . 6♦ tricks ,
an AK somewhere & the club king if you give them their 9th trick. You
lead the ♥A
to take a look & watch partner's signal. The board hit
with ♠KJx ♥Jxx ♦KJ109xx ♣x .
Partner plays the heart deuce so you
continue to her king. Partner switches to the ♣Q so you now
take 5♣ & 4♥ tricks for down 5 vul for +500 just like in some gambling 3NT auctions gone bad. Blind
opening leads are for three now very famous mice.
What if you err and lead the club Ace ? Partner throws
the ♣Queen so the defence is now simple.
You can count 9 tricks
for declarer if he has the spade Ace. If he does not have the spade Ace , he must
have the ♥AK on the bidding so its panic
time. You switch to a heart & take your 4
heart tricks to prevent a huge 15 IMP loss your way.
Blind opening leads in these kind
of auctions is insulting partner.
You are saying I do not need
your input as I will single handedly
find the defence by leading 4th best from longest & strongest.
Leading an Ace allows you to keep
the lead ,
look at
the board & watch
partner's signals. A blind opening lead is an all or nothing gamble when the
opponents have a long suit ready to roll. Do not do it !!
There are
other times when you do not make blind
opening leads. When partner has made it very plain that she
owns their trump suit
& doubles , do not lead blind ! Partner converts
your T/O double at the one
level. Lead a trump as partner knows how to judge the
defence but you do not. When partner makes an obvious trump stack double at
the 3 level also do not lead blind. Maurice & Susan had a hand recently
that shows what happens when you do not lead
blind. Maurice opened 2♠ on the terrorist vulnerability with ♠QJ109xx ♥x
♦109xx ♣Qx . They made a T/O double so when 3♥
came around to Susan , she made a trump stack penalty
double. Maurice does not want to be a hero & try to guess the lead by leading blind so he
dutifully leads a trump.
The board hits with ♠xx ♥Kxx ♦Axx ♣AK1098 . Declarer plays
small & Susan win the jack holding ♠x ♥AQJxx ♦KQJxx
♣xx. Well it is 2
for 1 time ,
so Susan cashes the Ace & continues a heart to the King. Declarer now plays
the hand double dummy by cashing the ♣AK & continuing a club which Susan
ruffs with her 5th heart. She now switches to the ♦K
won on the board. Declarer now leads the 4th club & Susan ruffs with her last trump & leads
a diamond which declarer ruffs with his
last trump. Declarer is now playing the hand in 3NTX & can not get the board for the 5th club !
He cashes his ♠AK & since he is hand locked he gives up for -500. He took 2♥ tricks , 2♣ tricks , 1♦ trick & 2 ♠ tricks for 7 total This is
with best declarer play. If you lead blind ( guessing
) instead of a trump, an accident may happen & declarer might come
home with +730 instead of the -500. A 20 IMP swing depending
on leading blind
vrs not.
Always remember the 3
blind mice in the game of Bridge. Guessing opening leads are
repugnant to expert Bridge players.
Lead directing doubles & leading blind go together. If you are playing
against exurberant opponents who bid by the
"seat of their pants" , do not allow partner
to lead blind
if you can help it. ♠KJx ♥xx
♦Axxx ♣QJxx & you open 1♣ on the terrorist vulnerability
& all pass to the balancer who doubles. They bid 2♥
followed by 4NT & one Ace shown & a leap to 6♥.
This is a "blind auction" with the very strong hand to your right.
They heard the bidding so they are very prepared
for a club lead.
Are they prepared for a spade lead though with your ♦A
to be knocked out ? I would double to advise partner to not
lead a club. If he guesses wrong & leads a diamond you have
gambled losing 4 imps to gain 17. A spade lead beats the contract for a huge
swing. Blind opening leads are the enemy of all Bridge players.