LEAD DECLARER INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH

Thomas Gray, an 18th-century English poet, wrote, “The paths of glory lead but to the grave.” Rather depressing, but in bridge, when you are on opening lead, you are hoping that that grave will be dug for the contract. To that end, sometimes you need an unusually shaped shovel.

Look at West’s hand in today’s diagram. What would you lead against three no-trump?

After South opened one notrump, and West overcalled two hearts, North responded three diamonds. Should this be treated as forcing, game-invitational or to play (a signoff)? That is a very good question! You and your partner should come to an agreement. Unless you use the Lebensohl convention (which employs an artificial two-no-trump response to increase the possibilities), you cannot do more than select one interpretation. If forced to choose, I would opt for invitational. With a gameforce, you just have to jump to three no-trump, or cue-bid and hope it all works out well. With a weak hand and a long suit, pass or overbid!

On lead against three notrump, it is normal to start with the fourth-highest from your longest and strongest. At the table, that is exactly what West did. However, declarer called for dummy’s heart jack and, when it held the trick, played on clubs. The defense was dead.

Holding three aces, West should lead the heart ace. If the dummy has, say, three hearts, West continues with a low heart, playing for declarer to hold king-doubleton. Here, though, West leads the queen at trick two, pinning dummy’s jack and hoping declarer doesn’t have the 10. As you can see, this attack kills the contract.