A POOR LEAD AND WORSE PLAY
Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk who lived in the 5th or 6th century, said, “Many roads lead to the path, but basically, there are only two: reason and practice.”
Trying to find the best opening lead at the bridge table requires reason, and one’s judgment will be improved with practice.
Look only at the West hand. What would you lead against five diamonds?
North used the Unusual No-trump, showing at least 5-5 in the minors. East’s three-spade raise indicated the values for a single raise: 6-9 points. (With a normal gameinvitational limit raise, East would jump to four spades. The theory is that West will play the cards more accurately than usual, knowing so much about the deal’s distribution.) South jumped to five diamonds, thinking that it might make or be a cheap save.
In a social game, West made the bad lead of the club ace. There was no reason to believe that partner was short in the suit. West continued with a second club. South won with dummy's king and discarded a spade. He drew trumps ending on the board, ruffed a club, crossed to the spade ace and ruffed another club, but now he could not take 11 tricks. He still had to lose a spade and a heart.
Declarer would have survived if he had led a heart from his hand instead of a spade to the ace, but much better would have been a heart toward his king after drawing trumps (or even before touching trumps). Here, he would have cruised home.
If West had led a “boring” spade, the contract would have had no chance, the defenders taking one trick in each side suit. Copyright United Feature Syndicate (Asia Features)