Book a Course
View all the latest courses going on at the bridge club and book yours now...
-
Home
-
Andrew
-
Articles
Andrew Robson Articles.
-
About
Read about Andrew Robson
-
Beginner Corner
Andrew offers hints and tips for those new to the game
-
Tips for Intermediates
Andrew's top tip for intermediates and improvers.
-
For the more experienced
A selection of deals for the more experienced
-
Andrew finds the Queen
Andrew receives his OBE at Buckingham Palace from her majesty the Queen
-
Andrew's life in Bridge
Some select deals, which i have played
-
Bridge Quiz
Test your bidding knowledge
-
If you remember_just one_thing
In this series Andrew, features one improtant point per Article. Bit by bit the reader will improve their game.
-
Articles
-
Store
-
BridgeCast
-
Everything A.R.
-
Courses
-
Results
-
All Sessions
-
Map
See how to get to ARBC
-
How To Get Here
View Transportation Information
-
Opening Hours
See Our Opening Hours
- About the Staff
-
Take a look inside
Take a 360 degree tour of the inside of ARBC
-
Where to stay near the club
A list of places to stay near to our club
-
Book a table
Book a table for a duplicate
-
DVDs
Andrew:
Interpreting the opening lead
Many inferences can be drawn from the opening lead. Say the lead is a two. The leader has just four cards in the suit led: the two is his fourth highest – and (obviously) his lowest. He is unlikely to have a five-card suit elsewhere or he would have led it; if he turns up with a singleton elsewhere, his likely shape is 4441. If his four-card suit is very poor, his likely shape is 4333 – unless he has a second four-card suit that is even poorer.
Say the lead is an eight. Is it fourth highest? Or high-for-hate? You’ll need to look at your hand and dummy to decide. Apply the Rule of 11 and if you get an impossible answer, it’s high for hate:
| (i) | ♦ A Q 4 | (ii) | ♣ J 10 5 | |||
| ♦ 8 led | ---- | E | ♣ 8 led | ---- | E | |
| ♦ J 9 3 | ♣ K 6 2 |
In (i), taking eight from ♦11, giving just three higher cards than ♦ 8 in N, E, S is impossible: you can see four. So ♦ 8 is high-for-hate and East holds ♦ K. If you cannot afford to lose the lead, rise with ♦ A.
In (ii), it is possible West is leading fourth highest from ♣ AQ98(x). But if when you try dummy’s ♣ 10, East covers with ♣ Q, you know West’s ♣ 8 is high for hate and that East also holds ♣ A.
Click to Play this deal
|
South Deals None Vul |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 N | |||
| Pass | 3 N1 | Pass | Pass |
| Pass |
|
| 3 NT by South |
| Lead: ♠ 8 |
On our 3 NT deal, West leads the eight of spades. Taking eight from 11 gives an impossible three higher spades in N, E and S (N and S have four). The lead must be high-for- hate. If you finesse, East will win and surely switch to hearts before you have knocked out the ace of diamonds.
Instead rise with dummy’s ace of spades and knock out the ace of diamonds. East wins the second diamond and switches to hearts, you winning the second round. You still have just eight tricks, but look at what happens to East on the fifth diamond:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East must throw his penultimate heart to keep his guards in both black suits. Now you can lead a spade knocking out his king and setting up a second trick in that suit, as he has just one heart to cash. Nine tricks and game made.
