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Andrew:
What does partners lead mean?
Choosing which suit to lead is most of the battle for a defender. But don’t get careless and then lead the wrong card. Here are the four rules for which card to select to send the appropriate message:
(1) Lead top from a sequence of two+ touching high cards:
AK42, KQ3, J1052, KJ102
(2) Lead top from two cards:
97, Q3, 104, J7,
(3) Lead Low for Like:
KJ52, Q54, K103, Q964
(4) Lead High for Hate:
9752, 8732, 983, 7432
(try to lead second highest from rubbish, so that you can follow with the higher one next time, and so avoid the confusion with top from a doubleton).
Note that I am not necessarily recommending the above leads (indeed I have mentioned my general distaste for the top-of-a-doubleton lead on several occasions); merely I am telling you which card to lead, if you are to lead the suit.
When partner has led, you should make the following working assumptions:
- (a) An honour lead (ace down to ten) shows the card immediately below and denies the card immediately above.
- (b) A high spot card (nine down to five/six-ish) is from a suit that partner does not wish you to return.
- (c) A low spot card (five/six-ish down to two) is from a suit partner does want you to lead back.
This East did not get the message...
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South Deals None Vul |
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| West | North | East | South |
| 1 ♠ | |||
| Pass | 3 ♠ | Pass | 4 ♠ |
| All pass |
What happened
West reasonably chose ♥ 8 as his opening lead. The one suit he couldn’t afford to lead from was a diamond - away from the ace - but because he was desperate for partner to switch to the suit and not return a heart, he made sure he led a high heart (“lead high for hate”). The message fell on deaf ears. East won ♥ A and and returned ♥ 7. Declarer won, drew trumps, cashed ♣ AK discarding ♦ 6, and claimed ten tricks. Game made.
What should have happened
East wins ♥ A and, partner’s ♥ 8 being a clear high for hate lead, switches to ♦ J (dummy’s weakness). This scoops up three quick tricks for the defence - down one.
If you remember one thing...
Do not return partner’s lead of a high spot card (unless you suspect it to be top from two cards).
