BY DAVID LINDOP

As declarer , we often get information about the opponents ’ holdings through the auction , through their signals and discards , and as we play out the deal . However , we frequently have all the information we need even if the opponents have been silent throughout the auction and we have yet to play a card . We can infer a lot about the opponents ’ distribution and their high-card holdings just from the opening lead . For example , suppose we open 1NT as South , and partner raises to 3NT . Our left-hand opponent , West , leads a two . Assuming the defenders ’ agreement is to lead fourth best against notrump contracts , we can immediately infer the following :

• West has only four cards in the suit .

• West is unlikely to have a fivecard or longer suit – otherwise West would have led the longer suit .

• West doesn ’ t have a solid sequence or broken sequence in the suit – otherwise West would have led the top of touching honors . This may be all the information we need to know how to play the contract . Consider this deal .

We reached 3NT after this auction :

LEAD ♠6

♠ 5 4 2 ♥ J 4 3 ♦ A Q J 7 ♣ Q 8 6

w n

s

♠ K 3 ♥ K Q 10 2 ♦ 10 9 3 ♣ A K J 4

We are going to get a trick with the ♠K and we have a sure diamond winner and four club tricks . We need three more tricks . We can promote three winners in hearts by driving out the ♥A , or try the diamond finesse , hoping West holds the ♦K . What ’ s our best plan ? West ’ s opening lead gives us the answer right away-develop the winners in the heart suit ! We can see the ♠5-4-3-2 in our combined hands , so West ’ s ♠6 is the lowest outstanding spade and must be fourth best . That means the defenders ’ eight spades are divided exactly 4-4 . They won ’ t be able to get more than three spade tricks when they gain the lead with the ♥A . West doesn ’ t actually have to lead a two for us to know it is fourth best . We can take into account all the lower-ranking cards we see . This is one of the reasons we should make our plan before playing to the first trick . We don ’ t want to be in a position later in the play wondering : “ Did West lead the ♠6 or the ♠7 ? Did dummy hold the ♠2 ?”

e

3NT

Here ’ s the complete deal : ♠ 5 4 2 ♥ J 4 3 ♦ A Q J 7 ♣ Q 8 6

♠ Q 10 8 6 ♥ A 9 5 ♦ 8 5 2 ♣ 9 7 3

♠ K 3 ♥ K Q 10 2 ♦ 10 9 3 ♣ A K J 4

If we were to try the diamond finesse , East would win the ♦K and the defenders would have five tricks : three spades , the ♦K , and the ♥A . We can draw similar inferences from the opening lead against a suit contract . The opponents don ’ t always lead fourth best against a suit contract . Sometimes they lead low from three cards , for example . Yet the opening lead may provide the clue we need to make the winning play . Suppose we reach 4♠ after this auction :

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1♠

PASS 3♠ PASS 4♠ PASS PASS PASS

West leads the ♥5 , and dummy comes down :

LEAD ♥5 w n

s

♠ A J 9 7 ♥ 8 7 6 ♦ K 6 4 ♣ 10 5 2

♠ K J 9 7 5 ♥ 8 3 ♦ K Q ♣ K Q 9 5

We have a sure spade loser and a sure diamond loser . We can ruff our fourth club in dummy if necessary . So , we can only afford to lose one heart trick . Our usual plan would be to lead a heart toward dummy after drawing trumps and guess whether to play dummy ’ s ♥J or ♥K when West follows with a low heart . The ♥J would be right if West holds the

e

♠ Q 10 6 3 ♥ K J 6 4 ♦ 7 2 ♣ A 7 2

w n

s e

3NT

4♠

2 AUDREY GRANT ’ S BETTER BRIDGE JULY / AUGUST 2017