Perils of a Doubleton lead
Do you like leading from a doubleton (vs a suit contract)? Generally speaking, I do not. I will almost never lead from an honour-doubleton (e.g. Q4, J8). When I lead the honour [and unless you live in Poland, it is universally standard to lead top from two cards], my partner will think I have the card immediately beneath (and am leading top of a sequence). Furthermore, the honour is too valuable merely to toss on the table and (in all likelihood) lose.
I will rarely lead (top) from a small doubleton either. Unless partner has at least five cards in that suit (in which case you might hear an overcall - a totally different situation in which I am now happy to lead the doubleton), then either declarer or dummy must have at least four cards. I am helping to up their suit, and exposing my partner to finesses in the process.
South Deals
None Vul |
| ♠ |
Q 8 3 2 |
| ♥ |
J 5 2 |
| ♦ |
K Q 8 4 |
| ♣ |
9 7 |
|
| ♠ |
7 5 |
| ♥ |
Q 8 7 3 |
| ♦ |
7 2 |
| ♣ |
A J 8 4 3 |
|
|
|
|
| |
| ♠ |
6 4 |
| ♥ |
K 10 6 |
| ♦ |
J 9 6 5 |
| ♣ |
Q 10 6 5 |
|
|
| |
| ♠ |
A K J 10 9 |
| ♥ |
A 9 4 |
| ♦ |
A 10 3 |
| ♣ |
K 2 |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1 ♠ |
| Pass |
2 ♠ |
Pass |
4 ♠ |
| All pass |
|
|
|
What happened
West led ♦ 7, top from his doubleton. This gave declarer all four diamond tricks, by finessing East out of his guarded ♦ J. Trick One went ♦ 7, ♦ 4, ♦ J, ♦ A, whereupon declarer drew trumps and played ♦ A and over to ♦ KQ, discarding ♥ 4. He now had the luxury of leading towards his ♣ K for the overtrick. This did not materialise with West holding ♣ A over ♣ K, but the game was made.
What should have happened
West immediately eliminates a club lead (Leading away from an ace is a poor choice against a suit contract, here you can see that it promotes declarer’s ♣ K). But he prefers a heart to the top of a doubleton diamond.
♥ 3 goes to ♥ 2, ♥ 10 (note that there is no reason for East to play ♥ K, as he knows West cannot hold ♥ A; indeed it imperative that he keeps ♥ K, to prevent dummy’s ♥ J from being promoted). Declarer wins ♥ A, cashes ♠ AK, then follows with ♦ A and over to ♦ KQ. ♦ J does not appear and now, with just three diamond tricks, declarer is left leading to ♣ K for his game. When ♣ K loses to ♣ A, he is down one, losing two clubs and two hearts.
If you remember one thing...
Beware the (top of a) doubleton lead. It often helps declarer to set up a side-suit.
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