Page 8 - Leads Against Notrump

8
The Impact of Opening Leads Against Notrump Contracts
Length
Not all tricks are won by high cards. Low cards come into play,
especially when they are located in long suits. For example:
♠ Q 10 8
♠ A K 7 4 3 ♠ 9 6 5
♠ J 2
West has two sure spade tricks, the ♠A and ♠K. To develop
more than two tricks,Westmust give up a trick to the opponents.2
Then West will have established two additional spade winners
through length.
Of course, the suit may not look exactly like this between the
defenders’ hands, and there may be entry considerations. Let’s
look at a complete deal. South opens 1NT, North raises to 3NT,
and West is on lead.
NORTH
WEST EAST
SOUTH
2 This assumes that the fve missing cards are divided 3-2 between the opponents’ hands—
which will happen 67.8% of the time. If the missing cards are divided 4-1 (28.3%), two
tricks would have to be given up and only one trick could be developed through length.
If the cards are divided 5-0 (3.9%), no tricks could be developed through length.