Page 10 - Leads Against Notrump

10
The Impact of Opening Leads Against Notrump Contracts
When making the opening lead, West didn’t know exactly
what technique the defenders would be using to defeat the
contract. As it turned out, the defenders were able to develop
two extra spade winners through length.
Just as entries are important for declarer, they are equally
important for the defenders. West had to lose the second spade
trick to keep the ♠K with the long suit until it was established.
This is exactly the same technique that declarer often uses when
developing tricks through length—taking the losses early.
Entries are Everything
Established winners can only take
tricks if there is an entry to get to them.