[KamalK]

Hello

I have no idea when its right (mostly, usually) to lead trump.

When I do, I mess it up, when I dont, movie 'says' it should have been done.

Any basic 'rules' for trump leads?

All help welcome.....thanks in advance.

Regards

Kamal

[pooltuna]

KamalK, on Jan 17 2010, 01:02 PM, said:

Hello

I have no idea when its right (mostly, usually) to lead trump.

When I do, I mess it up, when I dont, movie 'says' it should have been done.

Any basic 'rules' for trump leads?

All help welcome.....thanks in advance.

Regards

Kamal

I assume you mean opening leads. The auction and your hand needs to suggest that the opponents will be either crossruffing or trying to establish a long suit by trumping small cards in the suit. A small caveat if the long suit will be overruffed by partner a trump lead is not as critical as if you are short in the suit and declarer will be overruffing behind you or discarding losers.

[jdonn]

A specific hint: I think if you always lead a trump on the auction
1X p 1Y p 2Z p p p
where X is higher than Z, you are doing well. Like 1♥ p 1♠ p 2♣ all pass. That is advice that is often given and I have just seen it be right time after time after time, from really any trump holding.

[dicklont]

No trump lead
- from four trumps
- from a singleton
- if it might give away a trump trick (Qxx / Jx)
- when they show strenght and tricks (lead aggresive)

Lead trump
- when declarer plays in his second suit: 1H - 1S - 2D - pass. Declarer will try to ruff hearts.
- with highcards in declarers second suit (not trump)
- against a doubled partscore
- when they play 2X after garbage stayman

[gwnn]

jdonn are you abandoning your law?

http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?sho...ndpost&p=296291

[jdonn]

gwnn, on Jan 17 2010, 02:36 PM, said:

jdonn are you abandoning your law?

http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?sho...ndpost&p=296291

Now just giving different advice, the law is still valid.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

The first question is, what a trump lead does / is.

#1 A trump lead cuts down declarers ruffing power, so if the deck is yours,
and they are sac. a trump lead is usally asked for.
Also if you have a strong holding in one of their long side suits (usually
declarer has shown a two suiter), you usually want to prevent that the
side suit gets established, i.e. that declarer ruffs with trumps from the
short suit, to get take away your tricks.

#2 A trump lead is usually safe, if we only consider typicall holdings from
which to lead a trump, e.g. excluding Qxx, it usually gives nothing away,
but it does also usually not help your side to develop tricks.
So if they are in a tight spot, a trump lead is usually not the worst idea,
similar, if you are clearly holding the strong hand, and p is basically dead,
i.e. can hold at most a jack or a queen, it makes sense to try to find a passive
lead.
But this consideration is not specific to trump leads, you need to ask yourself,
is the auction asking for an agressive or an passive lead, if the answer is passive
lead, than a trump lead is an option.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[kgr]

http://books.google.be/books?id=r0dtP5H3NJ...page&q=&f=false
Eddie Kantar Teaches Modern Bridge Defense; p.32

[KamalK]

Many thanks to all for the valuable inputs and links. Appreciate your help. All responses were very useful.

Regards

Kamal

[billw55]

isn't it illegal to post copyrighted material on the internet?

[Lobowolf]

billw55, on Jan 21 2010, 08:28 AM, said:

isn't it illegal to post copyrighted material on the internet?

Man, I hope not...my best recollection is that copyright attaches upon creation, not registration - so my liberal use of the "quote" button a few seconds might get me in trouble...