| North Deals None Vul |
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| West | North | You | South |
| 1 ♦ | Pass | 1 NT | |
| Pass | 2 NT | Pass | 3 NT |
| All pass |
Partner led the ♥ 5 against 3 NT. Against notrump, you and your partner lead
fourth-best from length, and high from three small ("top of nothing"). After
noticing that North bid her hand well to show exactly 18-19 balanced HCP, you play the ♥ A and declarer
plays the ♥ 7.
Of course you will return a heart. You already knew
that. Since the ♥ 5 is the lowest outstanding heart, it was clearly a
fourth-best lead. Returning partner's suit is almost automatic, unless there is
a glaring reason to do something else.
But... which heart?
ANSWER: Lead the ♥ 2 to show that you originally held four hearts.
THE PRINCIPLE: If partner led from length against notrump, when returning her
suit you should return
- the highest remaining card from an original three-card holding
- the original fourth-best card from an original holding of four or more
This is the standard way to handle partner's suit at notrump. It is also known as "present count", as in you presently have a doubleton (lead high) or three (lead low). Partner can then figure out how many cards declarer has, and whether to cash out the suit or try to get back to your hand for another lead through declarer. Note that there are exceptions to "original fourth-best" if you have a useful honor holding and need to instead lead a "pusher" through declarer.
- the highest remaining card from an original three-card holding
- the original fourth-best card from an original holding of four or more
This is the standard way to handle partner's suit at notrump. It is also known as "present count", as in you presently have a doubleton (lead high) or three (lead low). Partner can then figure out how many cards declarer has, and whether to cash out the suit or try to get back to your hand for another lead through declarer. Note that there are exceptions to "original fourth-best" if you have a useful honor holding and need to instead lead a "pusher" through declarer.
A couple of follow-up questions, and we're done for this time...
Partner already knew that declarer didn't start with four hearts. How?
ANSWER: Declarer bid 1 NT in response to 1 ♦, denying a four-card major. Yes, you already knew that too.
ANSWER: Declarer bid 1 NT in response to 1 ♦, denying a four-card major. Yes, you already knew that too.
After your lead, partner will know that declarer started with exactly three
hearts. How?
ANSWER: Your ♥ 2 is original fourth-best. There are no lower hearts than the deuce, so you held exactly four hearts. Dummy had two hearts to begin with, partner led from a four-card suit... well, you can do the arithmetic and so can partner.
ANSWER: Your ♥ 2 is original fourth-best. There are no lower hearts than the deuce, so you held exactly four hearts. Dummy had two hearts to begin with, partner led from a four-card suit... well, you can do the arithmetic and so can partner.
And no, you can't hold up fingers to tell partner how many! We're not finished with this hand, stay tuned...
-- Ray
Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)
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