Blind Leads are for Deaf Players! by David Gold

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Source: Mr Bridge

When Terence Reese made his non-PC remark, ‘Blind leads are for deaf players,’ he meant that the bidding often tells you what to lead.

 J 6 5 4   74 2  J 6 3 J 7 3

As West, you pick up this hand and must find a ‘blind’ lead after the auction:

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Now wait, is it really a blind lead? Listen to the bidding. South has shown four hearts and North has shown four spades otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered with Stayman. This means you can rule out leading a major. Is there anything to choose between the minors? Again, listen to the bidding. Partner did not double Stayman, which he might have done if he wanted a club lead. So, having ruled out hearts, spades and clubs, you try the three of diamonds. The full deal:

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On a diamond lead, declarer has no chance. The point is that, if you swap partner’s minor suits he would have doubled Stayman (assuming you play this as lead directing), but he did not want to make a risky 2 overcall.

Playing pairs, you, as West, pick up:

 6 3 2  A 6 4 3  8 6  Q J 10 9

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The opponents have reached 5 and you seem to have a nice safe lead — the queen of clubs. Wait — listen to the bidding! They have investigated no-trumps (2, and 3) but chosen to play in 5. Surely, this is because they lack a heart stopper.

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You lead the heart ace and continue the suit when partner encourages. You hold the contract to 11 tricks when a club lead would have allowed all 13.

 6 3 2   K Q 10 4  K Q 10 4  7 6

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In a team game, you are West once more. It looks natural to decide between the red suits — K-Q-10-x is an attractive lead — but first listen to the bidding. South has made a game try asking for help in hearts (3) and North has accepted. You suspect from your heart holding that North has accepted due to having ruffing value in hearts. You therefore lead a trump aiming to cut down ruffs in dummy. The full deal:

aaxxOn a non-trump lead, declarer will have no problem ruffing two hearts in dummy to take 10 tricks (five spades, two clubs, one diamond and two ruffs). On a trump lead (and later continuation), declarer can ruff only one heart in dummy and makes, at most, nine tricks. So, when you are on lead, remember blind leads are for deaf players!