[blackshoe]

You are the opening leader vs. a suit contract. Partner has bid a suit which you have not supported. From three small in his suit, which is the standard lead? Does is make a difference if the three small are 982?

[Phil]

Small, but I swear every club player on the planet will lead top here.

[mgoetze]

Standard in Germany is that one of the very first things you agree on in a pickup partnership is rudimentary leads, generally either "2/4" or "3/5". If you agreed the former, then you lead the middle card, and if you agreed the latter, you lead the low card. Some of the people who agree "3/5" will lead the 9 from 982, I wouldn't but then I am firmly on the "2/4" side.

[mgoetze]

Addendum: the above interpretation of "2/4" probably varies by region. While I play exactly what people in Germany would expect if I were to write "2nd/4th" on my convention card, I don't in fact write this on my convention card because the WBF's booklet on how to complete the convention card explicitly says not to write "2nd/4th" when playing as I (and everyone else in Germany except those playing 3rd/5th) do. This of course leads to people asking me "huh, what are your leads" and me answering "2nd/4th", but I digress.

Also note that my contributions to this thread gloss over the fact that there are also nonserious bridge players, sometimes referred to as LOLs.

[barmar]

What you lead from 3 small is a matter of agreement, I don't think there's a widespread concensus, and I don't think it matters if it's the suit partner has bid. There may be standards in particular areas, but nothing close to universal.

However, if you HAVE supported him, then I think it's pretty standard that you lead top of nothing and low from an honor. In this case, partner won't be confused into trying to give you a ruff, since he knows you have at least 3.

[lalldonn]

Small, it's super important for partner to know who is ruffing the third round.

[mike777]

leading small is standard in all the books I have ever seen. Again pard bid the suit and we did not support.

I am rather surprised there is not some worldwide consensus here excluding rare "special" agreements.

[Statto]

Middle, intending to waste the highest on the next round. Small looks like you have an honour, and highest will look like a doubleton.

[blackshoe]

barmar, on 2012-June-27, 17:08, said:

What you lead from 3 small is a matter of agreement, I don't think there's a widespread concensus, and I don't think it matters if it's the suit partner has bid. There may be standards in particular areas, but nothing close to universal.

However, if you HAVE supported him, then I think it's pretty standard that you lead top of nothing and low from an honor. In this case, partner won't be confused into trying to give you a ruff, since he knows you have at least 3.

lalldonn, on 2012-June-27, 17:15, said:

Small, it's super important for partner to know who is ruffing the third round.

mike777, on 2012-June-27, 17:38, said:

leading small is standard in all the books I have ever seen. Again pard bid the suit and we did not support.

I am rather surprised there is not some worldwide consensus here excluding rare "special" agreements.

Statto, on 2012-June-27, 21:47, said:

Middle, intending to waste the highest on the next round. Small looks like you have an honour, and highest will look like a doubleton.

Hm. "No consensus" seems to be the consensus.

Like Justin and Mike, I would have led small. Partner, however, was on a different wavelength. She led the nine. I played the jack (queen on the board), and declarer the seven. So I led the King. Declarer ruffed. Later, I asked her why she led the nine. "I didn't want you to think I had an honor," she said.

[mike777]

it would be nice if someone could quote some standard accepted textbook in their home country that says otherwise too leading small.


These answers shock me.

[Statto]

mike777, on 2012-June-27, 22:41, said:

it would be nice if someone could quote some standard accepted textbook in their home country that says otherwise too leading small.

Bernard Magee said:

Middle Up Down, from three small cards.

To differentiate between a doubleton and tripleton, it is important to play your highest card on the second round.

http://www.mrbridge....ing_Leads_1.pdf

Eddie Kantar said:

8. With three or four small, lead low if you have NOT supported; lead high if you have.

http://www.kantarbri...m/tips_lead.htm

So no clear consensus there either.

[mike777]

Statto, on 2012-June-27, 23:00, said:

http://www.mrbridge....ing_Leads_1.pdf

http://www.kantarbri...m/tips_lead.htm

So no clear consensus there either.

you misquoted rather badly here is the quote:
With three or four small, lead low if you have NOT supported


http://www.kantarbri...m/tips_lead.htm


granted there may be some non usa book out there but would love to see the quote and the logic behind it.


my only point is I am really surprised there is not some general, worldwide consensus here.

[Zelandakh]

mgoetze, on 2012-June-27, 16:59, said:

Standard in Germany is that one of the very first things you agree on in a pickup partnership is rudimentary leads, generally either "2/4" or "3/5". If you agreed the former, then you lead the middle card, and if you agreed the latter, you lead the low card. Some of the people who agree "3/5" will lead the 9 from 982, I wouldn't but then I am firmly on the "2/4" side.

I thought standard in Germany was 3rd from xxx in partner's suit whether you play 4th highest or not. That is certainly what every article in the BM has suggested. My opinion is that count is so much more important than attitude here that anything other than the opposite of your doubleton lead (low if you lead top of a doubleton, high if you lead low from a doubleton) is somewhat unsound.

Statto, on 2012-June-27, 21:47, said:

Middle, intending to waste the highest on the next round. Small looks like you have an honour, and highest will look like a doubleton.

This is sometimes a benefit of leading small in partner's suit from both Hxx and xxx. While it is nice for partner to know whether you have an honour, it is often even more important for declarer. Meanwhile partner is left completely in the dark with respect to the count in the suit. I really dislike MUD in partner's suit. This is much worse than MUD in unbid suits, not that it is that great even there.

[mgoetze]

Zelandakh, on 2012-June-28, 02:53, said:

I thought standard in Germany was 3rd from xxx in partner's suit whether you play 4th highest or not. That is certainly what every article in the BM has suggested. My opinion is that count is so much more important than attitude here that anything other than the opposite of your doubleton lead (low if you lead top of a doubleton, high if you lead low from a doubleton) is somewhat unsound.

As you see on the German Mini Convention Card, you can check either "2/4" or "4th". This is one of the differences. Also, the BM is written for the aforementioned LOLs.

[barmar]

Mike Lawrence's "Opening Leads" book says to lead low.

[neilkaz]

lalldonn, on 2012-June-27, 17:15, said:

Small, it's super important for partner to know who is ruffing the third round.

YES

[fromageGB]

I thought is WAS standard to lead small in a suit bid by partner but not supported. If not bid, I lead high to show no interest, supported I lead high to show no honour. But bid and unsupported - low every time.