Practice 4G01
Main
Notrump Leads & Strategy
by Richard Pavlicek
West
All Pass
NORTH
1 NT
East
Pass
South
3 NT
Board 1
K 10 4
K 5 3
Q 8 5
A K J 9
Trick
1 E
2 W
3 S
4 N
5 W
6 E
7 W
Lead
2!
9!
6
5
7
2
5
2nd
8
10
3
2
K
4
9
3rd
A
J!
A
10
A
8
3
4th
3
Q
2
K
6
4
7
W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
2 2
2 3
2 4
2 5
9 8 7 5
A 7 4
K 9 6
10 4 3
A J 3 2
10 9 6 2
3 2
8 5 2
Bidding
Defense
Response to 1 NT
Read partners lead
Shift to another suit
Play
Q 6
Q J 8
A J 10 7 4
Q 7 6
3 NT North
5 top tricks
Win the rest
down 1 -50
West
1
2 NT
North
Pass
Pass
EAST
1
1 NT
3 NT
South
Pass
Pass
All Pass
Board 2
4 3
A 9 4
Q 8 3 2
9 7 5 3
Trick
1 S
2 S
3 S
4 N
Lead
K
!
Q
!
10
3!
2nd
3
5
7
10
3rd
9
4!
A
4
4th
2
6
8
2
W L
0 1
0 2
0 3
1 3
A J 10 2
7 5 3
J 9 4
K Q 2
K Q 7
J 8 6 2
K 7 5
A J 10
Bidding
Defense
Rebid by responder
Do not unblock
Passive defense
Play
9 8 6 5
K Q 10
A 10 6
8 6 4
3 NT East
7 top tricks
Lose 2 more tricks
down 1 +50
West
Pass
Pass
North
2
3 NT
East
Pass
All Pass
SOUTH
1 NT
2
Board 3
Q 7 6
K Q 3 2
2
Q J 10 9 4
Trick
1 W
2 E
3 W
4 E
5 W
Lead
J
8!
9!
4!
7
2nd
2
9
7
Q
4
3rd
A
10
A
!
K
3
4th
3
6
3
2
5
W L
0 1
0 2
0 3
0 4
0 5
J 9 8 2
J 10 9
K J 10 7 6
5
A 10 5
6 5 4
A 8 4
8 7 6 3
Bidding
Defense
Stayman convention
Return proper card
Shift to correct suit
Play
K 4 3
A 8 7
Q 9 5 3
A K 2
3 NT South
8 top tricks
Lose 1 more trick
down 2 -100
WEST
2 NT
North
Pass
East
3 NT
South
All Pass
Board 4
Q 10 6 3
A 9 6 2
J 4
9 8 6
Trick
1 N
2 W
3 S
4 N
5 E
6 N
7 S
Lead
3
2
7!
9!
7
2!
5
2nd
2
4
4
10
3
10
K
3rd
J
Q
10
4
K
J
6
4th
A
A
9
5
A
8
3
W L
1 0
1 1
1 2
2 2
2 3
2 4
3 4
A K 8 4
K 8
K 5 2
A K J 5
9 2
Q 10 7
Q 9 8 3
Q 10 3 2
Bidding
Defense
Opening 2 NT & response
Return proper card
Passive defense
Play
J 7 5
J 5 4 3
A 10 7 6
7 4
3 NT West
6 top tricks
Lose 1 more trick
down 1 +100
Practice 4G05
Main
Top
Notrump Leads & Strategy
Notrump Leads & Strategy II
West
Pass
All Pass
NORTH
1
1 NT
East
1
Pass
South
Dbl
3 NT
Board 1
K 8
A J 10
K 6 5
Q 9 8 7 2
Trick
1 E
2 N
3 S
4 W
5 E
6 N
7 N
Lead
6
5
J
2
3
K
6
2nd
4
2
A
!
J
7
J
6
3rd
9
Q
2
Q
3!
7
A
4th
10
4
4
5
A
3
8
W L
1 0
2 0
2 1
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
9 7 5 3
9 2
10 8 4 3
A 5 3
J 10 2
K Q 8 6 3
J 2
K 6 4
Bidding
Play
Defense
Negative double
Rebid by opener
Holdup play
Set up suit at notrump
Grab lead quickly
Return partners suit
Play
A Q 6 4
7 5 4
A Q 9 7
J 10
3 NT North
7 top tricks
Win 3 more tricks
down 1 -50
West
1
3
North
Pass
Pass
EAST
1
2 NT
3 NT
South
Pass
Pass
All Pass
Board 2
K 6 5
K 6 5 4
J 4 3
K 7 2
Trick
1 S
2 E
3 W
4 E
5 N
6 S
7 E
8 E
9 E
10 N
11 S
Lead
10
2
5
7
7
9!
Q
10
7
2
Q
2nd
3
3
3
4
8
6
8
9
10
4
9
3rd
K
Q
A
J
9
J
7
8
Q
6
4
4th
A
5!
2
K
5
K
4
6
K
2
J
W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
3 1
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
6 3
6 4
6 5
A Q J 10 8
Q 9 2
7 6 5
5 3
7 2
A 8 7
A K Q 10
A J 8 4
Bidding
Play
Defense
Rebid by opener
Rebid by responder
Finessing technique
Combine chances
Holdup play
Return proper card
Play
9 4 3
J 10 3
9 8 2
Q 10 9 6
3 NT East
6 top tricks
South is endplayed
down 1 +50
West
1 NT
North
Pass
East
3 NT
SOUTH
Pass
All Pass
Board 3
7 4
A 10 7 3
K 9 7 2
J 5 2
Trick
1 N
2 W
3 S
4 N
5 S
6 W
7 S
Lead
7
9
2!
3
4
3
9
2nd
5
2
Q
8
K
5
4
3rd
3
4
A
J
7
Q
10
4th
K
10
5
6
3
K
6
W L
1 0
1 1
1 2
1 3
2 3
2 4
2 5
K Q J 2
K Q 6
A J 8 4
9 3
A 8 5
8 5
10 6 3
A Q 8 7 4
Bidding
Play
Defense
Response to 1 NT
Finessing technique
Set up suit at notrump
Read partners lead
Shift to another suit
Play
10 9 6 3
J 9 4 2
Q 5
K 10 6
3 NT West
6 top tricks
Win the rest
down 1 +100
WEST
Pass
Pass
All Pass
North
Pass
2 NT
East
Pass
Pass
South
1 NT
3 NT
Board 4
K 8 3
J 9 7
10 8 2
A 9 8 7
Trick
1 W
2 E
3 W
4 E
5 E
6 E
7 S
Lead
6
J!
6
9
7
8
Q
2nd
7
Q
10
4
10
Q
3
3rd
A
A
K
5
4
5
8
4th
2
2
3
8
7
9
2
W L
0 1
0 2
0 3
0 4
0 5
1 5
2 5
10 6 5
6 5 4
A 6 5
K 6 4 3
9 7 4 2
A 10 8
K J 9 7
5 2
Bidding
Defense
Response to 1 NT
Read partners lead
Entrapment play
Play
A Q J
K Q 3 2
Q 4 3
Q J 10
3 NT South
4 top tricks
Claim the rest
down 1 -100
Practice 4G09
Main
Top
Notrump Leads & Strategy
Notrump Leads & Strategy III
West
Pass
NORTH
1
3 NT
East
1
All Pass
South
2 NT
Board 1
9 5 4
8 4
K Q J 10 7
A K J
Trick
1 W
2 E
3 S
4 E
5 W
Lead
7
9!
3
7
A
2nd
4
K
9
10
5
3rd
A
6!
10
J
3
4th
3
4
A
8
Q
W L
0 1
1 1
1 2
1 3
1 4
7 6
A J 6 5 2
9 6
7 6 4 2
A Q 10 8 2
9 7 3
A 5 2
5 3
Bidding
Defense
Cope with overcall
Shift to proper card
Duck to retain tenace
Play
K J 3
K Q 10
8 4 3
Q 10 9 8
3 NT South
4 top tricks
Lose 2 more tricks
down 2 -100
West
3 NT
North
All Pass
EAST
1 NT
South
Pass
Board 2
10 9 2
8 7 3 2
4 3
K 10 9 3
Trick
1 S
2 W
3 S
4 W
5 S
6 E
7 S
8 E
9 W
10 W
Lead
J
2
10!
7
9!
5!
7!
6
9
4
2nd
A
4
K
3
8
6
8
7
3
9
3rd
2
J
3
10
7
3
9
Q
5
Q
4th
4
Q
5
K
A
2!
Q
8
4
K
W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
2 2
3 2
3 3
4 3
5 3
6 3
6 4
8 4 3
A K Q 9
8 7 2
J 8 2
A Q 5
6 5 4
A J 10 5
A Q 6
Bidding
Defense
Response to 1 NT
Choose lead at notrump
Passive defense
Play
K J 7 6
J 10
K Q 9 6
7 5 4
3 NT East
6 top tricks
Win 2 more tricks
down 1 +50
West
2
2 NT
North
Pass
Pass
East
2
3 NT
SOUTH
Pass
Pass
All Pass
Board 3
Q 6 2
K 6 5 4
A 7 2
7 6 2
Trick
1 N
2 W
3 S
4 W
5 W
6 E
7 N
8 N
Lead
7
4
J!
A
6
5
A
!
6!
2nd
5
2
A
!
2
7!
7
5
8
3rd
3
Q
6
3
9
J
4
9
4th
K
K
2
4
3
Q
10
10
W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
4 2
4 3
5 3
A K J 10
A Q 3
10 6 4
A K Q
8 5 3
9 2
Q J 9 8 5
J 10 5
Bidding
Play
Defense
Opening 2
& response
Read enemy lead
Shun finesse
Read partners lead
Holdup play
Play
9 7 4
J 10 8 7
K 3
9 8 4 3
3 NT West
6 top tricks
Lose last 2 tricks
down 1 +100
WEST
Pass
Pass
All Pass
North
1 NT
2
East
Pass
Pass
South
2
3 NT
Board 4
K Q J
K 7 2
Q J 7 2
A 8 3
Trick
1 E
2 W
3 N
4 S
5 W
Lead
5
10
3
4
6
2nd
3
J
?
4
A
!
Q
3rd
K
4!
K
J
A
4th
2
3
6
2
5
W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
2 2
2 3
A 8 3
9 8 5 4
K 10 6
10 7 6
10 9 2
Q J 10
A 9 8 5 4
4 2
Bidding
Play
Defense
Response to 1 NT
Deceptive play
Duck to retain entry
Grab lead quickly
Play
7 6 5 4
A 6 3
3
K Q J 9 5
3 NT North
7 top tricks
Lose 2 more tricks
down 1 -100
Practice 4G13
Main
Top
Notrump Leads & Strategy
Notrump Leads & Strategy IV
West
All Pass
NORTH
1 NT
East
Pass
South
3 NT
Board 1
Q 4 3
A K J 3
6 4 3
A K 6
Trick
1 E
2 N
3 W
4 S
5 W
6 E
7 E
Lead
8
3
10!
K
8
J
6
2nd
4
5
3
A
Q
2
3
3rd
2
J
7
4
K
5
9
4th
A
Q
A
7
2
4
6
W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
2 2
2 3
2 4
2 5
10 9 8 5
10 9 2
A Q 2
10 9 8
K J 7 6
8 7 6
8 7 5
Q 7 5
Bidding
Play
Defense
Response to 1 NT
Play for best chance
Choose lead at notrump
Read partners lead
Play
A 2
Q 5 4
K J 10 9
J 4 3 2
3 NT North
7 top tricks
Win the rest
down 1 -50
West
2 NT
3 NT
North
Pass
All Pass
EAST
2
3
South
Pass
Pass
Board 2
A 9 8 7 2
Q 10 9 6
Q 5
9 4
Trick
1 N
2 S
3 W
4 E
5 W
6 E
7 W
8 W
9 E
Lead
7
10
3!
2
8
7
A
4
7
2nd
3
J
4
9!
5
6
6
9
3
3rd
K
2!
Q
K
A
K
2
K
A
4th
5
5
5
Q!
3
9
10
2
Q!
W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
8 1
Q J 6 5
A 8 4
K 8
A K 8 3
3
K 7 5
A 10 7 6 4 2
Q 7 2
Bidding
Defense
Resp to weak two-bid
Holdup play
Unblocking play
Play
K 10 4
J 3 2
J 9 3
J 10 6 5
3 NT West
7 top tricks
Lose the rest
down 1 +50
West
Pass
North
3 NT
East
All Pass
SOUTH
2 NT
Board 3
J 10 3
4 3 2
Q 6 4
K Q 4 3
Trick
1 W
2 N
3 W
4 S
5 N
6 W
7 S
8 S
9 S
10 S
11 W
12 E
Lead
J!
2
7!
6
3
4
A
8
A
8
2
8
2nd
K
6
J
10
5
3
3
7
7
9
10
10
3rd
2
10
9!
Q
Q
5
3
4
4
4
K
9
4th
5
J
Q
7
K
A
9
5
6
8!
2
6
W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
3 1
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
7 3
7 4
7 5
7 4 2
K J 9 7
J 9 7 3
J 10
K 9 8 6 5
6 5
K 8 5
9 7 2
Bidding
Play
Defense
Opening 2 NT & response
Finessing technique
Choose lead at notrump
Passive defense
Play
A Q
A Q 10 8
A 10 2
A 8 6 5
3 NT South
6 top tricks
Win the last trick
down 1 -50
WEST
Pass
2 NT
North
Pass
Pass
East
1 NT
3 NT
South
Pass
All Pass
Board 4
10 8 6 3 2
A 8 3
8 7 6 4
6
Trick
1 S
2 W
3 S
4 N
5 S
6 W
7 S
Lead
9
2
2!
8
2!
3
K
2nd
A
6
5
10
J
2
5
3rd
4
J
A
J
6
9
3
4th
5
Q
4
6
10
K
7
W L
1 0
1 1
1 2
1 3
2 3
2 4
2 5
K J 5
6 5
A J 3
10 8 7 3 2
A 9
Q 10 7 4
K Q 10 5
A J 9
Bidding
Play
Defense
Response to 1 NT
Finessing technique
Choose lead at notrump
Active defense
Play
Q 7 4
K J 9 2
9 2
K Q 5 4
3 NT East
7 top tricks
Claim the rest
down 1 +100
Practice 4G17
Main
Top
Notrump Leads & Strategy
Notrump Leads & Strategy V
West
1
3 NT
NORTH
Pass
Pass
All Pass
East
1
1 NT
South
Pass
Pass
Board 1
A Q 9 6
Q 4 2
K 10 8 6
9 3
Trick
1 S
2 E
3 N
4 W
5 S
6 E
7 N
Lead
4
10
9!
J
2
3
4
2nd
7
2
2
Q
3
4
8
3rd
8!
7
4
K
6
J
9
4th
Q
Q
J
A
A
A
3
W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
2 2
3 2
3 3
3 4
K J 8 7
J 3
J 9 7 3
A Q J
10 3
K 10 8 5
A Q 5
K 10 7 2
Bidding
Defense
Resp to 1 of a suit
Rebid by responder
Read partners lead
Passive defense
Play
5 4 2
A 9 7 6
4 2
8 6 5 4
3 NT East
6 top tricks
Lose 1 more trick
down 1 +50
West
Pass
Pass
North
2
3 NT
EAST
Pass
Pass
All Pass
South
2
2 NT
Board 2
4 3
J 5 2
J 10 9 8 5 2
Q 5
Trick
1 W
2 S
3 E
4 W
5 E
6 S
7 W
Lead
10
3
5!
2
7
4
10
2nd
2
7!
J
4
K
K
9
3rd
3
8
A
Q
6
5
9
4th
A
A
3
8
2
4
6
W L
1 0
1 1
1 2
1 3
2 3
2 4
2 5
A 10 6 2
10 9 8
K 7
8 7 6 2
Q 9 7 5
7 6 4 3
A
10 9 4 3
Bidding
Defense
Opening 2
& response
Read partners lead
Read suit layout
Play
K J 8
A K Q
Q 6 4 3
A K J
3 NT South
6 top tricks
Claim the rest
down 1 -100
West
1
All Pass
North
2 NT
East
Pass
SOUTH
1
3 NT
Board 3
K Q 9
6 5
Q J 5 4
A 10 6 5
Trick
1 E
2 N
3 E
4 W
5 N
6 S
7 S
8 N
Lead
8!
6
2!
J
4
K
8
J
2nd
3
A
!
4
K
2
9
10
4
3rd
10!
3
A
7
A
5
Q
8
4th
Q
2
9
5
3
6
7
4
W L
1 0
1 1
1 2
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
A J 10 7 6
K 4 2
10 9 3
Q 3
8 2
A 9 7
7 6 2
J 9 8 7 4
Bidding
Defense
Cope with overcall
Lead partners suit
Grab lead quickly
Play
5 4 3
Q J 10 8 3
A K 8
K 2
3 NT North
6 top tricks
Win 2 more tricks
down 1 -50
WEST
2 NT
3
North
Pass
Pass
East
3
3 NT
South
Pass
All Pass
Board 4
K 10 8 3 2
6 4
Q 8 7
8 6 4
Trick
1 N
2 E
3 S
4 N
5 W
6 W
7 W
8 W
9 W
10 S
11 S
Lead
3
10
9
10
A
K
Q
Q
3
J
4
2nd
Q
A
!
J
5
4
6
4
6
8
5
3rd
4
2
K
7
2
3
5
9
10?
2
4th
6
7
5
A
7
9
10
2!
K
8
W L
1 0
1 1
1 2
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
6 3
6 4
A J 6
A K Q
K J 6 5 2
Q 3
Q 5
8 5 3 2
10 9
A J 10 9 5
Bidding
Defense
Opening 2 NT & response
Grab lead quickly
Refuse first finesse
Play
9 7 4
J 10 9 7
A 4 3
K 7 2
3 NT West
6 top tricks
Win 1 more trick
down 2 +200
Practice 4G17
Main
Top
Notrump Leads & Strategy
© 1990 Richard Pavlicek