The opening lead plays a vital role in many hands. Just how big a difference it can make is illustrated by this extraordinary case from a rubber bridge game where West was Alvin Roth, one of the great players of all time. His double of three notrump was bold as well as imaginative, but it would have failed dismally had he chosen the wrong opening lead.

For example, if he had led a diamond, as many players in his place would have done, South would have scored the first 10 tricks. Similarly, had Roth led a heart or a club, South would have taken the first nine tricks.

But Roth led a spade, and South was a dead duck. In desperation, he played dummy’s queen, which lost to the king and, oddly enough, simultaneously squeezed South. He was looking at nine cold tricks, but with the opponents on lead, he was in bad shape. Reluctant to part with a winner, he discarded a diamond. East thereupon returned a diamond to West’s jack.

Roth now made the excellent play of the jack of spades followed by a low spade. He wanted to make sure that East would return a diamond when he took the ace of spades. Roth was afraid that, if he led the four instead of the jack, East might suddenly get nervous and return a spade to assure defeat of the contract.

East did return a diamond, and the defense wound up scoring four spades and five diamonds to inflict a 900-point (1100 today) defeat! All of which can be attributed to a well-judged double and -- lest we forget -- a well-judged opening lead.

Tomorrow >> Famous Hand.

— Steve Becker