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  Euchre Tips and Strategies

Euchre Column of the Month – July 2002

By Joe Andrews

"Beginner's Korner" -- Part II

Opening Leads (Defense) by the Eldest Hand
(Dealer as Maker)

Last month, I launched a "Basics" Section that featured a review of the bidding process of the game.  The series is continued with a column about opening leads. When the dealer makes trump, the player to his left (eldest hand) makes the opening lead.  Let us assume that the dealer has not called a loner. Many a hand is decided by the quality of the opening lead.

I will divide opening defensive leads into three categories:

Good

a.       A Singleton Ace (in a plain suit).

b.       Any Singleton (other than a King).

c.        The top of a Doubleton sequence (K-Q, Q-J).

d.       One of two plain-suit Aces.

e.       Any trump from a holding of three small Trump (see notes below).

Fair

a.       A Singleton King.

b.       A three-card plain suit (headed by less than the Ace).

c.        The Singleton Ace or King or Trump.

Poor

a.       A low trump (unless you have at least three trump)

b.       A guarded Left Bower

c.        An honor card from a plain suit "broken sequence" (A-Q, K-J).

Comments

Good Leads

a.       A Singleton Ace is a safe and solid lead.  Take the Ace now before an opponent has the chance to discard that suit!

b.       Any plain-suit Singleton lead may also be effective -- especially if partner has the Ace and at least one more. You might be able to sneak through a cheap ruff on the second round!

c.        Top-of-sequence leads are usually safe, and signal to your partner that you deny the next-highest card in that suit. (The lead of a plain-suit King denies the Ace, but promises the Queen.)

d.       Two Aces: Lead the Ace from the shorter suit -- unless you hold two Doubleton Aces. If dealer trumps this lead, you will know to keep the other Ace. This breaks up the "squeeze" play.

e.       Small Trump lead: If you are fortunate enough to hold three Trump (and no Bower), lead the smallest Trump. You may be able to bunch the Trump suit and promote an Ace in partner's hand. Of course, if the dealer has a three-card high-card Trump stack, this will fail. How often will this occur?

Fair Leads

a.       Singleton Kings: If another (better) lead is available, try it. Lead the King only if you have a shaky Trump holding, no other Singleton, or a broken sequence in another suit.

b.       Three-card plain suits: What are you attacking? Yes, you may catch your partner short in this suit; more often you will allow one of the opps to make a discard, while the other one ruffs. Is there a better choice?

c.        Singleton King or Ace in Trump: Try another lead!

Poor Leads

a.       A low Trump: I ask, "why"? Often you will finesse your partner, and usually you will help the dealer to soak out the Trump, and then march for a snappy two points.

b.       The guarded Left: If you hold the Left and a small Trump, consider another lead.  Enough said!

c.        Broken sequences in the plain suit: Avoid leading from these combinations. Let the dealer or his partner come to you.

Next month, the Series on leads continues with the discussion of defense against Loners, and best leads when the dealer's partner has order trump to the dealer.