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underleading an ace vs suits after the opening lead When to do it , if ever?

#1 User is offline   blinky3 

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Posted 2021-February-08, 18:12

During the play of the hand against a suit contract, do you ever underlead an ace, if so, when?
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#2 User is online   johnu 

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Posted 2021-February-08, 19:59

View Postblinky3, on 2021-February-08, 18:12, said:

During the play of the hand against a suit contract, do you ever underlead an ace, if so, when?

I underlead only when I think it is the right play. I am not always correct.
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#3 User is offline   morecharac 

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Posted 2021-February-08, 20:44

View Postblinky3, on 2021-February-08, 18:12, said:

During the play of the hand against a suit contract, do you ever underlead an ace, if so, when?

Rarely, and usually because I need partner to have the K for some reason.
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#4 User is online   smerriman 

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Posted 2021-February-08, 21:47

It can be useful when you want declarer to make an early guess from KJ. And against weak opponents, they'll probably assume you didn't underlead the ace and always try the jack.

But you'd better be confident you're not throwing away a trick for nothing.
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#5 User is offline   shyams 

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Posted 2021-February-09, 00:45

View Postblinky3, on 2021-February-08, 18:12, said:

During the play of the hand against a suit contract, do you ever underlead an ace, if so, when?

Yes.

I think the responses so far give a good idea of some of the reasons.

I recall one of the reasons I underled from a non-trump suit with the Ace was because I was hoping partner had a doubleton. I held the bare trump Ace and when I won it, I continued with the (previously underled) Ace and a suit continuation.

I feel that the situation described by smerriman, i.e. making declarer guess from KJx, is much more likely to occur than other situations.
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#6 User is offline   Zelandakh 

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Posted 2021-February-11, 16:10

Some scenarios:-

1. partner has given a positive signal in the suit and you think there is advantage in not playing ace and a small one
2. you are giving partner a ruff
3. LHO has none of the suit and you want to make them guess without giving up control of the suit (and your ace cannot be ruffed out)
4. declarer is marked with length in the suit that they cannot dispose of on a side suit and you want to get off lead passively without giving up your ace cheaply
5. you are leading through dummy's tenace (often KJ) forcing a guess (particularly when combined with #1)
6. you have AQx(x) and need partner to hold the king for the contract to go down and it is possible that they hold Kx doubleton
7. in the trump suit

I am sure there are many more.
(-: Zel :-)

Happy New Year everyone!
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