t’s a simple fact: for most bridge players, the opening lead is their Achilles’ heel. A bridge player’s strength usually lies in bidding or declarer play—we block the opponents from reaching their optimal contract or bring home a tough one with brilliant play. But have you ever heard someone proudly declare that their greatest strength is making opening leads? No? Didn’t think so!

More often than not, we lead out routinely—from the opponents’ weakest suit, a trump, or the top of a sequence. But when the opponents hold the best cards and your side is on defense, that lead can make all the difference. It’s not enough to lament an unlucky choice—you have to do something about it!

Study the 100 lead problems in Opening Lead by Krzysztof Martens, and you’ll gain significantly more insight and a better chance of finding the right lead the next time you sit down at the bridge table.

Martens’ books require rigorous and analytical study. But the results are worth it—you are guaranteed to become a better bridge player.

His books are highly respected by experts and are used as training material by the Dutch national teams.

Number of pages: 165