Which card to lead?

Doubleton

Lead the top card from a doubleton.  This tells partner how many cards you have in the suit.  If it is against a suit contract he knows you can ruff the third round.  It is also right to follow high/low with a doubleton to give the same information.

From a three card suit

Lead the lowest card if you hold an honour card in the suit (Unless you have two touching honours in which case lead the top one)

Eg  from J63, Q83, K53  lead the 3 in each case.  But with J103, QJ4, KQ2, 1094  lead the higher of the honour cards(10 counts as an honour).

But with A32 against a suit contract lead the Ace (never, never underlead an unsupported Ace against a suit contract  – or better still don’t lead that suit at all unless partner has bid it, except if it’s from AK)

From partner’s viewpoint if he sees a small card led he will know you have a high card so can safely lead the suit back.

From three small cards lead MUD (middle up down) but remember to play the higher card next time you follow suit or partner will think it’s a doubleton – and you don’t want to confuse your partner!

So, from 963, 763, 865 lead the 6 then follow with the higher card.

From a four card suit

From touching or near-touching honours eg KQJx, KQ10x, QJ9x lead the top card.  Partner will know you have the card below it.  Otherwise from a four card suit or longer holding an honour card lead fourth highest.

Against a suit contract you can lead the top of two touching honours eg KQxx, QJxx   but against notrumps fourth highest is best.

What do you do with four small cards?  Lead second highest as if it was a MUD lead.  If you lead 4^th highest partner will place you with an honour card.  In this case your next play in this suit is 4^th highest.  Partner will now know you didn’t have three small cards and should be able to work out from the bidding that it isn’t a doubleton. 

Interior sequences

From holdings such as AQJxx or KJ10xx lead the top card of the ‘interior‘ holding  ie Q from AQJxx or J from KJ10xx.  These are more likely leads against notrumps as you would lead the Ace against a suit contract as we never underlead Aces against a suit contract. 

Partner’s play to this trick

If partner has led an honour card such as K or Q he is telling you that he has the next lowest card and  either the one below that or the one next but one below it.  If you hold a doubleton honour card you should play it or the suit may become ‘blocked’ ie not able to run. 

So if partner leads the King of a suit and you hold Ax you should play the Ace – I know it seems like a waste but if you don’t, partner will continue the suit, you will win but won’t have another one to play back so you may end up with only two tricks instead of a possible 4 or 5 against notrumps.

Eg     Bidding goes 1 notrump on your left, 3 notrumps on your right.

Partner holds  KQ1093 of hearts and leads the King.  Dummy goes down with  754 and you hold A6.  Declarer holds J82.  You must win this trick with the Ace and return the suit.  Partner can now cash four more tricks beating the contract.  If you don’t play the Ace partner may never get in again as declarer may have 9 tricks in the other three suits or partner may not have an ‘entry’ card in another suit.

K. J Sharp 2007