Opening Leads
The Opening Lead is the first line of attack when taking a contract down. Making the right lead often makes a difference in the final score.
Good Leads against a trump contract
- AK in a non trump suit
- Top of a sequence (e.g. KQ) in a non trump suit
- A singleton even if it's an Ace (not trumps)
- Top of Partner's suit
Average leads against a trump contract
- The top of a doubleton (High/low)
- Play low to promise an honour in that suit
- Middle card of rubbish. Follow this with the higher card and then the lower (middle,up,down MUD)
- Trumps
Bad leads against a trump contract
- Never lead an Ace unless it is a singleton
- Never lead from a suit with an Ace
Good leads against No Trumps
- 4th highest card of your longest suit unless opposition have bid it (this is the most common lead)
- Dummy's second suit
- An unbid major suit
- Partner's suit
- Top of three card sequence (e.g. AKQ or KQJ or J109)
Bad leads against no trumps
- Declarer‘s first suit (if you have this suit hold your fire)
- High cards in any suit (unless a sequence) because you will need them to keep control of the suit