6. PRINCIPLES OF LEAD AGAINST SUIT CONTRACTS ----------------------------------------- 1 ) Try to develop side tricks fast before declarer gets discards in side suit. Holding KQxxx, lead K to release a trick 2) Don't lead away from A (don't underlead) as A may be ruffed later, but underlead from K freely in the hope of partner producing the Q. 3) Don't lead away from Q and if you do, lead lowest card as intermediate cards 8 or 9 may become important K8xx eg. in this hand, leading low always gives a trick ------- to the defense. | N | Q9x |W E| J7x | S | ------- A10x 4) A singleton or doubleton is not a desirable lead unless: (a) You have a sure trump trick and hope partner to get an entry to give you a ruff. (b) You hold surplus trumps, more than enough to guard an honor. eg. Kxx and Qxxx (and not Kx or Qxx) (c) Opponents have bid strongly and hand is otherwise hopeless eg. xxx xxx x Kxxxxx 5) Singleton A should never be led unless there is hope for a quick entry with partner. A's are meant to kill honors. 6) Singleton K or Q or doubleton QJ should never be led. Avoid even 10x lead. 7) Holding 4 trumps, don't lead singleton, but try to force opponent to ruff your long suit to short suit him. eg. lead D, against 4S, holding A10xx x QJ10xx AKx or KQxx xx QJxxx AK or KJxx xx AQJxx xx 8) While leading partner's suit, holding a) A, always lead A b) sequence, lead top card c) doubleton or three low cards, lead the highest d) four cards, lead the 4th e) tripleton with an honor, lead lowest 9) Holding length in partner's suit, lead another suit where there are chances of developing tricks, eg. partner has bid H, lead D holding xx Kxxxx QJ10x xx 10)If partner has bid a suit on your double, avoid leading from tenace as partner may hold no top card 11)Lead from AKQ, AKQxx, AKQx, AKxx, AKxxx but not from AKx as it may release opponent's trick. 12) You may not lead partner's suit if your hand is very weak and may not get a chance again to lead another suit which may be helpful to your side. 13) You may lead from tenace of long suit if you feel that partner is holding length in trumps and declarer has to be short suited or if you are holding long trumps (as in 8 above). Lead the underlined card (S is trump) AJxx x K10xxx xxx OR - 108xx Ax Q10xx AKx OR - Kxxx x KQxxxx xx - 14. Avoid leading Ax even of partner's suit. It may be better to wait in case declarer has K. 15. You may underlead from A if bidding shows that dummy is holding K to force declarer to guess. 16. Holding tenaces and no doubleton, lead the trump holding 2 or 3 trumps. Never lead a singleton trump. 17. Trump may be led if bidding shows that dummy has distributional values and may ruff declarer's side suit.