THE OPENING LEAD

When trumps are against you, unless you lead your high cards early in the hand you may lose them. The dealer may be able to exhaust trumps, and make some one suit on which to discard his losing cards. When your hand is strong in each suit, there is not this danger; there can be no established suit against you.

No doubt the best opening that can be made against a trump declaration is from a combination containing both ace and king. The lead of the king from this combination gives you an opportunity to see the dummy and does not clear the suit for the adversary. While the king lead should usually be followed by the ace, in some cases, where it is apparent that the dealer’s weak hand can trump on the second round, or that the lead may clear the suit for the dealer or dummy, the suit should not be continued. It is rarely wrong to lead from a sequence, especially from one of three high cards. If you hold no sequence of three, perhaps those containing two honours in sequence, such as king queen, queen jack, or even jack ten, may be classed as good openings. Often when you hold no high card sequence, the lead is a disadvantage; experience shows that you make more tricks in a suit if it is led to you; for that reason it is often advisable to refrain from opening tenace suits or suits with a single honour.

The following are given as examples of combinations from which it is not advisable to lead:

In opening a suit headed by the ace, avoid the lead of a low card. The dealer may win the first round and find means to discard his remaining losing cards in that suit.

No objection can be raised to the lead of an ace with four or more other cards in the suit, but with less than five it is better play to avoid leading that suit. If the lead comes up to you, the ace may kill some high cards in the adversary’s hand and promote the value of the cards held by your partner; whereas if you lead the ace presumably only small cards will fall, making high ones good for the dealer.

If your hand is hopelessly weak in trumps and in side suits, even with but three cards in the suit, an ace should be led in order to save a grand slam.

If you are forced to open a suit containing a single honour, or a suit with two honours not in sequence, not including suits headed by the ace, the fourth best card should be led.

The following are given as examples of combinations from which the fourth best card should be led:

With a long weak suit it is better play to lead the fourth best card. Any irregular lead may suggest a short suit to your partner, and loss may result from his incorrect interpretation of the lead.