When playing these hands (and they apply mainly to the leader) it is important to remember the disadvantage that follows leading from a suit of two when one is a high, the other a much lower card, and the advantage of leading from a suit of two when these are in sequence.
Take the following hands as examples:
A holds queen of clubs, queen of diamonds, queen and eight of hearts, and eight of spades, the ten of spades being turned up as trump.
Y holds king and nine of hearts, nine and seven of diamonds, and nine of spades.
If A lead the queen of hearts, he must lose the point, no matter how Y plays. If, however, he lead either of his single queens, he may win the point, if
Y, after winning the queen of clubs, lead the king of hearts.
Again, A holds queen, ten, of spades; knave, ten, of hearts; ten of diamonds; diamonds being trumps.
Y holds knave, seven, of spades; seven of hearts; and knave, eight, of diamonds.
If A lead the queen of spades, he loses the trick. If he lead knave and then ten of hearts, he wins the trick.
From these examples it will be evident that cards in sequence, or single cards, are better as leads than one high card, and then a small one of a two-card suit. Also it is desirable that the adversary should be the leader when the third lead occurs.