733
What are the rules for the best card for your opening lead
Lead the top of touching honor cards
Touching honors are honor cards which are next to each other in rank - these following groupings are examples of touching honors:- AK - AKQ - AKQJ - AKQJT
- KQ - KQJ - KQJT
- QJ - QJT
- JT & JT98
Which touching Honor Card Should I Play
When you are on defense you should play your touching honors in order, but the order depends on whether you are winning a trick or making the opening lead. You play the highest card when you are:- On opening lead - play the highest with the only exception being the AK where the King is played first
- When your partner has lead the suit, play your highest
- When discarding the suit, play the highest first
From all suits without AK touching honors, lead the top honor:
- K Q 5
- J T 9
- Q J T 3
- T 9 8 5
- K J T 5 4
- From a 2-card suit, lead the top card:
- 8 2
- J 7
- Q T
Play the lowest of Touching Honors
- When winning a trick you should play the lowest of the touching honors
- When playing third to the trick, play the lowest
- From a 4-card-or-longer suit without touching honors, lead the fourth-best card:
- K 9 7 4 3
- 10 7 5 2
- J 8 7 6 4 3
- From a 3-card suit without touching honors, lead the lowest card:
- J 9 6
- Q 4 3
- 8 6 5
Your partner makes a Weak 2 opening bid but opposition end up in 4S - What is your Opening Lead?
- ♠ T 8 5
- ♥ A Q J 9 7 6
- ♦ 7
- ♣ J 6 3
Play Partners suit 7D hoping they can give you a diamond ruff