The opening lead
- Against no trumps: lead the fourth-highest card of your longest and strongest suit; from a sequence (K-Q-J) lead the top.
- Against a suit contract: lead the top of a sequence, a singleton (hoping to ruff), or partner’s bid suit. Avoid leading away from an ace.
- Listen to the auction: if dummy bid a suit, lead through dummy’s strength; if declarer showed a strong hand, be passive.
Second hand low, third hand high
When declarer leads towards dummy and you are second to play, usually play low and keep your honours over dummy’s. When partner leads and you are third to play, play high to win or force out declarer’s honour.
Signals
- Attitude: when partner leads, a high card says "I like this suit, keep going", a low card says "switch".
- Count: when declarer leads a suit, high–low shows an even number of cards, low–high an odd number — so partner can count declarer’s hand.
- Suit preference: when attitude and count do not apply, a high card asks for the higher of the other suits, a low card for the lower.
Count declarer’s hand
Add the clues: the auction, the opening lead, dummy, and every card played. By the middle of the hand you can often place every missing honour — and then the right defence is clear.
Agree your leads and signals with your partner and write them on your convention card; the director may ask for it at a championship.