This article accompanies the quiz Leading Against NT.

The lead is a very important card. It's the only card played before dummy is shown and it can influence the whole play, and determine whether the contract will make or fall.

This article covers which suit and which card to lead.

You should normally lead a card from your longest suit in order to develop it. Developing a suit means that you come to a point where your opponents have no more cards in that suit, allowing you to win tricks with your low cards. Here's how you should lead according to the following holdings:

1. When you have a sequence of 3 (or more) consecutive cards where the top card is an honor you should lead the TOP of the sequence, e.g. lead the K from KQJXX.
2. When you have a broken sequence of 3 cards where the top card is an honor and the top 2 cards are consecutive you should lead the top of the sequence, e.g. lead the K from KQ10XX. If the 2^nd and 3^rd cards of the sequence are consecutive you should lead the 2^nd card if is a 10 or higher; the top of the inside sequence, e.g. lead the J from KJ10XX.
3. If you have at least 1 honor without a sequence, lead the 4^th best card, e.g. lead the 3 from Q6432.
4. With no sequence and no honors in that suit, lead the 2^nd highest card, e.g. lead the 6 from 86432.

Leading the right card will help partner analyze what type of cards you hold and will help you make the best defensive moves during the hand. Normally partner will continue your suit when they get the hand, but not always!

Note - The rules suggested above are the standard rules. You can have an agreement with your partner to lead differently; what's important is that you both understand the agreement you play!

Exceptions:

When NOT to lead your longest suit?

1. If partner bid a long suit (opened 1 in a major OR overcalled), then you normally lead to partner's suit:
   • Top of sequence from a sequence of 2 or more e.g. lead J from J10X to partner's bidden suit
   • From a doubleton, lead the high card 1^st - playing high and later low , shows you have XX.
   • From 3+ cards headed with an honor, lead your LOWEST card, e.g. lead the 2 from K62. When you lead your lowest card, you promise an honor (but no sequence).
   • From 3+ cards with no honor, lead your 2^nd high card, e.g. lead the 6 from 862 and later follow with the 8, so that partner won't think you have a doubleton)
2. If opponent (especially the declarer) bid your longest suit, then consider leading your short suit (or another unbidden suit) in order to look for partner's long suit. The idea of leading from a long suit is to develop that suit. There's no point trying to develop the suit if the declarer showed 5+ cards in that suit during the bidding. 
3. If you're very weak and don't have entries to your hand consider leading your short suit if it wasn't bid. You might find partner's long suit. There's no point developing your long suit if you don't have entries to reach it later.

Have a go at putting this into practice

About the Author

Oren Lidor is considered one of the best bridge teachers in Israel, is the author of 5 bridge books, and teaches bridge to people from all over the world on BBO.