This article accompanies the quiz Leading Against Trump.

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.

When playing Trump contracts

1. Consider leading a singleton if you can see a chance to ruff, if it makes sense. Sometimes you have a good trump suit with natural tricks and want to avoid ruffing and getting short.
2. If you have a doubleton and see a chance to ruff, consider leading it, if it makes sense. But the odds of finding a partner with 2 high honors (or 1 high honor in that suit and a trick in trump) is not very high, considering your opponents have more points. You might even help opponents promote their long suit with that lead.
3. Sequence: it's the same as in NT, but you can also lead from a 2 cards sequence, e.g. lead the Q from QJXXX
4. Trump lead - sometimes it's good to lead a trump:
   • to disturb ruffing ability, when you think they'll play to ruff in the dummy (or play for cross ruff).
   • when you have nothing good to lead and don’t really want to lead a suit under a high honor – leading a trump can be a good idea to save the other suits for when declarer plays them TO your hand (instead of FROM your hand, giving you the advantage).
5. For trump contracts you should Never underlead an ace; don’t lead a low card when you have a suit with an ace (you can Vs NT), as declarer might have a singleton in that suit, take the trick with King and later ruff your ace.
6. Avoid leading an ace if you don’t have the K as doing so might promote high cards for the declarer, unless it's clear from the bidding that the declarer has a solid side suit. In this case you need to attack and get your tricks fast, before the declarer can discard their losers on their side suit.
7. Avoid leading a singleton trump! Partner may be long in trumps - with QXX or JXXX, your lead would help declarer capture your partner's honor. 

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.