It is not easy to determine from the lead of a high card how many
cards are held in the suit. You can only assume the length from the
number of cards you hold and the number in dummy. The fall of the
cards may give the information, but you cannot rely altogether on the
dealer’s play; it is his object to make it difficult for you to place
the cards.
=The lead of an ace= denies the king. If the king is neither
in dummy nor in your own hand, it should be placed with the dealer.
Should your partner, however, lead an ace and follow with the king,
the lead indicates that he holds no other card of that suit, and
should enable you to locate the queen.
Among the better players the lead of an ace also denies the queen,
since if the suit is led up to the ace, queen, tenace, two tricks may
be made. This inference, however, should not be too rigidly drawn,
because great length in the suit might justify an opening from an
ace-queen combination.
The lead of an ace followed by the queen indicates the jack.
The lead of an ace followed by the jack indicates the ten, or no
other card in the suit.
If it develops that your partner has led the ace from ace and two
small cards, it indicates either a very weak hand or a tenace in some
other suit.
=The lead of a king= indicates the ace, the queen, or both.
Should the king win the first trick, you should infer that your
partner holds the ace. If the king is taken by the ace, the queen is
marked in your partner’s hand. If the king is followed by the ace, it
denies the queen.
{ A K Q
{ A K J
=The king should be led from= { A K x
{ K Q J
{ K Q x
=The lead of a queen= denies the ace and the king, consequently
the lead places both of these high cards.
If a queen is led by your partner, you should infer that the lead is
from jack ten; perhaps it would be better to say that the lead shows
the jack. If you find the jack is either on the table or in your own
hand, the lead was evidently from a short suit; queen and one or a
singleton.
{Q J 10
{Q J 9
{Q J x
=The queen should be led from= {Q J
{Q x
{Q
=The lead of a jack= denies the ace, the king, and the queen;
consequently your partner holds no higher card of the suit; against a
declared trump, it usually indicates a short suit.
There is some difference of opinion among Bridge players as to this
lead; the jack is sometimes led from king queen jack, from king jack
ten, and even from ace jack ten. The lead of a jack as the top card
does away with the confusion that is caused by numerous interior
leads. It simplifies the lead and facilitates the placing of higher
cards.
{J 10 9
{J 10
=The jack should be led from= {J x
{J
=The lead of the ten= indicates the king jack and ten and denies
both ace and queen. If either the king or the jack is in your hand or
in dummy, the ten lead denies any higher card, and is probably the
top of a short suit.
{ K J 10 x
{ 10 9 x
=The ten should be led from= { 10 9
{ 10 x
{ 10
=The lead of a nine= denies all higher cards of the suit; it is
led only as a top card, and usually indicates a short suit.
{ 9 8 x
=The nine should be led from= { 9 x
{ 9