Preferred Leads in Bridge against a Trump Contract

Having the opening lead in bridge is an advantage because you can devise a strategy depending on your hand and the bidding. You have more options when leading against a trump contract than when leading against a notrump contract, as you see in the following list:

• Top of a two- or three-card honor sequence, such as K from the KQJx or the ace from the AKx(x)

• Your partner’s suit

• Short suit leads: a singleton or top of a doubleton

• The unbid suit: top of a doubleton, low from three or four cards headed an honor card, top of three or four small cards

• The stronger of two unbid suits; however, if one is headed by an ace, lead the other

• Your longest unbid side suit with four trumps