Leads from Sequences by Ben Norton

A: ♠J. Against suit contracts it’s usually best to lead the top of a sequence, because the emphasis is on taking quick tricks, rather than slow ones as you do against No-trump contracts. Thus you should lead the Jack in case you need to stay on lead and play another round through dummy’s honor. Leading the Jack will also be necessary to pin the Nine in some situations, such as A Q x in dummy and 9 x x in declarer’s hand.

Your result so far:

A: ♠2. In contrast to the previous problem, this time you should lead a small one. Against a suit contract it’s more important to not give anything away on lead and to pick up all the tricks you can, otherwise declarer could discard his losers in the suit then ruff the continuation.

Against No-trumps that isn’t the case. Say declarer has ♠A 9 x opposite Q x x in dummy. You don’t really mind leading a low one, since even though declarer will play low from dummy, drawing partner’s King and giving him two quick tricks, you can later establish two tricks for yourself, and leading the Jack wouldn’t have allowed you to take three tricks from the suit unless partner had exactly K 8 7. If you had the Nine or the Eight (or perhaps even J 10 7 6) you would have likely led the Jack, since then you’d be able to pick up declarer’s Nine more often (including on the layout given).

Your result so far:

A: ♠Q. Again it’s normally right to lead the top of a sequence against suit contracts, and Q J x x is the defining example. It would be disastrous to lead a low one and find that you could have picked up dummy’s King had you led the Queen. Then you would be giving away a trick if declarer can see the Ten (and sometimes even when partner has it). Leading the Queen will pick up the suit in these cases, and partner will know your holding, making it more likely he can get the rest of the defense right.

Your result so far:

A: ♠2. Once again you should lead a low one against No-trumps, owing to the general lack of urgency to cash quick tricks. A low card could help unscramble the suit when partner has a holding like H 10 x or H H doubleton, plus it will help pick up some tricks when dummy has a doubleton honor. Leading the Queen could still gain, and it would be best to lead it when you have no outside strength, so you can take advantage of your time on lead to pick up dummy’s hypothetical honor. However, if you have something outside you will likely be able to get back on lead to play the Queen if necessary.

Your result so far:

A: ♠2. This one is the same for suit contracts and No-trumps. Leading the Ten from this holding is unlikely to gain. It will only do so on remote layouts like K J x on dummy with A 8 (x) in declarer’s hand. Even in that example, declarer could easily go wrong by playing the Jack from dummy. Leading a low one is needed when partner has a short honor holding, such that you might crash your resources in the suit if you lead the Ten, or perhaps when an opponent has length in the suit, for example if there’s H x x x on dummy and partner has A K x.

Once again, leading the Ten becomes more attractive when you have a good intermediate, here the Seven, although the added appeal is limited. Holding the Eight you’d kick off with the Ten.

As a general policy, if you’re aiming to take quick tricks lead the sequence, and if you’re aiming for as many tricks as possible in the suit, lead a low one to keep the position flowing. Of course if you have only three cards in the suit always lead from the sequence.

Your result so far: