card.

Don't lead low from suits headed by an Ace.

The lead of an Ace followed by the King shows no more of that suit.

The lead of a King indicates the Ace, the Queen, or both.

With any three honours in a suit, your lead is always one of the honours.

Holding but 3 or 4 cards in any of the following suits avoid leading if possible. Wait until they are led to you.

If in any doubt as to your lead select your longest and strongest suit and lead the 4th best.

WHY THE 4TH BEST CARD IS LED

There are two reasons for leading the 4th best card of your long suit.

To show partner how many cards you hold in the suit.

To show partner what you have in the suit.

If you lead 4th best and afterward either discard or play a smaller one, your partner will know that you originally held more than four cards in that suit. The lead of a deuce, for instance, shows but four cards in the suit. Your partner, by applying the "Rule of Eleven," can very often tell the exact combination of cards from which you have led.

THE RULE OF ELEVEN

Deduct the size of the card led from eleven, and the difference will show how many cards HIGHER than the one led are held outside the leader's hand. If, for instance, your partner lead an eight spot, the dummy having the queen and you holding A 10 x of the suit, as you see three cards above the eight, you know the dealer cannot play higher and that your partner must have led from K J 9 8.

This rule is especially important at "no-trump"; but players should not give it much attention unless the card originally led is higher than a five.

If your partner has had the original lead, and you have taken a trick, either make your high cards or

LEAD UP TO WEAKNESS

Weakness means no high cards, and leading up to, is making a person play fourth in hand to a trick. By leading a suit in which dummy has weak cards, you may enable your partner to win a trick cheaply. Whenever the dummy hand is on your right you should take this advantage of its weakness. It is sometimes good play to lead a card higher than the dummy's best. This, if the card you lead is not covered, gives your partner a chance to pass the trick.

EXAMPLES OF OPENING LEADS

THE CARD IN RED INDICATES THE LEAD.

(Hearts) Trump Declared by Dealer.

Holding the Lead.

Leading from a Sequence.

Leading from Long Suits.