ACBL07X – Defense: Opening Leads Condensed    Ward Trumbull

                                                                                                                   Dec 9, 2008

                                                                                                                   Page 1 of 1

See ACBL07 for a complete guide to opening leads.  This list

should be used only until you have mastered these basic leads.

OPENING LEADS AGAINST NOTRUMP CONTRACTS

        1. Top of a sequence        (3 card sequence)

        2. Interior sequence          (2^nd honor missing)

        3. Top of nothing               (might even be a face card)

        4. Fourth longest and strongest     (from suit with 2+ honors)

OPENING LEADS AGAINST SUIT CONTRACTS

        GOOD LEADS

                1. A singleton or doubleton (high/low)

                                  BUT not a singleton or doubleton face card.

                                  -----------------------------------------------------------

                2. Lead ace from - A x.

                3. Top of a sequence         (minimum 2 card sequence)

                4. Lead trump with two-or-more trumps (but no face

                    cards).             Leading small from ace x x is ok.   

                5. Lead small from an honor - K x x, Q x x, J x x

        BAD LEADS

                1. Unprotected ace - DON’T lead or underlead

                                                 ----------------------------------

                2. A singleton trump