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Bridge Leads and Signals
What are the rules for the best card to lead
Touching honors- an explanation
Touching honors are honor cards which are next to each other in rank – these following groupings are examples of touching honors:
- AK – AKQ – AKQJ – AKQJT
- KQ – KQJ – KQJT
- QJ – QJT
- JT & JT98
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Which touching Honor Card Should I Play
When you are on defense you should play your touching honors in order, but the order depends on whether you are winning a trick or making the opening lead. You play the highest card when you are:
- On opening lead – play the highest with the only exception being the AK where the King is played first
- When your partner has lead the suit, play your highest
- When discarding the suit, play the highest first
From all AK combinations, lead the King.
From all suits without AK touching honors, lead the top honor:
- KQ5
- JT9
- QJT3
- T985
- KJT54
- From a 2-card suit, lead the top card:
- 82
- J7
- QT
Play the lowest of Touching Honors
- When winning a trick you should play the lowest of the touching honors
- When playing third to the trick, play the lowest
- From a 4-card-or-longer suit without touching honors, lead the fourth-best card:
- K9743
- 10752
- J87643
- From a 3-card suit without touching honors, lead the lowest card:
- J96
- Q43
- 865
