Leading from a Short Suit

As when leading from a long suit, there is a Standard Table of Leads. The following guidelines summarize the table:

• With three small cards, three cards with two touching honors, or two cards, lead the top card.
• With three honors, lead as you would with a long suit. For example, with King-Jack-Ten alone, lead the Jack.
• With three cards headed by one or two high cards, lead your smallest card.

When your partner has overcalled

Naturally, you want to lead your partner's suit. Many traditional players always lead the highest card in their partner's suit. This is a serious error. Lead the same card in your partner's suit as you otherwise would.

Standard Leads Versus Notrump from a Short Suit
AKx	King
KQx	King
QJx	Queen
J10x	Jack
109x	Ten
Hxx*	3rd Best
xxx	Top Card
Any 2	Top Card
* (Any three cards headed by an honor)

After the opening lead, dummy comes down, declarer plays from dummy, and the defense shifts to the third-hand player, the right defender.