The right signal

Summary:
1- Leading from four small after you supported partner
2- The lead of an Ace or King after a pre-emptive opening by opponent
3 – Which card to play when you know that partner will run

Leading from four small after you supported partne

The situation: Your partner opens 1♥,your right-hand opponent overcalls 1♠ and you raise to 2♥ before left-hand opponent signs off in 4♠. You hold the following hand:

Reminder

Against suit contracts, we lead showing count. The French system, “pair-impair” is very similar to American standard count. With four small cards, the usual rule is to lead a high card, then play a smaller one to show an even number. Normally, we lead second best so that it is as clear as possible. That way, we show an even number of cards without an honor. It was decided not to lead the highest card, which is normally reserved for the lead from a doubleton. Finally, we lead the third highest from a suit headed by an honor.

Innovation

High-level players have decided that in situations where a fit was established (after a raise that showed at least three cards), they would lead the highest if they had no honor. This is because there could be no ambiguity with the doubleton since they had shown a real fit. It turned out that it was much easier to read a card such as the 9 or 8 and deduce that the lead came from four cards and not three and that it was denying an honor.

If your partner leads the 6 of Hearts following French standard, you have a hard time knowing if he has Q86x or 8642. On the other hand, if he uses the technique we suggest and leads the 8, you have no trouble locating the stiff Queen in declarer’s hand. The 8 of Hearts cannot be third best from a four-card suit headed by an honor. In this case, you go up with the Ace while on the lead of the 6 of Hearts, you have a real problem: finesse in order not to give declarer the opportunity of a discard or go up with the Ace.