Twelve guide lines to remember

Here are 12 useful guide lines (6 for the Declarer and 6 for the Defence) to consider and remember.

In NT contracts DEVELOP the additional tricks required for your contract BEFORE cashing in your sure winners. This means losing the lead EARLY while you still have your stoppers in hand.

In TRUMP contracts usually DRAW TRUMPS FIRST, unless you need to ruff in Dummy or to get rid of some losers first.
When running a suite : play the HIGH CARDS from the SHORT side FIRST :
A Q x opposite x x x x K >> First play A and Q, then lead the small card to the K
In most cases ONLY draw opponents' LOSING TRUMPS :
A K x x opposite x x x x >> Draw trumps only twice.
Then force the opponent to ruff a trick from your long side suit.
This leaves you then with 4 trumps instead of only 2.
Indirect finesse = leading a LOW card to a HIGH one
Direct finesse = leading a HIGH card to HIGHER one
Only play a Direct finesse when you hold 4 of the 5 (or 6) top cards.

A Double finesse towards A Q 10 or A J 10 has a 75% chance of gaining 2 tricks.
A Double finesse towards K J x has a 75% chance of making at least 1 trick.
For any Single finesse (towards A Q (x) or K x (x)) the success rate is 50%
With 8 cards or less, double finesse!
When the HIGH cards in a suit are divided amongst all 4 players DO NOT LEAD that suit,
but let your opponents do that for you. (This applies equally to the Defence.)
When opponents hold an ODD number of cards in a suit they will 65% of the time break EVENLY :
5 cards >> 3 + 2
When opponents hold an EVEN number of cards in a suit they will 65% of the time break UNEVENLY :
6 cards >> 2 + 4 or worse
Therefore avoid 4+3 trump suits, a 5+2 holding is not too bad.

Exception: When the opponents hold only 2 cards in a suite they are (statistically) divided 1-1 almost 50% of the time.

About Leads
1. Top of a solid sequence (or top of 2 touching Honours in a trump contract) is always a good ATTACKING lead.
2. Lead K from A K x (x) to "have a look at Dummy".
3. AVOID leading AWAY from a KING
4. NEVER lead AWAY from an ACE in a Trump contract
  (In NT leading 4th from A x x x is OK)
5. AVOID leading an ACE in a Slam Contract (you make it just too easy for the Declarer!!)
6. AVOID leading away from a Tenace (A Q or K J)
7. In NT with no other indications lead 4th from your longest suit.
  In Trump Contracts a trump lead (from xx or xxx) is often a good Defensive lead.
  (But avoid leading a singleton trump as your Partner will probably hold 4.)
8. Do not switch leading from one suit to the next. Such "fishing expeditions" usually cost extra tricks.
Always LEAD your HIGHEST card when leading PARTNER's LONG suite.
When Partner LEADS his long suit, SIGNAL with a high card (6 - 9) to show him that you hold an Honour in that suit. Play low when you don't.

Lead THROUGH Dummy's STRENGTH and UP TO Dummy's WEAKNESS

	Dummy (North) S : A Q x H : K x x D : x x x C : Q J x x
West : lead Spades		East : lead Diamonds

SECOND player USUALLY plays LOW !!
Cover an Honour with your Honour ONLY when you think it will PROMOTE a trick (with the 10 or 9) in your or Partner's hand. (But when your Honour card becomes unguarded : play K from K x doubleton when you don't know where the A is.)
(This rule also applies to the Declarer and Dummy!!!)
Always OVERLEAD touching Honours (Q from QJ) when LEADING a suit,
and UNDERLEAD (J from QJ) when FOLLOWING to a trick.
(But follow differently to DECLARER'S LEAD when it may DECEIVE him.)
When your HONOUR CARD in a suit sits OVER a lower Honour card (in Dummy or Declarer's hand) your FIRST PRIORITY is to CATCH that Honour if possible.
So with K 9 x over Dummy's Q x x > > play your 9 (or 10 or J) when Dummy plays low, only cover Dummy's Q with your King.
(But with K x x you usually will have to play your K.)