THIRD AND FIFTH LEAD SIGNALS

This is a conventional lead method, by which a bridge partnership can exchange communication. It is an opening lead method in which the third highest card is led from a three card suit, and the fifth highest card from a longer suit. This is a deviation from the times of Mr. Edmund Hoyle, when it was tradition to lead the fourth-best from any suit.

These leads are used generally against suit contracts, although some partnerships play this method against No Trump contracts. The practical purpose is to assist the partner in counting the distribution of the individual suits.

The guidelines are shown below.

1.	With an even number of cards lead highest card affordable telling partner you have a suit with 2, 4, or 6 cards (or it could be a singleton).
2.	With an odd number of cards lead the lowest card telling partner you have a suit with 1, 3 or 5 cards.

These leads are per partnership agreement. The player on lead makes a decision to play from a certain suit. Generally the most preferred carding method is to lead a card, which communicates the most information to partner, be it from the top of a sequence or the top of an internal sequence. If the player on lead does not have such a lead, then the partnership agreement is to play Third and Fifth Lead Signals.

If the lead is a card from the trump suit, then the Third and Fifth Lead Signals do not apply.

 

Therefore, employing the Third and Fifth Leads method, the card to be led is expressed in bold in the following examples:

xx	The lead of the highest card affordable is the preferred lead from a doubleton, or 4 cards or 6 cards.
xxx	The lead from a 3-card suit is the lowest card.
xxxx	The lead from a 4-card suit is the third card down.
xxxxx	The lead from a 5-card suit is the fifth card down.
xxxxxx	The lead from an even 6-card suit is the third card down or the highest affordable card. It is the quality of the suit, which determines this action.
AKx	Lead from the top of a sequence.
109x	Lead from the top of a sequence.
KQx	Lead from the top of a sequence.
KJ10x	Lead from the top of an internal sequence.
QJx	Lead from the top of a sequence.
Q109x	Lead from the top of an internal sequence.
KQ109	Lead from the top of a sequence.

 

The Third and Fifth Signals should be played together with the understanding of the two concepts below:

See also: Rule of 10 and Rule of 11 and Rule of 12.

 

 

If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.

 

 

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