Fourth Best Leads

Quick Summary

Fourth best means leading the fourth-highest card from your longest suit. It’s the standard lead method against notrump contracts and helps partner count your length.

Why Fourth Best?

Shows length, Partner can count your cards
Rule of 11, Helps declarer/defense count distribution
Preserves honors, Don’t waste high cards
Standard, Nearly universal agreement

The Method

From a holding, count down to the 4th card:

Holding Fourth Best

KQJ74 4

AJ962 6

K10853 5

Q9742 4

Example Leads

Against 3NT

♠KJ742 ♥Q73 ♦95 ♣K74

Lead the 4♠ (fourth best from your longest suit).

Against Suit Contract

Different! Usually lead top of sequence or singleton.

When NOT Fourth Best

Situation Lead Instead

Suit contracts Top of sequence, singleton

Honor sequences Top of touching (KQJ → K)

Doubleton High (72 → 7)

Partner’s suit Low from 3+, high from doubleton

AK holdings K (or A by agreement)

Partner Reads the Lead

When you lead 4th best, partner can deduce: 1. Exactly 3 cards higher in your hand 2. Rule of 11 applies 3. Your approximate length

Rule of 11 Example

You lead the 6. Partner sees: – 11 – 6 = 5 cards higher than 6 elsewhere – Dummy has 2, partner has 2 – Declarer has only 1 card above the 6!

Third vs Fourth Best

Some partnerships play third best (3rd and 5th):

Method Shows

Fourth best Exactly 3 higher

Third best Even count

Fifth best Odd count

Spot Card Agreements

With small cards: – MUD (Middle-Up-Down): 3 small – Top of nothing: Worthless holding – Low from honor: Have an honor

Against Slams

Fourth best still applies, but consider: – Aggressive leads (try to cash winners) – Passive leads (don’t help declarer) – Trump leads (when appropriate)

Common Mistakes

Leading 4th from short suit, Not enough cards!
Forgetting in sequences, Lead top of KQJ, not 4th
Partner’s suit different, Lead low from 3+
Confusing with suit contracts, Different methods

Key Takeaways

4th from longest suit against NT
Shows exactly 3 higher
Rule of 11 helps count
Not from sequences, Lead top there
Partner’s suit, Low from 3+

See also: Opening Leads (all lead methods), Rule of Eleven (counting technique)