Juxtaposed: 4th best vs third and low on opening lead against suits

Third and low differs from third and fifth in what you lead from seven card suits. In third and low you lead 7th --the lowest one. In third and fifth you lead fifth. Third from the bottom.

One of the first things a partnership decides when filling out a card is the nature of their length leads. I started playing fourth best leads, but pretty soon after taking the game up seriously, decided to switch to third and low. Many expert D20 bridge players lead fourth best, so I doubt there is a consensus on the best treatment in all situations (or even most of them). Might be a factor of how one analyzes the hand ...or one might learn to analyze hands differently when playing one versus the other. I don't know.

I do know the characteristics of these lead agreements are not the same and it pays to study the differences. From my own personal history, this caused one of the few major public displays of disagreement in one of my past partnerships and I would advise everyone to avoid this at all a costs by studying the issues carefully.

I probably don't have to emphasize that whether you lead fourth best or third and low, you start counting cards from the top. The major differences between these two systems also delineate the major advantages.

Note: length leads from fourth best are always from strength. Discuss with your partner whether it promises the T, J or perhaps even Q minimum, but it has to promise some honor.

Note: length leads from third and low denote count, period. Nothing is promised about the quality of the suit. Third from an even number of cards, low from an odd number of cards. So hereby you see the difference.

1) Using fourth best leads, one leads the 4 form 42, K94, K964, K9642, K96432. There you go, five different lengths on the opening lead and you lead the same card.

2) Using third and low leads, one leads the 2 from 652, J52, K52, KJ2 87532, K7532, KJ532. There you go, the same card from two lengths and three different suit qualitities.

So, what you absolutely know with fourth best length leads is that it is from some sort of strength holding although the actual length of the suit might be unknown until further play has occurred. What you most likely know about third and low leads is the number of cards in the suits, provided you can distinguish from the 3/5/7 two card differences.

It is necesary to hold a brief discussion about what to lead from bad holdings playing fourth best. What does not work is to lead small (as if one has a strength holding). From three small, one needs to decide top of nothing or MUD. From four small, one usually leads second highest.

As if all of this isn't complicated enough, these two different styles are used primarily on opening lead. What your partnership does in the middle of the hand is also a discussion point. Most lead "low from interest".

Which method your partnerhip uses on opening lead might be a matter of philosophy. 4th besters like to send an immediate signal by the opening leader that he/she does or does not like the suit led. 3rd and low leaders like to give an immediately start on counting the entire hand.

Be open to using different methods. If you've traditionally counted on leads from strength holdings, perhaps try other methods to determine high card distribution. Experts use clues from the bidding and first few card plays to figure out where high cards are located.--but, that may be a whole other lesson. See what the future holds?