Mighty

You have won the bidding and become the declarer. Suppose your contract is 15♣. You must now make an opening lead. What should you do? As discussed earlier, the declarer is subject to several restrictions on the opening lead: leading a trump, the Joker, or the Jocall is not allowed.

Before discussing the opening lead itself, let us briefly explain the concept of signal cards.

• Signal cards are an informal convention used to communicate that the declarer does not hold the Joker. If the declarer leads with a card rank 3, 6, 9, 10, J, Q, or K (more precisely, a point card that is not the top card of its suit), it signals that the declarer does not have the Joker. If the declarer leads with a top card, the signal is usually considered valid until the second trick. Signal cards are not an official rule and may or may not be used depending on the region.

The explanation below assumes that signal cards are being used. If you have neither a strong opening lead nor the Joker, you may lead with a signal card to convey your situation to the other players. For example, leading an apparently random point card, such as the ◆J indicates, "I do not have the Joker." A perceptive Friend may respond by providing immediate support.

Since the ♠A is the Mighty, the ♠K is also a strong candidate for the opening lead. If you lead with a top card on the opening lead, you are unable to give a signal at that time, so it is often a good idea to play a signal card on the second trick.

You have won the first trick, so it is your lead again. What should you play in the second trick? In most cases, the answer is clear: you should lead a trump suit in order to draw trumps from the other players' hands. If you allow the defenders to perform Kan feely, the declarer will inevitably be placed at a disadvantage.

Until all trumps have been drawn, a "top card" is not truly secure. By leading trumps early, you force the opponents' trumps out and gradually create a position in which only you control the trump suit.

Now suppose you have decided to lead trumps. You hold the Mighty and therfore selected Joker Friend. Your opening lead succeeded without issue, and now you are leading the second trick. Your trump cards are:

♣A,♣ Q, ♣9, ♣5, ♣4

At first glance, you might be tempted to lead the ♣A. However, in many situations this is not the correct play - especially when you are playing with a Joker Friend.

The reason is simple: you cannot be certain how many trumps your Friend holds. It is quite common for the Friend to have only one trump card.

Case 1: Leading ♣A on the second trick
The declarer leads ♣A and, as expected, wins the trick. The Friend merely follows suit with their only trump. On the third trick, the declarer leads ♣4. The Joker Friend helps by playing the Joker, but the Friend now has no trumps remaining. On the fourth trick, the Friend must lead from other suits. Eventually, the defender's ♣K cannot be forced out using the Mighty alone, and the declarer loses a trump trick to the ♣K.

Case 2: Leading a low trump on the second trick
The declarer leads ♣4, allowing the Joker Friend to assist immediately. If the Friend then leads a trump on the third trick, the declarer can play the Mighty at that point. On the fourth trick, the declarer leads ♣A. As a result, the defender holding three trumps, including the ♣K, is forced to release it.

In conclusion, when you have selected Joker Friend, your first priority is to create a Joker opportunity by leading a low trump rather than a high one. Even when defenders hold multiple trumps, including high cards such as the ♣K, the outcome of the trump battle depends heavily on how carefully the declarer manages the timing of trumps, the Joker, and the Mighty.

Let us revisit the previous example and focus on the following key point.

• An important thing to keep in mind when using the Mighty card is whether you should win a trick with a normal top card or by using the Mighty. The timing of the Mighty makes a significant difference.

Why is it important for the Friend to lead a trump suit? Leading trumps helps draw trumps from the defenders' hands. When the declarer holds the Mighty, they can do this more efficiently by using the Mighty instead of a trump card.

When the lead suit is a trump, the declarer can use the Mighty on that trick. This creates a major advantage: the Mighty effectively functions as a trump card while allowing the declarer to conserve their actual trumps. As a result, the defenders' trump cards are forced out. This is why it is so important for the Friend to lead a trump suit whenever possible.

This use of the Mighty is equally important in a no-trump round. Depending on how the Mighty is timed, the outcome may swing dramatically - sometimes determining whether a Run or Back-run occurs. In short, the Mighty should be used to force out the defenders' cards rather than merely to secure a single trick. Keep this principle in mind.

Now, let us return to the same example. This time, you hold the Joker and have selected Mighty Friend (15♣, Mighty Friend). Your opening lead succeeds without issue, and you are now leading the second trick. Your trump cards are:

♣A, ♣Q, ♣9, ♣5, ♣4

On the second trick, you lead ♣A. On the third trick, you lead with the Joker and declare clubs as the suit to be followed, forcing the remaining trumps out of the defenders' hands. If the ♣K has still not appeared, you may then lead a low trump on the fourth trick and rely on the Mighty for support.

Even when playing with Mighty Friend, should the declarer still lead a low trump first instead of ♣A? In most cases, yes. Leading a low trump first is generally preferable. This approach relies slightly on chance - if the Friend is seated late in the play order, they may be able to win the trick with a low card.

If the declarer holds neither the Mighty nor the Joker, the declarer should lead a signal card such as ♣9 on the second trick. In this case, the declarer may reasonably expect a Jocall from the Friend.

1. By giving the Friend an early turn when they hold only a single trump card, the Friend can safely lead with that trump.

2. Depending on the seating order, the Friend may win a trick with a low trump by chance.

3. Leading a low trump as a signal card may prompt the Friend to use a Jocall.