Coded 9's and 10's

Jack Denies, Ten Implies" is a lead agreement whereby the lead of the jack always denies a higher honor, but the 10 or 9 "implies" two higher (non-touching) honors. This convention is also known as '0 or 2 Higher' leads, or coded 9's and 10's.

Normal "low from honor" lead carding still applies, as 4th best, etc. When partner leads a 9 or 10, partner generally assumes leader has 2 cards above unless the player in the third seat can see the complimentary card. So if leader plays the 10 and the Jack is in either the dummy or the hand of third seat player, assume zero

This convention is used when holding interior honor sequences headed by the jack or ten: AJTx, KJTx, AT9x, KT9x, QT9x, etc. Normally, the top interior card from these sequences is led:

A common treatment is that the lead of the 9 promises one of the two higher honors is the 10 (otherwise, simply lead fourth best from a broken honor sequence when not holding the 10).

Also leading the 10 promises two non touching honors of which one is the jack or zero.

Examples

• JT84 - lead the jack, which denies a higher honor (i.e. the queen, king or ace).
• JT974 - again, lead the jack. Denies anything higher.
• KJT4 - here you lead the 10. Leading the jack would deny the king. The 10 shows the jack plus a higher non-touching honor, i.e. the ace or king.
• AJT65 - lead the 10 to show 0 or 2 higher (non-touching) honors. one which is the Jack
• KT94 - lead the 9 to show 0 or 2 higher (non-touching) honors.
• QT987 - again, lead the 9.
• QJ92 - lead the Queen - lead the top of broken sequence (not the 9, which could lose to opponents 10)

Other Considerations

• 0 or 2 higher leads apply on opening leads as well as subsequent new suit leads.
• 0 or 2 higher leads only apply when leading from a ten-ace. From an unbroken sequences such as QJTx, for example, the top card should be led.
• 0 or 2 higher leads do not apply when leading from AJTx or AT9x against a suit contract. In those situations, the standard lead is the ace.

Expert Opinion

In his great book "How to Defend a Bridge Hand", the late Bill Root (expert player and writer) strongly endorsed 0 or 2 higher leads, saying:

"This convention should be used by all competent partnerships. The advantage of Zero or Two Higher is the card you lead makes it easier for your partner to figure out whether you are leading the top of a sequence or from an inside sequence."

American expert Larry Cohen, however, is less enthusiastic:

"This is very good against weak players as you give your partner a useful piece of information. Meanwhile, a poor declarer won't appreciate the inferences available. On the contrary, against good players, this is a horrible method. It gives way too much of an advantage to a decent declarer.

"I'll let you in on a Bergen-Cohen secret: We used to play this 10/9 - 0 or 2 method against weak players, but standard against good players. We had 2 different convention cards depending on who our match that day was against. Thank goodness, our opponents never knew our criteria!"