The play of the second highest or highest card of a suit (originally led) to the second trick of the suit to show that the balance of the suit (five cards originally or longer at no trump) is now established and will run.

A variation for the original leader is the selection of which of touching honors shall be led against a no trump contract. From KQJ4, the lead of the king followed by the queen shows a four card suit; had the holding been KQJ175, the lead of the jack would show 5 cards in the suit; had the holding been KQJ10 3 2, the ten would have been chosen as the second lead (the lower the second lead, the longer the suit).