Improvers Week 18 Week 18 Playing in Defence Playing in Defence In Suit Contracts In Suit Contracts

ImproversImproversWeek 18Week 18

Playing in DefencePlaying in Defence In Suit ContractsIn Suit Contracts

Defensive Play in SuitsDefensive Play in Suits

Opening LeadsOpening Leads Obviously KeyObviously Key So another look at Opening LeadsSo another look at Opening Leads

ThenThen General Defensive PlaysGeneral Defensive Plays And Good PractiseAnd Good Practise

Opening LeadsOpening Leads Standard LeadsStandard Leads

Top of an Honour SequenceTop of an Honour Sequence AAKxKx KKQQ QQJTJT JJT9T9 TT9898 AAQQJJ


44thth Down from suit headed by Honour Down from suit headed by Honour KxxKxxxx QxxQxxxx JxxJxxxx TxxTxxxx T9xT9xxx


High – Low from DoubletonHigh – Low from Doubleton KKx – only if partner has bid this suitx – only if partner has bid this suit QQxx JJxx TTxx xxxx Exception AException AKK


MUD – From 3+ suits without an MUD – From 3+ suits without an honourhonour

Middle, Up , DownMiddle, Up , Down xxxxxx xxxxxxxx

Which Suit?Which Suit?

Active Active oror

PassivePassive

Active LeadsActive Leads

AttackingAttacking May make life difficult for DeclarerMay make life difficult for Declarer May set up Defensive TricksMay set up Defensive Tricks

High Risk – often gives tricks awayHigh Risk – often gives tricks away

Made from Suits containing honoursMade from Suits containing honours

Passive LeadsPassive Leads

No problem for DeclarerNo problem for Declarer Low Risk - Will not give away a cheap Low Risk - Will not give away a cheap

tricktrick

Usually from suits without honoursUsually from suits without honours Can be top of an honour sequenceCan be top of an honour sequence A trump lead is usually a Passive leadA trump lead is usually a Passive lead

When to make an Active When to make an Active LeadLead

If the contract looks pretty secureIf the contract looks pretty secure Make an active leadMake an active lead Guidelines:Guidelines: Against a Grand SlamAgainst a Grand Slam Against 6NTAgainst 6NT Against 1 or 2NT when you do not Against 1 or 2NT when you do not

have a 5 card suithave a 5 card suit Against suit contract when dummy is Against suit contract when dummy is

unlikely to hold a 5 card suitunlikely to hold a 5 card suit

When to make a Passive When to make a Passive LeadLead

If the contract looks marginalIf the contract looks marginal Make a Passive leadMake a Passive lead Make Declarer do the workMake Declarer do the work GuidelinesGuidelines Game contract when dummy has a long Game contract when dummy has a long

side suitside suit Part score contractsPart score contracts Small slam in a suitSmall slam in a suit Pre-emptsPre-empts Against 3NT when dummy has a long suitAgainst 3NT when dummy has a long suit

Active and Passive LeadsActive and Passive Leads

Contract is 3Contract is 3

Active lead?Active lead? AA

Passive Lead?Passive Lead? 44

A

3

5

Q

8

Q

4

3

J

4

6

5

2



Active lead?Active lead? JJ


A

Q

K

7

3

J

7

6

T

6

T

8

3


Contract is 7NTContract is 7NT

Active lead?Active lead? 33

Passive Lead?Passive Lead? T

T

9

5

K

T

6

4

3

8

4

3

5

3





3

2

Q

K

T

9

6

7

8

5

3

4

3


Contract is 4 Contract is 4

Active lead?Active lead? KK

Passive Lead?Passive Lead? KK

A

K

9

2

9

7

8

5

6

4

5

2

3


Contract is 3Contract is 3 Pre-Pre-emptempt



A

Q

5

K

J

7

3

5

5

4

7

4

4

Opening LeadsOpening Leads

First decideFirst decide Active or PassiveActive or Passive Then select suit and cardThen select suit and card Try not to underlead K’s or Q’sTry not to underlead K’s or Q’s Especially do not lead from KJx or QTxEspecially do not lead from KJx or QTx Remember partner’s bid suitRemember partner’s bid suit or implied (e.g TOX or Lead Directing *)or implied (e.g TOX or Lead Directing *)

Other Defensive PlaysOther Defensive Plays

RememberRemember

Declarer Play is about keeping Declarer Play is about keeping Control of the Trump SuitControl of the Trump Suit

Defensive Play is about thwarting Defensive Play is about thwarting Declarer’s Cunning PlanDeclarer’s Cunning Plan

What is declarer up to?What is declarer up to?

If Declarer gets in and does not lead If Declarer gets in and does not lead trumpstrumps

WHY?WHY? What can we do about it?What can we do about it?

Contract 4Contract 4 You lead You lead 44 Declarer wins with Declarer wins with KK And leads 3And leads 3

A

9

K

K

T

6

4

3

8

4

3

5

2

Q

J

A

A

7

T

7

9

6

2

4

6

2•What is your best defensive What is your best defensive play?play?

•WinWin A, leadA, lead A thenA then 77

•Avoiding short side ruffsAvoiding short side ruffs

Are there ruff chances in Are there ruff chances in dummy?dummy?

If dummy is the short trump handIf dummy is the short trump hand With another short suitWith another short suit And Declarer Plays the short side suit And Declarer Plays the short side suit

firstfirst The cunning plan is to ruff on the short The cunning plan is to ruff on the short

sideside If you get in lead trumps until all If you get in lead trumps until all

dummy’s trumps are gonedummy’s trumps are gone

Contract 4Contract 4 You lead You lead 44 Declarer wins with Declarer wins with KK And leads And leads A then A then 33

T

9

K

K

T

6

3

8

4

5

2

Q

J

A

Q

7

T

7

9

6

2

4

6

2

•What is your best What is your best defensive play?defensive play?

•WinWin J, lead, lead 77

• WinWin continuation, playcontinuation, play QQ

3

2

Declarer is trying to set up a Cross RuffDeclarer is trying to set up a Cross Ruff

You think this is the caseYou think this is the case Because declarer is cashing all top Because declarer is cashing all top

honours in side suitshonours in side suits And not drawing trumpsAnd not drawing trumps

Lead trumps as many times as you Lead trumps as many times as you cancan

Each trump you lead will save 1 trickEach trump you lead will save 1 trick

Contract 4Contract 4. You lead You lead 44

Declarer wins with Declarer wins with AA Cashes K and A trumpsCashes K and A trumps And leads And leads 99

K

J

Q

K

T

6

4

3

8

4

3

5

2

A

T

A

8

7

T

7

9

6

4

6

2•What is your best defensive What is your best defensive play?play?

•Declarer may have 2Declarer may have 2 loserslosers

•WinWin A, then play your lastA, then play your last

6

The Insurance TrumpThe Insurance Trump Declarer cashes 2 rounds of trumps Declarer cashes 2 rounds of trumps Leaving 1 in dummyLeaving 1 in dummy And 1 in your handAnd 1 in your hand Declarer is trying to avoid an extra Declarer is trying to avoid an extra

loser in handloser in hand

If you get in lead trumps to remove If you get in lead trumps to remove the last 1 from dummythe last 1 from dummy

Decide which is declarer’s weak suitDecide which is declarer’s weak suit And maybe set up a defensive trickAnd maybe set up a defensive trick

RULE OF THUMBRULE OF THUMB

If Declarer does not draw trumps If Declarer does not draw trumps defence should force themdefence should force them

If Declarer is drawing trumps then do If Declarer is drawing trumps then do NOT lead trumps yourselfNOT lead trumps yourself

Contract 4Contract 4 You lead You lead KK Declarer wins with Declarer wins with AA Draws trumps, leads Draws trumps, leads

22

A

6

K

K

T

6

4

3

5

4

2

5

2

K

Q

A

9

7

T

7

9

J

8

4

6

•What is your best defensive What is your best defensive play?play?

•Duck firstDuck first , Win, Win AA

• LeadLead ‘s from the top‘s from the top

•Forcing declarer to ruff in Forcing declarer to ruff in handhand

7

Ruffs on the long sideRuffs on the long side RememberRemember Ruffs on the long side are not extra Ruffs on the long side are not extra

tricks for Declarertricks for Declarer If you have a long suitIf you have a long suit And Declarer is out of this suitAnd Declarer is out of this suit And Dummy does not have top cardsAnd Dummy does not have top cards Play the suit each time you get in to Play the suit each time you get in to

make Declarer use up trumpsmake Declarer use up trumps You may give partner trump control You may give partner trump control

or set up winners in your long suitor set up winners in your long suit

FinallyFinally

Pay attention to Partner’s cardsPay attention to Partner’s cards There may be a helpful signal thereThere may be a helpful signal there

Successful Defence is about playing Successful Defence is about playing as a TEAMas a TEAM

Defence goes wrong if you just play Defence goes wrong if you just play your own hand regardlessyour own hand regardless

Documents

Improvers Week 18 Week 18 Playing in Defence Playing in Defence In Suit Contracts In Suit Contracts