Defense
Strategy
1. Look at the big picture; don’t just think one trick at a time.
2. How many tricks do my partner and I have to take to defeat the contract?
Use the RULE OF 8: subtract the level of the contract from 8 to find how many tricks you need to set the contract. For example, if the contract is at the 3 level, you and partner need to take 8-3=5 tricks, regardless of whether they are playing in a suit or no trump.
3. Now look for where you and partner might find those tricks. Consider the bidding and how much strength you can expect from partner. Does she likely have 5-10 points? More? Less?
4. Before you play to the first trick, plan the defense. Do you need to set up a suit? That is, do you need to drive out declarer’s stopper so you can run your suit? Does dummy have a long suit that declarer can use to pitch her losers in the other suits? If so, you need to get those tricks right away. Plan the defense; don’t just start cashing winners.
General Rules
1. Second hand low, third hand high
2. Cover an honor with an honor
3. Return partner’s suit
4. Never give declarer a ruff-sluff
Opening Leads
1. 4th best vs NT – RULE OF 11: subtract partner’s
lead from 11 to find out how many higher cards are outstanding counting dummy,
your hand, and declarer’s. For example, partner leads 7♠, dummy
has 954, you have Q103, so declarer has only one spade higher than the 7.
2. In a suit contract,
if you have a singleton (other than in trumps), it is often a good opening
lead.
3. A worthless
doubleton is rarely a good lead, unless partner has bid the suit.
4. BOSTON leads = Bottom Of Something, Top Of Nothing. Lead small from Q854, lead the 9 from 9865.
5. When you and partner have both bid the same suit, it is often the best lead (BOSTON style).
Optional:
6. Coded 9s and 10s. Lead of 9 or 10 promises two higher in the suit led, or none higher. This is also sometimes called “jack denies (higher cards in this suit), 10 implies”.
7. 3rd or 5th best, especially against NT, to keep declarer from getting a complete count of the suit, (which 4th best provides).
Playing a Sequence – touching cards
1. If leading a suit, lead the top of a sequence. Example: lead Q from QJ108.
2. If following suit, play the lowest of your sequence. Example: play 10 from QJ108.
Signals
There are three main kinds of signals.
1. Attitude – tells partner whether to continue the suit or not. Typically, a high card says to continue, low says to switch to another suit.
2. Count – tells partner whether you have an odd or even number in the suit. Typically, high-low shows an even number in the suit, low-high shows odd.
3. Suit preference – suggests the right suit for partner to lead. Low card suggests the lower of the other two (non-trump) suits, high card suggests the higher.
First Discard
Your first discard is a great opportunity to communicate with your partner. If you do not have the suit led, you can play any card in your hand. You should use this opportunity to tell partner where you have some strength. Typically, a high card encourages the suit, low discourages.
Optional: There are several other common approaches. You and your partner should agree on how to interpret the first discard. Other common approaches:
1. Upside-down – high card discourages the suit, low card encourages.
2. Odd-even – odd card says “I like this suit”, even says to shift to another suit. Low even card says to shift to the lower of the other two (non-trump) suits, high even card says to shift to the higher.
3. Lavinthal – discard says “I do not like this suit”, high or low indicates which of the other two (non-trump) suits you do like.
Question 1
Defense against 3 NT
contract. The bidding:
|
South (dealer) |
West |
North |
East |
|
1 NT |
Pass |
2 ♣ |
pass |
|
2 ♦ |
pass |
3 NT |
all pass |
West leads 10♥ and dummy plays low. What should East play and why?
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ Q8 |
|
|
|
♥ Q743 |
|
|
|
♦ J1083 |
|
|
|
♣ AK6 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ |
|
♠ A943 |
|
♥ 10 |
|
♥ KJ82 |
|
♦ |
|
♦ 65 |
|
♣ |
|
♣ 1053 |
|
|
South |
|
Answer to Question 1: East should play the 8♥, to encourage West to continue the suit. Even if declarer wins this trick, you want West to continue hearts if he gets the lead again. This is an example of an attitude signal. The whole hand:
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ Q82 |
|
|
|
♥ Q743 |
|
|
|
♦ J108 |
|
|
|
♣ AK6 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ 1076 |
|
♠ A943 |
|
♥ 1095 |
|
♥ KJ82 |
|
♦ K32 |
|
♦ 65 |
|
♣ J974 |
|
♣ 1053 |
|
|
South |
|
|
|
♠ KJ5 |
|
|
|
♥ A6 |
|
|
|
♦ AQ974 |
|
|
|
♣ Q82 |
|
If declarer ducks the first trick, West should continue with the 9♥. If declarer wins the first trick, West will get the lead again when South loses the diamond finesse. Eventually, East will collect three heart tricks to go with the K♦ and A♠ to defeat the contract.
Question 2
Defense against 4♠
contract. The bidding:
|
South (dealer) |
West |
North |
East |
|
1 ♠ |
Pass |
2 NT* |
pass |
|
4 ♠ |
pass |
pass |
pass |
*Alert: Jacoby 2NT
West leads Q♥ and dummy plays low. What should East play and why?
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ KQ642 |
|
|
|
♥ K8 |
|
|
|
♦ J632 |
|
|
|
♣ K3 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ |
|
♠ 5 |
|
♥ Q |
|
♥ A9632 |
|
♦ |
|
♦ 1095 |
|
♣ |
|
♣ AQJ2 |
|
|
South |
|
Answer to question 2: Yes, West will realize that East has A♥ when Q♥ holds the first trick. But East does not want a heart continuation; the A♥ will still take a trick. What East does want is a club lead through dummy’s king. Accordingly, East should encourage a club shift by playing the 2♥. Play your lowest heart to encourage partner to shift to the lower of the other two (non-trump) suits. This is an example of a suit preference signal. The whole hand:
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ KQ642 |
|
|
|
♥ K8 |
|
|
|
♦ J632 |
|
|
|
♣ K3 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ 9 |
|
♠ 5 |
|
♥ QJ105 |
|
♥ A9632 |
|
♦ 874 |
|
♦ 1095 |
|
♣ 97654 |
|
♣ AQJ2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
South |
|
|
|
♠ AJ10873 |
|
|
|
♥ 74 |
|
|
|
♦ AKQ |
|
|
|
♣ 108 |
|
Without the club shift at trick 2, declarer will run trumps and then discard a club on the long diamond to make her contract.
Question 3
South is playing in 3NT. West leads the 3♦, dummy plays the K♦, and East wins the A♦, declarer playing the 4♦. Now what should East do?
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ AK |
|
|
|
♥ J8 |
|
|
|
♦ KQ10 |
|
|
|
♣ AQJ863 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ |
|
♠ 943 |
|
♥ |
|
♥ Q432 |
|
♦ 3 |
|
♦ A9 |
|
♣ |
|
♣ K542 |
|
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South |
|
|
|
♠ |
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
|
♦ 4 |
|
|
|
♣ |
|
Answer to question 3: As soon as declarer drives out the K♣, he will have at least 8 tricks. If necessary, he can always finesse the J♦ for his ninth trick. East must get active. The only reasonable suit to attack is hearts. East should lead 2♥ (lead low from an honor). The full deal is shown below. Defense will get 3 heart tricks to go along with A♦ and K♣ to defeat the contract.
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ AK |
|
|
|
♥ J8 |
|
|
|
♦ KQ10 |
|
|
|
♣ AQJ863 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ J876 |
|
♠ 943 |
|
♥ K1076 |
|
♥ Q432 |
|
♦ J8632 |
|
♦ A9 |
|
♣ |
|
♣ K542 |
|
|
South |
|
|
|
♠ Q1052 |
|
|
|
♥ A95 |
|
|
|
♦ 754 |
|
|
|
♣ 1097 |
|
Question 4
Defense against 3 NT contract. The bidding:
|
South (dealer) |
West |
North |
East |
|
2 ♣ |
Pass |
2 ♦ |
pass |
|
2 NT |
pass |
3 NT |
all pass |
South is in 3NT. West
leads Q♠. Declarer wins in hand and leads J♣. What should West play on this trick and why?
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ 875 |
|
|
|
♥ 96 |
|
|
|
♦ 632 |
|
|
|
♣ KQ1073 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ QJ1093 |
|
♠ 42 |
|
♥ Q102 |
|
♥ 8754 |
|
♦ 1054 |
|
♦ QJ97 |
|
♣ 96 |
|
♣ A85 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
South |
|
Answer to question 4: West should play the 9♣, as the start of a high-low to show an
even number of cards in clubs. East
realizes that declarer is trying to set up the club suit on the board, and
notices that there are no entries to dummy outside of the club suit. East’s job is to prevent declarer from
setting up and running the clubs. To do
that, she must save her ace until South has no more clubs to lead. When West plays the 9 on the first round of
the suit, and the 6 on the second round, East will know that West holds an even
number of clubs and must not win her club trick until the South leads her third
club. This keeps declarer from cashing
the remaining good club tricks on the board.
As a result, the contract will go down one trick. This is an example of a count signal. The whole
hand:
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ 875 |
|
|
|
♥ 96 |
|
|
|
♦ 632 |
|
|
|
♣ KQ1073 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ QJ1093 |
|
♠ 42 |
|
♥ Q102 |
|
♥ 8754 |
|
♦ 1054 |
|
♦ QJ97 |
|
♣ 96 |
|
♣ A85 |
|
|
South |
|
|
|
♠ AK6 |
|
|
|
♥ AKJ3 |
|
|
|
♦ AK8 |
|
|
|
♣ J42 |
|
Question 5
Defense against 4♠. The bidding:
|
South (dealer) |
West |
North |
East |
|
1 ♠ |
Pass |
2 ♠ |
pass |
|
3 ♠ |
pass |
4 ♠ |
all pass |
South is in 4♠. West leads 5♠. Declarer wins in hand and continues the suit. West wins the second spade. What should East discard on this trick and why?
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ J1064 |
|
|
|
♥ A10 |
|
|
|
♦ Q107 |
|
|
|
♣ J742 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ A5 |
|
♠ 2 |
|
♥ |
|
♥ 8752 |
|
♦ |
|
♦ KJ83 |
|
♣ |
|
♣ AK53 |
|
|
South |
|
Answer to question 5:
East knows that the defense has one spade and two club tricks and the best chance for a fourth trick is in diamonds. How does East tell West to shift to diamonds? Using typical first discards, East should discard the 8♦ (high card encourages the suit). This is an example of a suit preference signal via your first discard. The whole hand:
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ J1064 |
|
|
|
♥ A10 |
|
|
|
♦ Q107 |
|
|
|
♣ J742 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ A53 |
|
♠ 2 |
|
♥ J964 |
|
♥ 8752 |
|
♦ 962 |
|
♦ KJ83 |
|
♣ 1096 |
|
♣ AK53 |
|
|
South |
|
|
|
♠ KQ987 |
|
|
|
♥ KQ3 |
|
|
|
♦ A54 |
|
|
|
♣ Q8 |
|
Optional:
Using upside-down discards, East should discard the 3♦ (low card encourages the suit).
Using odd-even discards, East should discard the 3♦ (odd card encourages the suit).
Using Lavinthal discards, East should discard the 8♥ (to indicate the higher of diamonds or clubs) or 3♣ (to indicate the lower of diamonds and hearts).
Questions 6-10 are “find the honors” questions
Question 6: South is playing in NT. West leads 3♥. East wins with the K♥. Who has the Q♥?
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♥ 54 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♥ AJ93 |
|
♥ K |
|
|
South |
|
|
|
♥ 2 |
|
Answer to question 6: South. Otherwise East would have won with the Q♥ (playing lower of touching honors). East should lead a heart back through declarer’s queen.
Question 7: South is playing in 3♣. West leads Q♦. What should East play on this trick? Who has the missing diamond honors?
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♦ 85 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♦ Q |
|
♦ K72 |
|
|
South |
|
|
|
♦ |
|
Answer to question 7: West has at least the J (if not J10 or J9). East should play the 7 to encourage partner to continue. West does not have the A♦, as she would not lead away from AQ.
Question 8: South is playing in NT. West leads 3♠. Declarer captures partner’s 10♠ with his Q♠. Who has the K♠?
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ 74 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ AJ93 |
|
♠ 10 |
|
|
South |
|
|
|
♠ Q |
|
Answer to question 8: South. Otherwise East would have won with the K♠ (third hand high). If East gains the lead, he should lead a spade back through declarer’s K♠.
Question 9: South is playing in NT. West leads K♠. What should East play on the opening lead?
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♠ 74 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♠ K |
|
♠ A5 |
|
|
South |
|
|
|
♠ |
|
Answer to question 9: East should overtake with the ace and lead the 5 back. West probably has KQJ (or at least KQ10) to lead the K. East must unblock the suit. If declarer holds the jack this will also finesse him.
Question 10: South is playing in spades. West leads 3♦, dummy plays the 4♦. Who holds the A♦? Who holds the Q♦? What should East play on the first trick?
|
|
North |
|
|
|
♦ 654 |
|
|
West |
|
East |
|
♦ 3 |
|
♦ K1087 |
|
|
South |
|
|
|
♦ |
|
Answer to question 10: Declarer has the A♦, since West would not have underled an ace against a suit contract. West has the Q♦ since the lead of a low card suggests an honor in the suit (this is a BOSTON lead.) East should play the K♦. If declarer ducks, continue with the 10♦.