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

Defensive Play in Suits Opening Leads Opening Leads Obviously Key Obviously Key So another look at Opening Leads So another look at Opening Leads Then Then General Defensive Plays General Defensive Plays And Good Practise And Good Practise

Opening Leads Standard Leads Standard Leads Top of an Honour Sequence Top of an Honour Sequence AKx AKx KQ KQ QJT QJT JT9 JT9 T98 T98 AQJ AQJ

Opening Leads Standard Leads Standard Leads 4 th Down from suit headed by Honour 4 th Down from suit headed by Honour Kxxx Kxxx Qxxx Qxxx Jxxx Jxxx Txxx Txxx T9xx T9xx

Opening Leads Standard Leads Standard Leads High – Low from Doubleton High – Low from Doubleton Kx – only if partner has bid this suit Kx – only if partner has bid this suit Qx Qx Jx Jx Tx Tx xx xx Exception AK Exception AK

Opening Leads Standard Leads Standard Leads MUD – From 3+ suits without an honour MUD – From 3+ suits without an honour Middle, Up, Down Middle, Up, Down xxx xxx xxxx xxxx

Which Suit? Active Active or or Passive Passive

Active Leads Attacking Attacking May make life difficult for Declarer May make life difficult for Declarer May set up Defensive Tricks May set up Defensive Tricks High Risk – often gives tricks away High Risk – often gives tricks away Made from Suits containing honours Made from Suits containing honours

Passive Leads No problem for Declarer No problem for Declarer Low Risk - Will not give away a cheap trick Low Risk - Will not give away a cheap trick Usually from suits without honours Usually from suits without honours Can be top of an honour sequence Can be top of an honour sequence A trump lead is usually a Passive lead A trump lead is usually a Passive lead

When to make an Active Lead If the contract looks pretty secure If the contract looks pretty secure Make an active lead Make an active lead Guidelines: Guidelines: Against a Grand Slam Against a Grand Slam Against 6NT Against 6NT Against 1 or 2NT when you do not have a 5 card suit Against 1 or 2NT when you do not have a 5 card suit Against suit contract when dummy is unlikely to hold a 5 card suit Against suit contract when dummy is unlikely to hold a 5 card suit

When to make a Passive Lead If the contract looks marginal If the contract looks marginal Make a Passive lead Make a Passive lead Make Declarer do the work Make Declarer do the work Guidelines Guidelines Game contract when dummy has a long side suit Game contract when dummy has a long side suit Part score contracts Part score contracts Small slam in a suit Small slam in a suit Pre-empts Pre-empts Against 3NT when dummy has a long suit Against 3NT when dummy has a long suit

Active and Passive Leads Contract is 3 Contract is 3 Active lead? Active lead? A  A Passive Lead? Passive Lead? 4  4 AA 33 55 Q 8 QQ 44 33 JJ 4 66 55 22

Active and Passive Leads Contract is 2 Contract is 2 Active lead? Active lead? J  J Passive Lead? Passive Lead? 7 7 AA QQ KK 7 3 JJ 77 66 TT 66 TT 88 33

Active and Passive Leads Contract is 7NT Contract is 7NT Active lead? Active lead? 3 3 Passive Lead? Passive Lead?  T TT 99 55 K T 66 44 33 88 44 33 5 3

Active and Passive Leads Contract is 6 Contract is 6  Active lead? Active lead? 5 5 Passive Lead? Passive Lead?  3 33 22 QQ K T 99 66 7 44 33

Active and Passive Leads Contract is 4 Contract is 4 Active lead? Active lead? K  K Passive Lead? Passive Lead? K  K AA KK 99 2 99 77 88 55 66 44 55 22 33

Active and Passive Leads Contract is 3 Pre-empt Contract is 3  Pre-empt Active lead? Active lead? 4 4 Passive Lead? Passive Lead?  5 AA QQ 55 K J 77 33 55 55 44 7 4 44

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

Other Defensive Plays Remember Remember Declarer Play is about keeping Control of the Trump Suit Declarer Play is about keeping Control of the Trump Suit Defensive Play is about thwarting Declarer’s Cunning Plan Defensive Play is about thwarting Declarer’s Cunning Plan

What is declarer up to? If Declarer gets in and does not lead trumps If Declarer gets in and does not lead trumps WHY? WHY? What can we do about it? What can we do about it?

Contract 4 Contract 4 You lead 4 You lead  4 Declarer wins with K Declarer wins with  K And leads 3 And leads 3  AA 99 KK K T 66 44 33 88 44 33 5 22 QQ JJ AA A 7 TT 77 99 66 22 44 66 22 What is your best defensive play?What is your best defensive play? Win A, lead A then 7Win  A, lead A then 7 Avoiding short side ruffsAvoiding short side ruffs

Are there ruff chances in dummy? If dummy is the short trump hand If dummy is the short trump hand With another short suit With another short suit And Declarer Plays the short side suit first And Declarer Plays the short side suit first The cunning plan is to ruff on the short side The cunning plan is to ruff on the short side If you get in lead trumps until all dummy’s trumps are gone If you get in lead trumps until all dummy’s trumps are gone

Contract 4 Contract 4 You lead 4 You lead  4 Declarer wins with K Declarer wins with  K And leads A then 3 And leads  A then  3 TT 99 KK K T 66 33 88 44 5 22 QQ JJ AA Q 7 TT 77 99 66 22 44 66 22 What is your best defensive play?What is your best defensive play? Win, lead 7Win  J, lead 7 Win continuation, play Q Win  continuation, play Q 3 2

Declarer is trying to set up a Cross Ruff You think this is the case You think this is the case Because declarer is cashing all top honours in side suits Because declarer is cashing all top honours in side suits And not drawing trumps And not drawing trumps Lead trumps as many times as you can Lead trumps as many times as you can Each trump you lead will save 1 trick Each trump you lead will save 1 trick

Contract 4You lead 4 Contract 4. You lead  4 Declarer wins with A Declarer wins with  A Cashes K and A trumps Cashes K and A trumps And leads 9 And leads  9 KK JJ QQ K T 66 44 33 88 44 33 5 22 AA TT AA 8 7 TT 77 99 66 44 66 22 What is your best defensive play?What is your best defensive play? Declarer may have 2 losersDeclarer may have 2  losers Win A, then play your lastWin  A, then play your last 6

The Insurance Trump Declarer cashes 2 rounds of trumps Declarer cashes 2 rounds of trumps Leaving 1 in dummy Leaving 1 in dummy And 1 in your hand And 1 in your hand Declarer is trying to avoid an extra loser in hand Declarer is trying to avoid an extra loser in hand If you get in lead trumps to remove the last 1 from dummy If you get in lead trumps to remove the last 1 from dummy Decide which is declarer’s weak suit Decide which is declarer’s weak suit And maybe set up a defensive trick And maybe set up a defensive trick

RULE OF THUMB If Declarer does not draw trumps defence should force them If Declarer does not draw trumps defence should force them If Declarer is drawing trumps then do NOT lead trumps yourself If Declarer is drawing trumps then do NOT lead trumps yourself

Contract 4 Contract 4 You lead K You lead  K Declarer wins with A Declarer wins with  A Draws trumps, leads 2 Draws trumps, leads  2 AA 66 KK K T 66 44 33 55 44 22 5 22 KK QQ AA 9 7 TT 77 99 JJ 88 44 66 What is your best defensive play?What is your best defensive play? Duck first, Win ADuck first , Win  A Lead ‘s from the top Lead  ‘s from the top Forcing declarer to ruff in handForcing declarer to ruff in hand 77

Ruffs on the long side Remember Remember Ruffs on the long side are not extra tricks for Declarer Ruffs on the long side are not extra tricks for Declarer If you have a long suit If you have a long suit And Declarer is out of this suit And Declarer is out of this suit And Dummy does not have top cards And Dummy does not have top cards Play the suit each time you get in to make Declarer use up trumps Play the suit each time you get in to make Declarer use up trumps You may give partner trump control or set up winners in your long suit You may give partner trump control or set up winners in your long suit

Finally Pay attention to Partner’s cards Pay attention to Partner’s cards There may be a helpful signal there There may be a helpful signal there Successful Defence is about playing as a TEAM Successful Defence is about playing as a TEAM Defence goes wrong if you just play your own hand regardless Defence goes wrong if you just play your own hand regardless