improvers week 18 week 18 playing in defence playing in defence in suit contracts in suit contracts
TRANSCRIPT
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
Opening LeadsOpening Leads Standard LeadsStandard Leads
44thth Down from suit headed by Honour Down from suit headed by Honour KxxKxxxx QxxQxxxx JxxJxxxx TxxTxxxx T9xT9xxx
Opening LeadsOpening Leads Standard LeadsStandard Leads
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
Opening LeadsOpening Leads Standard LeadsStandard Leads
MUD – From 3+ suits without an MUD – From 3+ suits without an honourhonour
Middle, Up , DownMiddle, Up , Down xxxxxx xxxxxxxx
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 and Passive LeadsActive and Passive Leads
Contract is 2Contract is 2
Active lead?Active lead? JJ
Passive Lead?Passive Lead? 77
A
Q
K
7
3
J
7
6
T
6
T
8
3
Active and Passive LeadsActive and Passive Leads
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
Active and Passive LeadsActive and Passive Leads
Contract is 6Contract is 6
Active lead?Active lead? 55
Passive Lead?Passive Lead? 3
3
2
Q
K
T
9
6
7
8
5
3
4
3
Active and Passive LeadsActive and Passive Leads
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
Active and Passive LeadsActive and Passive Leads
Contract is 3Contract is 3 Pre-Pre-emptempt
Active lead?Active lead? 44
Passive Lead?Passive Lead? 5
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