Defensive Play Strategies in Bridge: Homework for Beginners - Lesson 4
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Bridge for Beginners Lesson 4 Defensive Play
Homework from Week 3 • Hand 1. • Contract Game in NT. • Lead Q Q2 AKQ AK43 AT83 AKJ3 7642 52 976
Homework from Week 3 • Hand 2. • Contract Part Score in . • Lead A A3 AK42 9752 J86 742 853 QJ AQT93
Homework from Week 3 • Hand 3. • Contract Game in . • Lead Q - AKJ962 K75 QJ73 K853 Q85 AQ2 T94
Homework from Week 3 • Hand 4. • Contract Game in . • Lead K AQJ96 A543 A5 T6 KT5 62 K942 A532
Defensive Play • You play defence twice as often as you play as Declarer • More difficult as you cannot see partner’s hand • One time we are in control is the first card played • We must find the best opening lead • We must try to communicate using the cards in our hands only!
Opening leads • Objectives: • To make or establish defensive tricks • To tell partner about your hand • To avoid giving away cheap tricks • Different in Suit Contracts from NT Contracts
Lead against Suit Contracts • First decide which suit to lead • Usually not the trump suit • Lead from a Good Suit • Or a Short Suit • A good suit would be one headed by an honour sequence
Good Suits • Lead A • Lead K • Lead Q • Lead J • Lead T • Lead K • Top of an honour sequence • AKxx • KQxx • QJTx or QJ9x • JT9x or JT8x • T98x • AK • This type of lead is made expecting to set up defensive tricks
Singleton • A singleton (1 card in a suit) is a good lead • If partner wins it and leads another you can get a ruff • If you can then get back to partner you may get a second ruff • If partner makes a very unpromising lead of a suit that you have 4 or more of, take it if you can and lead it back • Remember that declarer’s cunning plan will be to draw trumps
Doubleton • Not usually a good lead • Rarely successful • Declarer usually gets in and draws trumps before you can get your ruff • But it may be your only reasonable lead • Exception is Ax • Lead the A then x hoping partner can win and play a 3rd card for a ruff • Kx often gives away a cheap trick if you lead K first • Always lead high-low from a doubleton
No Strong Lead • Look for safest lead • From a suit headed by an honour lead 4th down • Or 3rd down with only 3 • From a suit not headed by an honour lead MUD(Middle;Up;Down) • Examples of these shortly
Leads to avoid • Try not to lead from the following against a suit contract: • Axx(x) • Kxx(x) • K • Q • Never lead from the following against a suit contract: • AQx(x) • KJx(x) • Kx • Qx • Jx • All give cheap tricks
Leads against NT contracts • Lead Longest suit • With 2 equal length lead the stronger • Top of honour sequence • 4th down from suit headed by honour • MUD 98654 AK43 A5 T6 98654 A9543 A T6 QJT76 A543 A5 T6 9865 7543 A75 T6
Standard Leads • AKxx • KQxx • QJTx • JT9x • Axxx • Kxxxx • Txxx • AQJx • KJTx • KT9x • xxxx • xxx • Ax • xx • AQJx • KJTx • KT9x • xxxx • xxx • Ax • xx • AKxx • KQxx • QJTx • JT9x • Axxx • Kxxxx • Txxx
Playing to Partner’s Lead • If partner leads a low card • And you can beat the card from dummy • Play your highest card • Unless it includes an honour sequence • Play the bottom of the honour sequence • Playing an honour denies the honour below • If you win the trick play back partner’s suit • Unless you have an outstanding suit of your own
Playing to Partner’s Lead • If partner leads a high card • Tell Partner if you like the suit led • If you do play the highest card you can afford • If not the lowest card • Partner leads A. Which card do you play? 98654 T43 A5 T65 984 KJT43 A5 T65 98654 93 AK5 T65 • Against NT • Against suit 3 3 T T 3 9
Telling partner if you like the suit • This method is called HELD • High – Encouraging • >6 • Low – Discouraging • <6
Summary • Opening Lead is the crucial defensive play • Try to make it tell • Remember to signal when you can • It also applies to subsequent leads of different suits • Communication is the art of good defence • We shall return to it many times in the courses