Lesson 14: INTRODUCTION TO DEFENCE Surendra Mehta April 2007

Surendra Mehta, April Recap Overcalls Take-out doubles

Surendra Mehta, April Requirements for overcalls in a suit A good five-card or longer suit 8-15 HCPs for an overcall at one level HCPs for an overcall at the two level Requirements for overcalls in 1 NT A balanced hand points

Surendra Mehta, April Requirements for an intermediate jump overcall A six-card or longer suit HCPs Requirements for a pre-emptive jump overcall A seven-card or longer suit 6-10 HCP

Surendra Mehta, April NT Overcall Requirements Balanced hand 16 – 18 points 12 – 14 is too weak (could lose a contract if partner is too weak) Respond using the same principles as normal 1 NT opening bid but remember that the partner has 16 to 18 points

Surendra Mehta, April Take-out double - requirements Must have opening hand (12+ points) Opponents must have bid Usually weak in opponent’s suit and cover the remaining suit

Surendra Mehta, April INTRODUCTION TO DEFENCE PLAY Defence – very difficult part of the game Beginners generally like to be declarers You can only be declarer 1 in 4 games Good defence can double your effectiveness at bridge (defender every other game) Makes the game more interesting You look forward to playing every hand

Surendra Mehta, April MAKING A PLAN SStop to consider your goal TTally your winners OOrganise your plan PPut your plan into operation Planning in defence is more difficult as you cannot see your partners cards. It is flexible; could amend the plan when you see dummy’s cards Important to remember the bidding

Surendra Mehta, April TALLY YOUR WINNERS S H A D K Q C S 7 4 H Q D A K Q C A 5 3 S 3 H J D K J 10 C A Q sure trick in H Potential in 1 D trick 4 sure tricks (3 in D and 1 in C) Potential for one in H 1 sure trick in C Lots of other potential tricks

Surendra Mehta, April ORGANISE YOUR PLAN (Your lead) OPPONENTS BID 6NT S A K H 8 4 D Q J C OPPONENTS BID 3NT S A K H 8 4 D Q J C Need 2 tricks Lead Ace of spade and take your 2 tricks Need 5 tricks Only 2 sure tricks If partner bid H or C, lead his suit; otherwise play Q of D (top of sequence)

Surendra Mehta, April Leads Leading a correct card is a very important part of defence - choices If you have enough sure tricks to defeat the contract, take those tricks first Lead the partner’s suit, if he bid Avoid leading a suit bid by the opponents Lead your longest suit, if nothing else to go on (usually 4 th highest) If equal choice of long suit, lead the stronger

Surendra Mehta, April LEADING YOUR PARTNER’S SUIT (3NT contracts – partner bidding H) You H A 4 Partner H K Q J 10 2 You S H J 7 D C Gen rule: lead top of doubleton Lead top of touching high cards (Q J 8; J 10 9) Otherwise, lead low Lead J of Hearts (Partner’s hand) H A K Q 6 3

Surendra Mehta, April LEADING YOUR OWN SUIT (3NT contracts – partner did not bid) You H A Q You D K Q J 10 2 Need 5 tricks Lead 4 of H Partner has K an 3 of H He takes the hand with K and then play 3 Lead top of the 3 card or longer sequence (ie K) Lead top of the interior sequence (K J 10 9) Lead top of the broken sequence (K Q 10 8) Otherwise lead the 4 th best); (Partner’s hand D A 3 -He takes the hand with A and then play 3

Surendra Mehta, April GETTING INFORMATION FROM YOUR PARTNER His bidding gives info of his strength Doubleton – high low convention Consider you lead A of Clubs from your hand (C A K J 3); a HIGH card played by your partner is ENCOURAGING; a LOW card is DISCOURAGING. Thus if your partner has Q 9 and 2 of Clubs, he should play 9 – indicating encouraging hand; if he has 9 8 and 2 of Clubs, he should play 2.

Surendra Mehta, April SUMMARY Defence take sure tricks same way as declarer does If possible, start by leading the high cards from the short side You cannot see the partner’s cards and thus more difficult Take sure tricks, particularly if you have sufficient sure tricks to break the contract Lead partner’s suit or your own suit depending on the circumstances Lead top of the strong sequence