1. Beginners Lesson 19 Defensive Play in Suits

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Opening Leads Standard Leads Standard Leads High – Low from Doubleton High – Low from Doubleton Kx Kx Qx Qx Jx Jx Tx Tx xx xx Exception AK Exception AK

6. 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

7. Which Suit? Active Active or or Passive Passive

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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 Contract when dummy has a long side suit 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

12. Active and Passive Leads Contract is 3 Contract is 3 Active lead? Active lead? A A Passive Lead? Passive Lead? 4 4 A 3 5 Q 8 Q 4 3 J 4 6 5 2

13. Active and Passive Leads Contract is 2 Contract is 2 Active lead? Active lead? J J Passive Lead? Passive Lead? 7 7 A Q K 7 3 J 7 6 T 6 T 8 3

14. Active and Passive Leads Contract is 7NT Contract is 7NT Active lead? Active lead? 3 3 Passive Lead? Passive Lead? T T 9 5 K T 6 4 3 8 4 3 5 3

15. Active and Passive Leads Contract is 6 Contract is 6 Active lead? Active lead? 5 5 Passive Lead? Passive Lead? 3 3 2 Q K T 9 6 7 8 5 3 4 3

16. Active and Passive Leads Contract is 4 Contract is 4 Active lead? Active lead? K K Passive Lead? Passive Lead? K K A K 9 2 9 7 8 5 6 4 5 2 3

17. 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 Q 5 K J 7 3 5 5 4 7 4 4

18. 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 Ks or Qs Try not to underlead Ks or Qs Especially do not lead from KJx or QTx Especially do not lead from KJx or QTx Remember partners bid suit Remember partners bid suit or implied (e.g TOX or Lead Directing *) or implied (e.g TOX or Lead Directing *)

19. Other Defensive Plays Remember last week Remember last week Declarer Play is about Control of the Trump Suit Declarer Play is about Control of the Trump Suit Defensive Play is about thwarting Declarers Cunning Plan Defensive Play is about thwarting Declarers Cunning Plan

20. 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?

21. 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 dummys trumps are gone If you get in lead trumps until all dummys trumps are gone

22. Is Declarer trying to set up a Cross Ruff? If you think this is the case If 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 Lead trumps as many times as you can Lead trumps as many times as you can

23. 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 And maybe set up a defensive trick And maybe set up a defensive trick

24. RULE OF THUMB If Declarer does not draw trumps defence should force them If Declarer does not draw trumps defence should force them

25. 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

26. Finally Pay attention to Partners cards Pay attention to Partners 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