You are hereMorrinsville Tuition

Morrinsville Tuition


DEFENCE – (A) ELEMENTARY

Defending is difficult
BUT early steps up the competency ladder are easy ones.

Start by learning a few simple “rules” and sticking to them.
As you gain experience you will identify situations where the rules should be broken, but don’t break any of the rules without a reason.
And importantly: WATCH ALL THE CARDS.

You and Partner are a Team!
Partner is not an idiot but is unable to read your mind.
Partner is not blind but is unable to see your cards.
Feed partner the correct information and study the information partner feeds you.
IMPORTANT: Never base any decisions on the assumption partner has goofed.

The Opening Lead:

[1] WHICH SUIT?

First select the suit to lead:
Study the bidding and follow these priorities
ALWAYS: lead partner’s bid suit [1] [8]
OTHERWISE: a suit nobody bid
AVOID: a suit the opponents bid.

Then, if that doesn’t identify ONE suit:
Look at your holdings in your selected suits and follow these priorities:

Against a notrump contract:
Your longest suit [2] [3] [5]
(if 2 or 3 suits are equal-longest: see next)

Otherwise:
1st: honours in sequence [4] [6]
Next: honour(s) not in sequence
or: a suit with small cards only
Last: a suit with Ace but not King

Def_A
[2] WHICH CARD?

Then select which card to lead
Honour sequence: top card [2] [4]
Honour(s) no sequence: 4th card [3] [5]
Small cards only: top card
Any 2-card holding: top card [1]

ALSO: WITH A TRUMP SUIT
[a] NEVER LEAD A SMALL CARD IN A SUIT YOU HOLD THE ACE IN
and assume partner never does either
This is IMPORTANT
“Underleading an ace” often gives declarer a cheap trick and/or you lose your ace.

[b] A short suit: a suit with just one card in it is a good lead; you may be able to trump declarer’s good card(s) later [7]

[c] The trump suit: is a good lead more often than most people think.

Subsequent Leads:
Keep on doing what you or partner started trying to do.
Keep leading the same suit your side led unless there is a good reason not to. [7]
If you win a trick declarer has led, never immediately lead another winner in the same suit (that’s what declarer wants) [2]
Generally it is Ok to lead a suit declarer can trump, but NOT if dummy can trump [1] [6]

Playing to Partners Lead:
THIRD HAND HIGH is a good rule. [5]
but IMPORTANT - With a sequence of “equal-highest” cards play the lowest of that sequence [3]
Note this is opposite to what you lead
because it helps partner “see” your cards

Playing to declarer’s side’s lead:
SECOND HAND LOW is a very good rule. Exceptions are rare (other than glaringly obvious ones!) [3] NKW August 2023

AttachmentSize
Def_A Notes.pdf170.1 KB
DEF_A hand records.pdf244.88 KB
DEF_A.PBN5.59 KB
Def_A handouts.pdf311.73 KB
Def_A Travellers.docx725.15 KB