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Beginners. Lesson 19 Defensive Play in Suits. Defensive Play in Suits. Opening Leads Obviously Key So another look at Opening Leads Then General Defensive Plays And Good Practise. Opening Leads. Standard Leads Top of an Honour Sequence A Kx K Q Q JT J T9 T 98 A Q J.
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Beginners Lesson 19 Defensive Play in Suits
Defensive Play in Suits • Opening Leads • Obviously Key • So another look at Opening Leads • Then • General Defensive Plays • And Good Practise
Opening Leads • Standard Leads • Top of an Honour Sequence • AKx • KQ • QJT • JT9 • T98 • AQJ
Opening Leads • Standard Leads • 4th Down from suit headed by Honour • Kxxx • Qxxx • Jxxx • Txxx • T9xx
Opening Leads • Standard Leads • High – Low from Doubleton • Kx • Qx • Jx • Tx • xx • Exception AK
Opening Leads • Standard Leads • MUD – From 3+ suits without an honour • Middle, Up , Down • xxx • xxxx
Which Suit? • Active • or • Passive
Active Leads • Attacking • May make life difficult for Declarer • May set up Defensive Tricks • High Risk – often gives tricks away • Made from Suits containing honours
Passive Leads • No problem for Declarer • Low Risk - Will not give away a cheap trick • Usually from suits without honours • Can be top of an honour sequence
When to make an Active Lead • If the contract looks pretty secure • Make an active lead • Guidelines: • Against a Grand Slam • Against 6NT • 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
When to make a Passive Lead • If the contract looks marginal • Make a Passive lead • Make Declarer do the work • Guidelines • Contract when dummy has a long side suit • Part score contracts • Small slam in a suit • Pre-empts • Against 3NT when dummy has a long suit
Active and Passive Leads A 3 • Contract is 3 • Active lead? • A • Passive Lead? • 4 4 Q 8 5 4 3 Q J 6 5 2
Active and Passive Leads T 8 A Q • Contract is 2 • Active lead? • J • Passive Lead? • 7 7 3 K 7 6 3 J T 6
Active and Passive Leads 8 4 3 T 9 • Contract is 7NT • Active lead? • 3 • Passive Lead? • T 5 3 K T 5 4 6 3
Active and Passive Leads 3 2 • Contract is 6 • Active lead? • 5 • Passive Lead? • 3 8 5 3 K T Q 6 4 3 9 7
Active and Passive Leads A K • Contract is 4 • Active lead? • K • Passive Lead? • K 2 9 7 5 4 2 6 3 9 8 5
Active and Passive Leads 5 4 A Q • Contract is 3Pre-empt • Active lead? • 4 • Passive Lead? • 5 7 4 K J 5 3 4 7 5
Opening Leads • First decide • Active or Passive • Then select suit and card • Try not to underlead K’s or Q’s • Especially do not lead from KJx or QTx • Remember partner’s bid suit • or implied (e.g TOX or Lead Directing *)
Other Defensive Plays • Remember last week • Declarer Play is about Control of the Trump Suit • Defensive Play is about thwarting Declarer’s Cunning Plan
What is declarer up to? • If Declarer gets in and does not lead trumps • WHY? • What can we do about it?
Are there ruff chances in dummy? • If dummy is the short trump hand • With another short suit • And Declarer Plays the short side suit first • The cunning plan is to ruff on the short side • If you get in lead trumps until all dummy’s trumps are gone
Is Declarer trying to set up a Cross Ruff? • If you think this is the case • Because declarer is cashing all top honours in side suits • Lead trumps as many times as you can
The Insurance Trump • Declarer cashes 2 rounds of trumps • Leaving 1 in dummy • And 1 in your hand • Declarer is trying to avoid an extra loser in hand • If you get in lead trumps to remove the last 1 from dummy • And maybe set up a defensive trick
RULE OF THUMB • If Declarer does not draw trumps defence should force them
Ruffs on the long side • Remember • Ruffs on the long side are not extra tricks for Declarer • If you have a long suit • And Declarer is out of this suit • And Dummy does not have top cards • 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
Finally • Pay attention to Partner’s cards • There may be a helpful signal there • Successful Defence is about playing as a TEAM • Defence goes wrong if you just play your own hand regardless