Defending Strategies

Introduction

The purpose of defending in Bridge is to defeat the contract. Defenders are at a disadvantage, if only because they know less about the card distribution than the dealer. This lesson covers defending strategies that help in making the right opening lead and in the ongoing play.

In all cases, the Bridge player’s goal should be the same; to turn a sure loser into a winner and to avoid turning more tricks into sure losers.

The Opening Lead Against No Trump Contracts

Strategies for No Trump play involve setting up a long suit if possible and gaining control. Getting control is important, so be careful about leading winners too early.

The following rules can help when leading in a no trump contract.

If you have cards in the suit your partner bid and you do not have a long suit with enough high honors to establish it, then lead partner’s suit. While experts don’t recommend it, if I have an honor in the suit, I lead it as information to my partner. If you have a 5-card suit, lead it. When leading suit containing 4+ cards: If you have the top 3 honors, lead them. Otherwise lead the 4th highest card. If your connecting cards are not the highest card in the suit, lead the highest of the connecting cards. Avoid leading a suit bid by declarer, unless you can establish it. With no other option, you can lead a suit bid by the dummy.

The Opening Lead Against Suit Contracts

Strategies for suit play are controlled by declarer’s ability to trump, so setting up a long suit is rare. If you decide to lead a suit with winners, take the winners early before declarer creates a void in the suit. Look for your own trumping opportunity in your hand or your partner’s hand. Be aware of declarer’s ability to trump as well.

The following rules can help when leading in a suit contract.

Lead a suit with A,K. If the Ace and King win, a third round might be trumped by your partner. If your partner made a bid in a suit, it can be a good lead for you. While the experts don’t always recommend it, I generally lead my highest card in the suit to give my partner somer help in deciding which card to play. If a suit’s high cards are 2 connecting honors, then leading the high honor will promote the second honor. If a suit’s high card is the Ace, then leading it may promote declarer’s King. If you have no other suit, then lead with the Ace. If you have cards in the trump suit and you have a singleton, then leading the singleton is a good option if your partner has bid the suit. If you have a singleton honor that is not the Ace, you should not lead it unless your partner has bid the suit. If you have a doubleton, lead the higher card. To indicate a doubleton. But beware of the cases when the second lead is lower than the first, but there is no doubleton.

Defensive Strategies during the Play

The opening lead starts the defense, but the setting trick generally comes later in the play. The following strategies can help the defense win the tricks needed to succeed. These strategies are not fool-proof, but they will increase the defenders’ odds of success.

Responding to partner’s opening lead is just deciding which card to play in the same suit. The value of the card led can be meaningful as long as the partnership is in agreement. If the card played from dummy is the highest card played, and I can beat it, I play my higher card. If dummy has K,J, and the Jack is played, I will play my Queen, for example. If covers with a 10, I will play my King, hoping to set up partner’s Queen.

Second Hand Low is a strategy when the opponent leads a card and you are the second player. You should choose to play low if there is another card in the suit that could win the trick, even though you have a winner. For example, dealer leads a low ♣. You have the Ace of ♣ and there is a Queen of ♣ and a small ♣ in dummy. You should play low to give your partner a chance to win the trick with the King. This strategy often gives the defense an extra trick.

Almost always cover an honor with an honor. Suppose you have King of ♥. and dummy has the Queen of ♥. If dummy leads the Queen, you should play the King potentially forcing declarer to play the Ace. This will make the Jack of ♥ the new stopper. Note: This example uses the King. The covering card might also be a Queen.

There are two cases when covering the honor might not be the right play. First, when dummy has connecting honors, let the first honor go uncovered and play the King on the second honor. Second, when you have more supporting cards than dummy you might just make the King good.

Third Hand High is a strategy used when playing the third card of a trick. When your top card beats the first two cards played, then play your highest card. It will either be the Ace and take the trick or it may promote a card in partner’s hand, but there are two exceptions.

First, if your top cards are in a connecting sequence, play the bottom of the sequence. It may tell your partner that you have more potential winners in the suit.

Second, you can take a finesse in one circumstance. When partner leads the 4th highest card, which is typical in the opening lead in a No trump contract and dummy has the King, x and you have the Ace, Jack, then play the Jack. You may just win a free trick.

Dummy on Right Rule is a guide for making a defensive lead. Choose the weakest suit in dummy for the next lead. If dummy is weak then declarer may have a high card that could be finessed. You might pick up a trick.

Defending Play Example

If you are defending a No Trump contract, you should lead the fourth highest ♥, so lead the 3 of ♥. If you are defending a 3 ♦ contract, consider leading the singleton ♣. If your partner leads a ♠ and declarer plays the Queen from board, then cover the honor by playing the King to possibly promote partner’s Jack. If a low ♥ is played from the board, play a low ♥ from hand to give yoyr partner a chance to win the trick. If your partner leads a low ♥ or ♠ and a low card is played from dummy, the play the Kong or Queen to possibly promote a card in your partner’s hand.

Review Questions

Some questions may have more than one correct answer.

Answer the following questions related to the hand above using defending strategies. The hand may not be in a different position in each question.

1. Your partner bid ♦. What would be your opening lead?

2. Your partner leads a low ♣, and the declarer plays a 10 from dummy. What card will you play?

3. Declarer plays a low ♣ from dummy. What card would you play next.

Answer the following questions related to the hand above using defending strategies. The hand may not be in a different position in each question.

4. The contract is for 2♥. What lead should create a trick?

5. Your partner leads a low ♣, and declarer follows with a low &club; from dummy. What card would you play?

6. Declarer leads a low ♠ from dummy. What card would you play?

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