Defense
When you play a hand, you need to plan not only the current trick, but the succeeding tricks as well. In this series, you will be shown a hand and how it was played. At the end, you will be asked to determine where the play went wrong and what should have been done about it.
Assuming you are playing matchpoints, what should West bid now? In an effort to help your decision, here are five possible hand for your partner to have.
What do you think East is saying when he plays the nine and then the five of spades?
No one is vulnerable. There are two passes and your partner opens one spade in third seat. The next player passes and it is back to you. What is your plan?
South wins with the queen and leads a club, won by your ten. You lead another heart. South takes this with the king and then does a strange thing. He does not ruff a club in dummy. Unexpectedly, he draws another round of hearts, East following for the third time.
Do you and your partner know for sure which card you would lead from the J93 when your partner opens the bidding in this suit? Does it make any difference if your suit is headed by the ten or nine or lower?
West ruffs. He goes to dummy with a trump, and ruffs another diamond. West now plays the ace and king of clubs and ruffs a club in dummy. Inevitably come the last three hearts.
The only good thing for West is that he has an easy lead in the jack of clubs.
West leads the queen of spades. You take your ace and return the three. South wins the king. At trick three declarer leads a club. You win your ace and return
West drops the queen of spades. What do you make of this?
West leads the five of hearts to your ace. South follows with the jack. What do you think is happening? Did partner lead a singleton heart? Or was partner just making a neutral lead? What is your plan?
When declarer leads the king of diamonds, you have to decide what to do.
Before touching trumps declarer leads the queen of clubs. West plays the two. Do you take this trick?
When you play the ten, it tells partner you do not have the jack, but you do have the nine. This will be useful to partner when he gets in.
Give West credit for a good lead. The four is a loud card and should succeed.
What’s going on? Doesn’t partner have the queen and jack of spades?
Is East saying he likes spades or is it a suit preference for diamonds?
Defense is usually the last thing that a defender learns to be efficient at. It is much tougher than playing a dummy for a variety of reasons. When you are defending, there are many things you can do to help you find the best play. One of these things is to count.
12 Easy, 12 Medium and 12 Difficult questions to test your bridge knowledge. How well did you do?