Overall Defense Strategy – Hands 33 to 40

Defending a part score usually calls for “Active” defense whether it is doubled for penalty or not. If left alone, declarer may be able to formulate the best line of play and fulfill the trick taking potential of their combined assets. The defense can never lose sight of the defensive tricks needed to defeat the contract and how to win them.

Active defense is exciting but also fraught with danger. Players tend to panic when their partner doubles a part score contract for penalty and then she is counting on you to find the right defense! These are “Top or bottom” situations at any form of scoring; if they make the doubled contract, you get a zero and if you defeat them, it is usually a good result for you. With so much at stake, both defenders need to muster as much composure as they possibly can. Still, it’s only a game. Occasionally, a lucky lie of cards may let the doubled contract slip through your fingers but such is life. Forget that hand and go on to the next one. The double may not be costly after all. It may be a bad board anyway even without the double. Worse yet, they make an overtrick. Well, that doesn’t matter either. A bottom is still a bottom.

Here are a few general guidelines that should help the defense.

 Partner’s double tells you something about the whole hand. She thinks enough defensive tricks should available based on what is in her hand and what you promised during the bidding in order to defeat the contract.  Trust your partner. The task for both of you is to focus on the number of tricks that are required to defeat the contract and go after those defensive tricks.  Start by placing high cards in partner’s hand that will win tricks for you. Don’t forget ruffing tricks for the defense.  During the play, be even more diligent about keeping track of tricks won, tricks lost and how many more are needed.  And, most importantly, don’t panic. Your side has the tricks; you just have to win them!

Hand 33 This is a match point tussle. There are several lessons on this hand. West opens a little light in the 3rd seat hoping partner does not go crazy

West East W N E S ♠ A Q J 7 4 ♠ 9 6 2 P P ♥ Q J 3 2 ♥ K 8 7 1♠ X XX 2♦ ♦ 9 7 2 ♦ K Q 10 6 P P 2♠ 3♣ ♣ J ♣ K 8 6 P P 3♠ P P P

When North makes a marginal double in the 4th seat (reasonable at pairs), East hand gains some “positional” values because most of the points should be on her right.

Re-double by East promises about 10 points and says nothing about spade support. There are not too many points left in the deck for South (0 to 6?) so she is free to bid her 5-4 minor suit hand, 2♦ first then 3♣. She does have two places to play assured in the knowledge that partner will not take it as a sign of strength.

North In case you are not aware, when partner makes a take-out ♠ K 5 3 double, always bid your higher suit first then the lower one ♥ A 10 9 6 even if they are equal in length. You promise two places to ♦ J 8 play, giving partner a “pass or correct” option without ♣ A 9 5 4 raising the level of the contract. That’s what South did.

South North is strong enough to double 3♠ for penalty but decides against it. Since 3♣ is not likely to make, defeating 3♠ by ♠ 10 8 one or two tricks should be good enough even without the ♥ 5 4 double. If 3♠ makes, you might still get an average score. ♦ A 5 4 3

♣ Q 10 7 3 2 Holding trump control, North decides to lead ♦J from the

doubleton. Although partner may have a doubleton heart, North can never be sure. But he “knows” about the ♦J8 of diamonds in his hand.

It is South’s turn to think about the overall defense before playing to the opening lead. North made a take-out double so it is not at all likely that ♦J is a singleton.

Besides, South lacks a quick entry outside of diamonds, so she ducks the opening lead to maintain communication with partner. Sooner or later, North wins ♠K, plays ♦8 to partner and obtains a ruff. That is three tricks for the defense with two aces still to cash. 3♠ is down one for a well-deserved +50 for NS.

As you can see, 3♣ by South can be defeated if West finds the trump lead (he should). East wins the first diamond to take out two more rounds of trumps with his ♣K and ♣8 limiting the declarer to only one ruff in the North hand.

Defense scores five tricks: ♣K, ♠A, one heart and two diamonds.

Hand 34 You are West. South opens 1♥; you double for take-out but partner passes but then doubles 3♥, a reasonable action at match points..

West (You) Partner figures 3♠ is not going to make so the N E S W ♠ A K 10 6 double should not cost too much. 1♥ X ♥ 5 4 2♥ 2♠ 3♦ P ♦ A J 5 NS think that 2♠ is making and game is out of 3♥ X P P ♣ J 9 8 4 the question based on your take-out double.

You make the obvious lead of ♠A; partner drops the ♠9. Since dummy on your left (North hand shown below) has ♠Q73, attitude is irrelevant, count is not important because partner’s 2♠ bid. Besides, the second spade trick is not going anywhere. Therefore, partner’s ♠9 is suit preference for diamonds.

North (Dummy) Before you go any further, you should figure out what partner has. ♠ Q 7 3 Opponents did not bid game so they have fewer than 24 points ♥ K Q 3 giving partner 3 to 5. The question is where. For starters, you ♦ 10 9 3 cannot cash ♠K because ♠Q will be established for the opponents. ♣ 10 6 5 3 A safe switch is a trump; start with the ♥5 then play the ♥4.

Your trump plays may or may not help partner (she can’t have a quick entry) but they should show suit preference promising diamond values in your hand. The real benefit comes from partner’s trumps; ♥6 then the ♥2 showing something in diamonds. Having drawn trumps, East plays ♠J from his hand obviously looking for a discard on the ♠Q.

In with the ♠K, what do you do next? You don’t need x-ray eyes to see weak diamonds in declarer’s hand since partner told you she has the ♦K, twice! Both plays, the ♠9, and ♥6 followed b the ♥2, point to ♦K in her hand. You can safely play the ♦5 away from ♦AJ5 and win two more diamond tricks on the diamond return.

Opponents had a 9-card fit with a total of 22 points but you still managed to defeat 3♥ by one trick. Well done! North (Dummy) ♠ Q 7 3 ♥ K Q 3

♦ 10 9 3 West (You) ♣ 10 6 5 3 East (Partner) ♠ A K 10 6 ♠ 9 8 5 4 ♥ 5 4 ♥ 6 2

♦ A J 5 ♦ K 7 6 2

♣ J 9 8 4 ♣ Q 7 2 South (Declarer)

♠ J 2

♥ A J 10 9 8 7 ♦ Q 8 4 ♣ A K

Hand 35 You may not agree with the bidding but East ends up in 3♥ and, sitting South, you lead the singleton ♦2. Partner wins ♦Q then ♦A and returns ♦7. South Surprisingly East follows with the ♦J as you W N E S ♠ 8 6 3 2 ruff. Who has the ♦K? Partner must have 2♥ P ♥ 10 8 5 that card but then why didn’t she cash it? 3♥ P P P ♦ 2 ♣ J 10 9 7 4 It seems she desperately wants to get to your hand. That can only mean she has two more tricks to cash if only you could find the right switch.

Partner returned the ♦7 for you to ruff so partner wants a spade switch.

North ♠ A Q 5 West ♥ 9 East ♦ A K Q 7 5 3 ♠ K J 10 7 ♠ 9 4 ♣ 8 5 3 ♥ Q J 3 ♥ A K 7 6 4 2 ♦ 9 6 4 ♦ J 10 8 ♣ A Q 2 South ♣ K 6

♠ 8 6 3 2 ♥ 10 8 5 ♦ 2 ♣ J 10 9 7 4

She wins the ♠AQ when you return the ♠8 through dummy’s ♠KJ107 defeating 3♥. Since your side cannot make 3♠ or 4♦, that defense earns you a fine match point score of +50 when it could easily have been -140.

Hand 36 Forcing defense is called for when:  Declarer has shown a two-suited hand  Dummy takes a preference for the first suit  You are weak in declarer’s second suit (otherwise, you lead a trump)  Your trump length is one shy of declarer’s.

In fact, anytime you have four trumps, a forcing defense is called for. Just one ruff in the declarer’s hand reduces his trump length to yours, a real headache for him. The same is true if you are short and expect partner to have trump length.

South is in 4♥. You are West. Your hand fits the bill for a forcing defense. Your goal is to attack the suit where declarer is short, forcing him to ruff with one of his long trumps reducing his trump length to your trump length.

This gives you what I call equal trump control. If you can manage to force him to ruff again, that’s even better; you end up with more trumps than the declarer, I call it a positive trump control and a disaster for the declarer. You will be in total control of the whole hand! Declarer will have a heck of a time winning any tricks in the second suit.

West Based on the bidding, South could be short in S W N E ♠ A 10 7 5 2 either spades or diamonds. Since you only 1♥ P 1N P ♥ A 7 5 2 have a doubleton diamond, your best opening 3♣ P 3♥ P ♦ J 7 lead should be ♠A then the ♠2. 4♣ P 4♥ P ♣ 4 2 P P You are relieved to see the declarer has two spades and has to ruff the 3rd.

You have achieved trump parity. You are on your way to defeat this seemingly unbeatable 4♥ contract. When declarer tries to draw trumps, all you have to do now is wait till the 3rd round before winning your ♥A. Then, play another spade to force declarer’s last trump. You still have one left. That is down two!

However, declarer should not play a 3rd round of North trump when your partner (East) shows out on the ♠ Q 4 3 second round. To hold 4♥ to down one, he must ♥ J 10 9 East abandon trumps, run clubs instead, which allows you ♦ K 9 8 2 rd to ruff the 3 club and wait for ♥A, the setting trick. ♣ 9 7 6 ♠ K J 6 ♥ 6 Forcing defense was successful on this hand South ♦ Q 10 6 5 4 3 because your holding in declarer’s second suit, ♠ 9 8 ♣ 8 5 3 clubs, was short and weak. If you had length and ♥ K Q 8 4 3 strength, repeated trump leads would be called for ♦ A in order to cut down on ruffs. If you are successful, ♣ A K Q J 10 you end up winning a trick or two in clubs. When the trump lead is called for, don’t be afraid to lead one from just about any holding.

Hand 37 You are North. EW are vulnerable; you are not. After a spirited auction, you elect to double 2♠ and defend it. North (You) West opens 1♠ in the third seat, which you are W N E S unable to double for take-out in the direct seat ♠ K 7 2 P P despite 14 high card points because you are ♥ A 10 9 1♠ P P X balanced with only three hearts. ♦ K 10 6 5 2♦ X 2♠ X

♣ A 9 3 P P P Pass is fine if you can trust partner to balance

correctly. She does, with a take-out double.

West comes in with a 2♦ bid to show a two suited hand. You double to show values but not four hearts. Otherwise, you would have bid 2♥ (or cue-bid 3♦). East takes a simple preference to 2♠ and partner doubles again, this time it must be for penalty since we don’t have a fit but we have points. She expects you to have opening hand (we should have half the deck) with a 3-3-4-3 shape, and you do.

North (You) ♠ K 7 2 ♥ A 10 9 ♦ K 10 6 5 West (Declarer) ♣ A 9 3 East (Dummy) ♠ Q J 9 8 5 ♠ 10 4 ♥ 8 6 ♥ K 7 5 3 South (Partner) ♦ A Q J 9 ♦ 8 7 3 ♣ Q 2 ♠ A 6 3 ♣ 8 7 6 4 ♥ Q J 4 2 ♦ 4 2 ♣ K J 10 5

Double dummy, you may be able to make 3NT or 4♥ on a 4-3 fit but it is virtually impossible for you or your partner to bid either game. There is a lot of work to do in 3NT on a spade lead. The risk is even higher in 4♥. Defending 2♠ doubled is probably best.

You are North and on lead with no good options. Hoping partner can stand a trump lead; you put ♠2 on the table, which turns out okay when partner wins ♠A and shifts to ♦4. Since West promised at least four diamonds in the auction, you recognize partner’s ♦4 as shortness. You should win the ♦K and return a diamond for her to ruff but alas, she has to follow suit. That’♠ okay; you have a quick entry in spades to give her that ruff later. They are in a 5-2 fit, so partner must have three trumps.

When declarer plays the 2nd round of trumps, hop up with the ♠K and return the ♦6 (not the ♦10) suggesting a club shift. You don’t want a heart since dummy has ♥K753.

You are glad to see that partner ruffs the ♦6. She decides it is time to cash out; ♣K, ♣J to your ♣A adds up to six tricks and you still have the ♥A. Defeating 2♠ doubled goes down three for a top score of +500.

. Hand 38 EW are vulnerable; NS are not. A spirited auction sees a non-vulnerable South sacrifice in 6♦. You (West) double and have to find best lead.

West (You) East (Partner) W N E S ♠ A 5 ♠ K Q 6 4 1♥ 2N 4♦ 5♦ ♥ K 10 6 5 4 ♥ A Q J 8 7 3 2 P P 5♥ 6♦ ♦ A K 6 5 ♦ Void X P P P ♣ 5 4 ♣ 9 2

The hand record said NS can only make 2♦. Well then, you should be able to defeat 6♦X by four tricks (+800 should be a clear top) but how? The only apparent winners are two spades and ♦AK. If you defeat 6♦X only three tricks, you will go from top to bottom (+500 does not make up for +650 since 5♥ is making).

North (Dummy) Can you win five defensive tricks? Yes, you can! ♠ 8 3 ♥ 9 South took a preference for diamonds over clubs, which ♦ J 9 8 3 2 indicates a trump lead. However, her preference may not be ♣ A Q J 6 3 due to shortness; her diamonds could simply be longer. If you play ♦AK and another, declarer may win nine tricks (5 clubs, 3 South (Declarer) diamonds and a ruff).

♠ J 10 9 7 2 However, you have double trump control. You can afford to ♥ Void play a forcing defense instead of preventing enemy ruffs. Lead ♦ Q 10 7 4 a heart and see what happens. ♣ K 10 8 7

Heart lead is ruffed by the declarer. That’s great; at least you have managed to shorten his trumps. Now you may be able to gain trump control by shortening dummy’s trumps, and then take out declarer’s trumps. That may give you an extra defensive trick. How do you achieve this?

Duck the first round of trumps, win the second and force dummy (North) to ruff the 3rd spade and also ruff a heart later!

After you duck one round and win the next with your ♦K, declarer has one trump; you and dummy each have two. Declarer cannot afford to play that lone trump. You will win ♦A, and force dummy to ruff a heart this time with her last trump. Declarer then loses control of the whole hand since you are the only one who has a trump left.

No, declarer’s best play is to abandon trumps and play on clubs. Granted, you are able to ruff the 3rd round of clubs with the ♦6 but then your only remaining winner is the ♦A. Declarer manages to keep control of the trump suit by giving up a club ruff.

It was like the cat and mouse game where trump control was passed back and forth between the defense and the offense.

Here is the play-by-play. 1. Heart lead is ruffed 2. South plays a diamond from her hand, which you win with ♦K 3. ♠A 4. ♠5 to partner’s ♠Q 5. Partner must play a third round forcing dummy to ruff the ♠K 6. A diamond is played from dummy; West ducks! 7. South has only one trump left, dummy and West each have two. 8. Declarer can no longer afford to play a 3rd round of trump. If she does, West wins ♦A (South is out of trumps) and plays a heart to force dummy’s last trump (This is the 2nd ruff to go with three rounds of trumps). 9. Then, South can run clubs but West is in a position to ruff the 3rd round and cash several heart tricks. That would be a disastrous down 7 for a score of -1700. 10. As a result, instead of playing the 3rd round of trumps, declarer has to run clubs forcing West to ruff the 3rd club with ♦6. Only other loser is ♦A.

It may be hard to see how the defensive hold-up in trumps helps the defense. You may not see it at first but once you do, it is worth the trouble. The goal is to achieve trump control over the declarer. You will see more examples when you defend the practice hands but let me describe a similar scenario here.

Opponents are in a 4-4 major suit fit but your trump holding is Axxx. You find the right opening lead and continuation, which forces either the declarer or dummy to ruff.

When the declarer tries to draw trumps, you hold up until the 3rd round. If declarer makes the mistake of playing the third trump, you can again force them to ruff something. That’s it; you have achieved trump control over the declarer who is out of trumps and so is the dummy. As soon as you win a trick with the only remaining trump, all the side suit winners are yours to cash, whether they are in your hand or partner’s (provided you can get to partner’s hand).

Hand 39 Vulnerable EW; West is the dealer who opens 1♠. You double for take-out usually promising four hearts. When East supports spades, partner shows some values and four hearts with her 3♥ call. West applies the Law of Total Tricks and ventures into vulnerable 3♠, which gets doubled.

W N E S North (You) Why? Partner knows the LAW is not always 1♠ X 2♠ 3♥ ♠ 5 3 accurate, we have more than half the deck 3♠ P P X ♥ A 8 6 2 and we might make 3♥ but not 4♥. When P P P ♦ 10 8 6 something like that happens in pairs, you ♣ A K Q 8 should always double. If they make 3♠, you are unlikely to get a good board.

This sure looks like a “Top or bottom” situation. Although you have a 100% natural lead of the ♣A, what do you do next? Dummy plays the ♣2 and Partner drops the ♣3.

Most players may not recognize it but this is a case of “Passive” defense. That ♣J1042 in dummy is a warning sign. It may look safe to continue with the ♣K (you had ♣AKQ after all) but declarer may ruff and take two discards on the ♣J10 but giving you a trick with your ♣Q in the process Then two diamond losers (or heart losers) may disappear.

Don’t try to cash the ♣K even if it is cashable; that trick is not going away. There is nothing in dummy that can be used to discard that losing club in declarer’s hand.

Even in passive defense, you should keep your focus on winning at least five defensive tricks, two hearts and a club to go along with two diamonds; or a diamond and a trump. Partner has shown defensive values by her double. Switch to a trump at trick two. If partner has the ♠Q, it is probably a doubleton, and if she has ♠A, it is never going away.

Left to his own devices, declarer cannot avoid ♣A and four red suit tricks. That is an excellent match point score of +200 for the good guys. Partner would have gone down in 3♥ so EW should not have competed to 3♠ despite holding nine trumps together. As it often happens, the LAW failed EW. .

West (Declarer) East (Dummy) ♠ A Q 9 8 6 2 ♥ Q 7 3 ♠ K 7 4

♦ A 5 4 ♥ 9 4 ♣ 6 ♦ Q 9 7 3 ♣ J 10 4 2 South (Partner)

♠ J 10 ♥ K J 10 5 ♦ K J 2 ♣ 9 7 5 3

Hand 40 This is another example of passive defense. You are East. Partner leads a trump, the ♠5. She has chosen a trump over all other leads, which is an indication that she has broken honors in all three side suits. . . North (Dummy) Partner has set the overall strategy: Go passive! N S ♠ A 9 7 2 P 1♠ ♥ K 10 6 How do you do that? For starters, when 2♦* 2♠ ♦ J 7 5 declarer finesses in trumps, win and return a 2N 3♠ ♣ Q 10 3 trump. That is the most passive card you have P at trick two. If you instead open up a side suit, 2♦* = Drury you are likely to help declarer.

Let him struggle in his search for nine tricks. Later in the play, if you win a trick, return the same suit, one of the examples of passive returns.

What does it mean in terms of this hand? Let’s say, after two rounds of trumps, declarer plays three rounds of hearts letting partner win the ♥Q. It looks like he is attempting an end-play against partner forcing her to open up a new suit.

Although partner’s minor suit holdings are almost identical, she can see what is in the dummy. Diamonds are weaker than clubs. Use that information to find yet another passive return. Partner picks diamonds over clubs by leading ♦A and then the ♦2.

She could have impressed the kibitzers by leading the ♦2 away from the ace. Since she expects diamond help from you, either play is just fine.

The real danger is leading a club. If the declarer has the king, club shift gives up two tricks; declarer wins the ♣K and later the ♣Q. In fact, if you look closely, the club suit is “frozen”. Let the declarer play it first. As long as your side does not touch clubs, you will win one club trick to go with ♠A, ♥Q, ♦A and ♦Q. Please note that despite 23 high card point, the declarer went down one in 3♠ and a poor match point score.

North (Dummy) ♠ A 9 7 2 ♥ K 10 6 ♦ J 7 5 West East ♣ Q 10 3 ♠ 5 4 ♠ K 6 ♥ Q 7 3 ♥ J 8 5 2 ♦ A 9 6 2 ♦ Q 10 3 ♣ A 7 4 2 ♣ J 9 8 5 South ♠ Q J 10 8 3 ♥ A 9 4 ♦ K 8 4 ♣ K 6