All Boards Are from Eddie Kantar Teaches Advanced Bridge Defense, Master Point Press, 1999
NOTES – 11/16 BOARDS
Board 1 / ♠ JT9♥ Q42
♦ 976
♣ K982
Dummy / North / East / South / West
P / P / 1♠ / P
1NT / P / 3♦ / P
3♠ / P / 4♦ / P
4♠ / . . .
♠ A862
♥ AT753
♦ 42
♣ J7 / ♠ KQ743
♥ 98
♦ AKQJT
♣ A / ♠ 5
♥ KJ6
♦ 853
♣ QT6543 /
Bidding: A strong two-suiter in South.
Dummy Expectation: Minimum HCP, Dummy prefers Spades to Diamonds.
Lead:♥A by West; positive in 3rd seat.
With Dummy in View:As expected.
Defender Style:Active, because West has 4 Trumps including the Ace.
Play:A “Forcing Defense”. Make Declarer ruff Hearts many times so West’s 4th trump becomes powerful. Lead 3rd Heart when in on the 3rd trick, making Declarer ruff.
Then wait until the 3rd trump lead by Declarer to take out dummy’s last trump and then lead another Heart, making Declarer ruff with her 5th trump. Then ruff into Diamonds and play another Heart for down one or two.
Declarer Technique: The “Forcing Defense” is when a defender has 4 trumps and can make Declarer ruff twice or more, and therefore gain control of the hand with longer trump.
Board 2 / ♠ 2
♥ AKJ65
♦ KJ72
♣ KQ7 / North / East / South / West
P / P / P
1♥ / P / 1♠ / P
2♦ / P / 2♥ / P
2NT / P / 3NT / . . .
♠ KQT4
♥ T43
♦ T9
♣ A952 / ♠ J98765
♥ Q2
♦ AQ3
♣ 84
Dummy
/ ♠ A3
♥ 987
♦ 8654
♣ JT63 /
Bidding: Strong North; medium South.
Dummy Expectation: 2 Hearts. 8+ HCP.
Lead:♣J. (Journalist – denies higher.)
With Dummy in View:Unexpected 6 Spades; 9 HCP.
Defender Style:West can see 10 Spades after winning the ♣A. North has shown 12 cards, so has only one Spade:
(5 Spades, 4 Diamonds and 3 Clubs).
If East has the ♠Ax, E/W can take the first 5 tricks. So, lead a low Spade at trick 2.
Play:Take the first 5 tricks.
Count! Count! Count!
Board 3 / ♠ T63
♥ 32
♦ J762
♣A653
Dummy / North / East / South / West
1♠ / P
2♠ / P / 4♠ / . . .
♠ 98
♥ Q97
♦ QT9
♣ KQ982 / ♠ AKQ754
♥ KJ64
♦ A
♣ J7 / ♠ J2
♥ AT85
♦ K8543
♣ T4 / Bidding: Minimum information but a Strong South.
Dummy Expectation:Flat, 6- 9 HCP
Lead:♣K by West, won in dummy.
With Dummy in View:As expected, but
with a Heart doubleton for possible ruffs.
Defender Style:Passive; sequence lead.
Play:Declarer will have to get Heart ruffs before collecting trump. Having used his only dummy entry on the opening lead, he may finesse his ♥J, losing to West’s ♥Q. (A lead to his ♥K is better for him.)
Defenders should lead trump whenever they get into the lead – with the ♥Q or♥A or ♣K.
Declarer will then get only one Heart ruff, losing 3 Hearts and a Club for down 1.
Defensive Technique: When dummy has shortness, lead trumps.
Board 4 / ♠ AQJT852
♥ 82
♦ J
♣ AQJ / North / East / South / West
3♥
4♠ / 5♥ / 6♠ / . . .
♠ -
♥ KJT9754
♦ QT9
♣ 973 / ♠ K74
♥ 3
♦ AK8643
♣ 652
Dummy / ♠ 963
♥ AQ6
♦ 752
♣ KT84 / Bidding: Wild distribution everywhere!
Dummy Expectation:Few Hearts; strong side-suit in Diamonds.
Lead:♥A by East, winning.
With Dummy in View:As expected: A strong Diamond side-suit for discards by Declarer and only 1 Heart.
Defender Style:Active vs. the strong side-suit in dummy, which can be established with just 1 Diamond ruff by Declarer.
Play: Anticipate how you would play this hand: “Play a winning Diamond and then ruff one, then collect trumps ending in dummy to run 4 Diamonds.”
Can you stop this Declarer Play Plan?
Yes! Lead a 2nd Heart now, forcing a ruff in dummy, therefore “Killing the Dummy” because you now have more trumps than it does, and there is no outside entry to dummy.
Defender Technique:“Kill the Dummy’s” side-suit ASAP.
Board 5 / ♠ 74
♥ 542
♦ AQ95
♣ KT75 / North / East / South / West
P / 1♠ / P / 1NT
P / 3♥ / P / 3NT
P / 4♥ / . . .
♠ 2
♥ J98
♦ KT62
♣ QJ943
Dummy / ♠ AJT83
♥ 63
♦ J873
♣ 86 / ♠ KQ965
♥ AKQT7
♦ 4
♣A2 /
Bidding: Strong majors two-suiter in East.
Dummy Expectation:Minimum HCP, prefers Hearts to Spades.
Lead:♥3 by South.
With Dummy in View:As expected.
Defender Style:With a strong 2-suited Declarer, defenders should cut dummy’s ruffing power ASAP, especially with South’sstrong Spade suit opposing East eventually.
Play:Declarer will have to try to set up a Spade ruff in dummy, so lead another trump when in with the ♠Ace, holding Declarer to 9 tricks.
Defensive Technique: Lead trump whenever Declarershows two suits, to prevent ruffing losers in her 2nd suit.
Board 6 / ♠ QJ654
♥ 5
♦ AK86
♣ Q74 / North / East / South / West
P / P / 1♠
P / 2♣ / P / 2♥
P / 2NT / P / 3♥
P / 4♥ / . . .
♠ AK753
♥ KQT98
♦ J52
♣ - / ♠ T2
♥ 6432
♦ 93
♣ AT986 / ♠ 9
♥ AJ7
♦ QT74
♣ KJ532
Dummy /
Bidding: West has both majors – 5 each.
Dummy Expectation:East has nearly an opener (the 2NT bid) with 3 Heart cards.
Lead:♦A by North, winning.
With Dummy in View:Thenlead the ♦K and the ♦6, ruffed by South, who gave a Hi-Lo even Count Signal sequence. She played the ♦9, then the ♦3, showing a doubleton. (A Standard Count signal.)
Defender Style:Having taken the first 3 tricks, South can now cash the ♣A, setting the contract right now. No?
NO! Why not? West has shown 10 cards in the majors, and then played 3 Diamonds. How many Clubs does she have? Lead a Heart.
Play: Count! Count! Count!
Board 7 / ♠32
♥ 75
♦ QJT983
♣ J97 / North / East / South / West
1NT / 2♦*
Dbl / 2♠ / P / 4♠
Bidding: Hamilton2♦over 1NT, showing both Majors.
Dummy Expectation:Strong 2-suited majors hand.
Lead:♠A, then ♠5 by South.
With Dummy in View:As expected. East probably has more Spades than Hearts. He will have to ruff Hearts in hand, as he is the short trump hand.
Defender Style:Trump leads to cut Declarer’s ruffing ability.
Play: As it happens in this hand, South can lead Spades 3 times before Declarer could ruff any Hearts, but she won’t have any trump left to do so.
Losing 3 Hearts and a Spade for down 1.
Defensive Technique: Lead trumps as often as possible when Declarer must ruff a 2nd suit.
♠ KQJ76
♥ A9642
♦ A7
♣ 3
Dummy / ♠T94
♥ 83
♦ K65
♣ A6542
♠ A85
♥ KQJT
♦ 42
♣ KQT8
Board 8 / ♠ A4
♥ KQ765
♦ 86
♣Q632 / North / East / South / West
1♠
P / 2♠ / P / 4♠
Bidding: No Shape information.
Dummy Expectation: Flat, 6 to 9 HCP
Lead:♥K by North.
With Dummy in View:East is not flat; she has an unexpected,dangerous looking Diamond side-suit.
Defender Style:A Passivesequence lead, but apparently a need to change to Active ASAP before Declarer dumps her losers on Diamonds.
Play:South, 3rd hand, sees the Diamond suit but knows it won’t run.So Heart ruffs become the problem, not pitches on Diamonds. South should overtakeNorth’s♥K lead and lead a trump, basically telling North “Don’t worry about the Diamonds: get the Heart ruffs off the table!”
As it happens, North has the ♠A4, so he can lead them twice, reducing Declarer’s Heart ruffs to just 1, thereby losing 2 Hearts, a Spade and a Club, with no Diamond pitches. Down 1.
Defensive Technique:Don’t switch from Passive to Active Style when you know a dangerous looking side-suit won’t run for Declarer discards.
♠ KQJ976
♥ 842
♦2
♣ AKJ / ♠ T32
♥ T
♦ AQT753
♣ 754
Dummy
♠ 85
♥ AJ93
♦ KJ94
♣ T98
Board 9 / ♠ AKJ83
♥ K6
♦ AQJ75
♣ 7 / North / East / South / West
1♠ / 2♣ / 2♠ / 3♣
4♦ / 4♥ / 4♠ / 5♥
5♠ / . . .
Bidding: 2-suit fits in both directions! Crazy!
Dummy Expectation:Flatish; preferred to Spades.
Lead:♣K by East.
With Dummy in View:As expected.
Defender Style:Initially Passive, but North is known to be two-suited, as is East.
Play:Once dummy is in view, defenders see that Declarer will pitch Hearts from dummyon hisstrong Diamond suit. He can’t have many Clubs, as he bid Spades and Diamonds strongly, and E/W both bid Clubs.
West should overtake East’s ♣K lead and push her ♥J thru Declarer before he can pitch Heart losers on Diamonds. This is a hand where Declarer has a good side-suit, solidified by the dummy.
Defensive Technique: Visualize possible Declarer defects (Hearts) and attack them ASAP when there is a side-suit threat.
Down 1, losing a Club and 2 Hearts.
♠ 952
♥ JT85
♦ 863
♣ AJ5 / ♠ 9
♥ AQ73
♦ 42
♣ KQT963
♠ QT64
♥ 942
♦ KT9
♣ 842
Dummy
Board 10 / ♠ QT2
♥ 942
♦ Q874
♣ AT2 / North / East / South / West
1♥ / P / 2♥
P / 3♥ / P / 4♥
Bidding: Timid; tentative.
Dummy Expectation:Flat, but accepted the invite,
so has good HCP aftera single raise on first round.
Lead:♥7 by South.
With Dummy in View:As expected. (Note the minors.)
Defender Style:Passive.
Play:Defenders,be careful of these minor suits.Combinations like these can often give Declarer an additional trick if the suit is broken (led first) by Defenders. Stick with leading major suits so Declarer has to break these minors: she could have 5 losers in thesesuits.
Defensive Technique: Don’t break new unbid suits with broken honors. Withtop honor sequences, lead them, but without top honor sequences, make Declarer break suits whenever possible.
♠ K843
♥ T83
♦ AT6
♣ K96
Dummy / ♠ A7
♥ AKQJ5
♦ J32
♣ J75
♠ J965
♥ 87
♦ K95
♣ Q843
Board 11 / ♠ J642
♥ KQJ3
♦ T52
♣ 65
Dummy / North / East / South / West
2♣ / P
2♦ / P / 3♣ / P
3♥ / P / 5♣ / . . .
Bidding: Stopped in game - no slamtry.
Dummy Expectation:Possible Heart side suit?
Lead:♦A, by West, winning, ♦K falling from Declarer.
With Dummy in View:North has good Hearts, especially since South probably has the ♥Ace.
Defender Style: West has the defensive book: how to win the setting trick? West can see 9 Hearts, so she should kill the Heart side-suit” in dummy. How? By leading Hearts twice before Declarer can draw trumps and get back to a dummy that has no side entry.
Play:After winning the Diamond Ace, lead any Heart, and another one when back in with the trump Ace. That stops Declarer pitches on Hearts, as East will ruff the 3rd Heart lead from dummy.
Defensive Technique: “Kill the Dummy’s Side-Suit” whenever possible by leading it repeatedly before Declarer can collect all trumps and return to dummy for pitches on the suit.
♠ QT9
♥ 98742
♦ AJ9
♣ A2 / ♠ 853
♥ T5
♦ Q87643
♣ 97
♠ AK7
♥ A6
♦ K
♣ KQJT843
Board 12 / ♠ 76
♥ A863
♦ J974
♣ T53 / North / East / South / West
P
P / 1NT / P / 2♣
P / 2♠ / P / 3♠
4♠ / . . .
Bidding: Straightforward major suit contract bidding.
Dummy Expectation:Almost 10 HCP; 4+ Spades
Lead:♥9 by South.
With Dummy in View:Expected; 9 HCP + doubleton.
Defender Style:North can see 8 Hearts, so the ♥9 is from shortness, knowing East has at least two Hearts; but is South’s♥9 a singleton or doubleton?
If a singleton, North should take his ♥Ace and give South a ruff at once. But, if it’s a doubleton, North must wait one round, hoping South can get in to lead her 2ndHeart, and then get her ruff.
How to know? Recall the auction. East denied 4 Hearts when she bid 2 Spades; so the South lead was a doubleton. Duck the first Heart, but play an encouraging♥3 (an Upside Downpositive signal)
N/S get 3 Aces and a Heart ruff for down 1 for East.
Play: Recall! Recall! Recall!
Defensive Technique: Upside Down positive attitude signals, plus Count! Count! Count!
♠ K532
♥ QJT2
♦ K83
♣86
Dummy / ♠ QJ94
♥ K75
♦ A6
♣ KQJ4
♠ AT8
♥ 94
♦ QT52
♣ A972
All boards are from Eddie Kantar Teaches Advanced Bridge Defense, Master Point Press, 1999