Defense @ Bridge
Rod.Bias@Cutlip.Org
The Defenders are the pair that aims to stop the Declarer from hitting the Target (“making” the Contract). Sometimes, the sheer weight of high cards held by the Declaring Side means they are unbeatable (on that deal). Many times, however, good defense can deflect the Declarer from hitting the Target. “How sweet it is!”
Whether they “make” the Contract or you “break” the Contract may be in your power. The two basic strategies employed by the Defenders depend on the Declarer’s Target: notrump or trump. In a very general way: At a notrump contract, you lose your inevitable losers as quickly as possible and then swoop in and cash out enough winners to defeat the other guys. At a trump contract, you wade in fists and elbows flying, winning every trick you can as fast as you can leaving a few crumbs and dregs for whoever wants them and can win them.
Wiser players that I have met said that many notrump contracts become a race between the Declarer and the Defense to set up enough tricks to “prevail” (lawyer talk for “win”). So, most Defenders lead their longest suit and continue to lead that same suit whenever they win tricks. By continually leading the same suit, the low cards in the suit become “Established” as winners. No doubt, you have heard the old apothegm, “Always return your partner’s suit.”
Frequently, you should. But the reality is that “Always” does not mean 100% of the time. As you play, watch and learn when you should not “return your partner’s suit.” If you do not to return your partner’s suit when you should, be quick with a “Sorry Partner, I thought I should shift, and I was wrong.”
Tips4Tops: Because they elected to play without benefit of trumps, assume they have no more than seven spades or seven hearts. Logically, your side must have six or more of each. If you have only two hearts or two spades, your partner must have at least four and maybe five or six. That suit is probably a safe lead and may turn out to be the killer lead. The weaker you are, the better this lead looks, because your partner will usually have more “entries” (winners) outside the suit of your logical lead.
Often (not “always”) ya gotta get in there and grab winners before they go away by “ruffs” or “sluffs” (especially sluffs). Your first lead (“opening lead”) probably needs to crack open a suit where your side is strong … reciprocally, they are weak. You are grappling for two tricks in that suit and a few more elsewhere. Think. Fight. Struggle.
Tips4Tops: If your partner bid, lead that suit – your highest card with two, your lowest card with three. Otherwise, lead the top card of two touching honors. Never (almost) lead an ace without the king. You are uncorking that suit for them. After you lead the ace, they will “run” the suit and sluff all those losers you could have won by forcing the lid off another suit and just letting your ace lurk. Your ace’s job is to ambush their king … or queen.