How to Play Defense in Bridge

In this article I continue my series on Bridge with an overview of defense. After the bidding is completed and the opponents have declared (or won) the contract, your attention will shift to setting the other team. The opening lead will often make or break the defense. However, there is so much more—some defenders will panic and grab their sure tricks—only to set up winners and allow the declaring side to make their contract. Then there are those careless moments when a lapse by a defender allows another unsound contract to be made. As is the case in sports, you must keep your "eye on the ball" and watch every card that is played!

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A well-lit and ventilated room
• A card-sized table
• Pens/pencils and paper for scorekeeping
• Two standard or bridge-sized decks of cards
• 4 enthusiastic players!

1. LISTEN TO THE BIDDING
   
   In many cases, if you are defending, your side has not made a bid. In the meantime, the opponents have conducted an auction to land in their final contract. You should be able to glean some information about their secondary suit(s) if they are in a trump contract. If they have chosen No Trump, a weak suit may have been omitted. Perhaps they explored the major suits with the Stayman Convention. Your partner may have shown a suit of his own during the bidding. In any case, the bidding will often be a road map to your approach to defense.

2. LOOK AT THE DUMMY
   
   This hand is there for all to see. A long and possibly, strong non-trump suit in dummy spells danger. Your side must attack another side suit! On the other hand, a short side suit suggests that the declarer will try to ruff losing cards from his hand. Trump leads are the perfect antidote to ruffing situations. A balanced or flat dummy hand will allow your side to explore other possibilities. No Trump hands are often races between both sides. Here you will try to set up your suits before the declarer can reel in his contract.

3. LEAD THROUGH STRENGTH
   
   If you are playing immediately before dummy, you should try to lead through his tenaced ("broken") suits in order to trap high cards for your partner to win. If you are seated after dummy and are on lead, you should attack dummy's weak suit and lead through declarer. The idea is to force declarer to prematurely win high cards which he holds.
   Sometimes trump leads may be called for, if the shape of the hand dicates that approach.

4. SECOND HAND LOW
   
   This is an old rule from the days of Whist, and usually works quite well. You don't want to play a valuable high card in second seat if a low card has been lead by declarer (or from the dummy). There are exceptions such as covering an "honor with an honor" or if you need to grab the lead and continue with another suit.

5. THIRD HAND HIGH
   
   Here is another of those classic rules which is accurate most of the time. If two-low card precedes your play, you should climb in third seat; otherwise, declarer or dummy will win a cheap trick. There are some exceptions, and experience will familiarize you when to duck or to rise. Many articles have been written about honor card combinations; it would be wise to do the research.

6. COME-ON SIGNALS
   
   If you make a high-card lead and your partner plays a high card of his own on your lead, this is a request for you to continue with that suit. A low-card play or discard by your partner shows discouragement, and asks you to change suit. There are also "high-low" signals in the off suits to show a desire to ruff on third lead of a particular suit. And for those who want to get "fancy," there are distribution "echoes" in the trump suit, as well as "suit preference" signals to indicate specific side suits to return for ruffs. Take the time to research this material if you want to have a successful partnership.

Tips & Warnings

• Listen to the bidding; it will be the "road map" to your defense.
• Suit contracts often force the defense to take their tricks early; however there are exceptions.
• No Trump contracts are often races between the declarer and the defense as each side tries to establish their best suits, since there is no fear of trumps.
• It is important to take the time to read specific articles on defense.
• There are many online sites which allow you to hone your game.
• Do not explore the competitive arena until you have developed a solid rapport with your partner.
• Never surrender a "ruff/sluff" (leading a suit in which declarer and dummy are void). This is usually a disaster!
• Do not lose focus of what is going on while your side is on defense. Watch every card that is played!

[smilesatme1]

on 8/20/2008 cool! Thanks!