Jean-Pierre DESMOULINSJean-Pierre DESMOULINS

Discover bridge

THE 2ND OF THE 3 GREAT SECRETS IN DEFENSE

Section 19 of 31 in the Getting Started course.

AH playing cardKD playing cardQS playing card

Back to defense. First problem, you are East and your partner has played the ♦2:

North
♦974
West
♦2
East · ?
♦K863

The declarer calls the 4 from the dummy. Which one do you play?

Good news, it's simple: the King. Always the highest. Why?

If the declarer has the Ace, Queen and Jack, you will never make your King: it changes nothing. But imagine your partner has a little something in Diamonds, even just the Jack:

North
♦974
West
♦J52
East
♦K863
South
♦AQ10

If you play small 'to avoid having your King taken' (yes, that's what you're telling yourself), South will play the ♦10:

North
♦974
West
♦J52
East
♦K863
South
♦AQ10

Then he will go to the dummy and play towards the Queen (the finesse for the King) and it will work: he will make 3 diamond tricks (the 10, Queen then Ace).

North
♦974
West
♦J52
East
♦K863
South
♦AQ10

On the other hand, if you play the King, he will always be able to duck to avoid losing the Jack: he will only make 2 diamond tricks. It's better.

North
♦974
West
♦J52
East
♦K863
South
♦AQ10

West plays the 3 of Hearts, North the 2 from a dummy with 862. In East, you have QJ74. Which card do you play to make declarer play a high card?

Section Quiz

Only one suit at No Trump; useful communications are available. Other suits are not evaluated.

North
♥862
East
♥QJ74
West
♥3…
Choose an answer

At No Trump, North has K7 and South has 42 in Clubs. You can choose the starting hand. To give the King a chance against a non-singleton Ace, from where do you lead?

Review of previous knowledge

Only one suit at No Trump; useful communications are available. Other suits are not evaluated.

North
♣K7
South
♣42
Choose an answer

Come on, play the high one when you're third to play, and you will make more and more tricks in defense.

Deal 1

Deal 2

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