Advanced Bridge Defense: Eddie Kantar Teaches

EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES
Advanced Bridge Defense

EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES
Advanced Bridge Defense
MASTER POINT PRESS

TORONTO
© 1999 Edwin B. Kantar
All rights reserved. It is illegal to reproduce any portion of this

material, except by special arrangement with the publisher.
Reproduction of this material without authorization, by any dupli-
cation process whatsoever, is a violation of copyright.
Master Point Press

331 Douglas Avenue
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M5M 1H2 (416)781-0351
Websites: www.masterpointpress.com
www.masteringbridge.com
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Email: [email protected]
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Kantar, Edwin B., 1932-

Eddie Kantar teaches advanced bridge defense
Includes index
ISBN 978-1-55494-041-7
1. Contract bridge — Defensive play. I. Title.
GV1282.42.K36 1999 795.41’53 C98-932700-0
Editor Ray Lee

Cover and Interior design Opus House
Author photograph Shireen Mohandes
Printed and bound in Canada
1234567 06 05 04 03 02 01 00 99
I know that it is customary for the author to thank
the people who have helped with the book you are
about to read. I have two people I wish to thank:
Ray Lee, the publisher, whose idea and patience
(with me) made this book possible, and Yvonne
Snyder, who read every word and told me in no
uncertain terms when I wrote something that
wasn’t clear. Since Yvonne plays at the level at
which this book is written, I made every change
she suggested. If this book turns out to be a
winner, it’s because of these two people.
Eddie Kantar
Introduction
Hello again. I’m assuming that you have read (survived) the first
book in this series, Eddie Kantar teaches Modern Bridge Defense. Well,
whether you have or whether you haven’t, prepare yourself for
some advanced defensive techniques.
The emphasis in this book will be on defensive logic. Trump pro-

motion, card combinations, deceptive play and most of all, count-
ing. In fact, three whole chapters are devoted to counting: count-
ing declarer’s tricks, declarer’s distribution and declarer’s high card
points, to be specific.
Having spent a lifetime teaching intermediate players, I can say

with some authority that very few can count properly. (I guess if
they could count, they wouldn’t be intermediate players!) Some say
that when they try to count, it slows down the game too much;
others says they can’t play and count at the same time; others
don’t think they can do it, so they won’t even try. I’m going to ask
you to try, because if you are not counting, you are playing a differ-
ent game.
A warning. Once you start counting, your game will sink a bit. It’s
almost inevitable. One tends to forget about everything else and
make more mistakes than ever. But once you master the basic
counting skills, your game will improve so much that you won’t
even recognize the player you once were. The players you used to
think were such hot shots are now suddenly looking human. You
can do some of the same stuff they can. This book is going to help
you think; it’s going to help you count; it’s going to turn you into a
competent defensive player. But you must make a commitment to
hang in there. Don’t let me down on this one.
Eddie Kantar
Contents
Chapter 1 Planning the Defense at Suit Contracts 11

Identifying the dummy 13
Other considerations 19
Practice Hands 26
Test Yourself 29
Solutions 31
Key Ideas 35
Chapter 2 Learning to Think 37

Inferences from the lead 39
Inferences from the play 40
Inferences from the bidding 45
Practice Hands 48
Test Yourself 50
Solutions 53
Key Ideas 54
Chapter 3 Counting Distribution 55

Major suit openings 56
Notrump openings 62
Minor suit openings 64
The opening lead 73
The count signal 76
The wrap-up 78
Practice Hands 79
Test Yourself 82
Solutions 85
Key Ideas 88
Chapter 4 Counting Tricks 89

Clues from the bidding 90
Clues from the dummy 91
Clues from the first trick 93
Counting dummy’s suit 105
Counting declarer’s suit 109
Counting trump tricks 112
When dummy’s long suit can be established 117
Practice Hands 119
Test Yourself 122
Solutions 124
Key Ideas 128
Chapter 5 Counting High Card Points 129
Notrump sequences 130
Suit sequences 135
Other ways of counting points 138
When partner bids 142
Notrump ranges in competition 145
Practice Hands 147
Test Yourself 150
Solutions 151
Key Ideas 152
Chapter 6 Tricks with Trumps 153

Getting your ruff 154
Giving partner a ruff 156
Overruffing positions 163
The uppercut 165
The forcing defense 168
The dreaded ruff-sluff 171
Ruffing air 175
Holding the master trump 176
Practice Hands 179
Test Yourself 181
Solutions 184
Key Ideas 188
Chapter 7 Doubling for the Lead 189

Doubles of voluntarily-bid suit slams 190
Doubles of artificial bids 191
Doubles of 3NT contracts 196
Miscellaneous doubles 202
Practice Hands 204
Test Yourself 207
Solutions 210
Key Ideas 212
Chapter 8 Card Tricks 213

Leading unsupported honors 214
Escaping an endplay 215
Surrounding plays 216
Telling them nothing 220
Stealing tricks 225
Falsecards 227
Practice Hands 230
Test Yourself 232
Solutions 235
Key Ideas 237
Index 238
Planning the
Defense at
Suit Contracts
Ready in defense, full of resources.
EDMUND BURKE
1
The opponents are bidding their heads off; suddenly, the bidding is
over and it’s your lead. And just what have you been doing while
WHAT
YOU’RE GOING
the opponents were merrily sending these coded messages to each TO LEARN
other across the table? Not daydreaming, I hope. IN THIS
Defensive planning starts with the bidding and comes into clearer
CHAPTER:
focus when the dummy appears. The bidding helps determine your • How to recognize what declar-
er’s plan will be from the bid-
opening lead. The dummy, partner's signals, and bridge logic help ding and the dummy
determine your follow-up plays. During the bidding you should be • How to plan your own defen-
trying to build a picture of declarer's (and dummy's) distribution sive strategy accordingly
and strength. This picture also influences your opening lead. If the • Some useful defensive strata-
opponents wind up in a trump contract, you should ask yourself: gems you can apply in various
common situations
1) What kind of a trump fit do I expect from the bidding? Will it be Identifying the dummy 13
a 6-3, 5-3, 5-4, 4-4, etc. Or are the opponents playing a misfit? Other considerations 19
Practice Hands 26
2) Did the opponents stretch to get to this contract or was it bid Test Yourself 29
confidently with no invitational bids? Solutions 31
3) Does dummy figure to have a long side suit? Key ideas 35
4) Has dummy preferred one of declarer's two suits to the other,
♥ 11
12 ♥ EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES ADVANCED BRIDGE DEFENSE ♥ CHAPTER ONE
particularly the second over the first, indicating shortness in the

first suit?
5) Do you have four trumps, a side-suit singleton, or an honor
sequence?
The answers to these questions help determine your lead. Although

this chapter deals primarily with planning your defense after the
dummy comes down, it can't hurt to review the opening-lead deci-
sion. After all, if you screw up on opening lead, it may be too late
to recover no matter how clever a defender you are.
Opening leads can be categorized as: attacking, passive (including

trump leads), short suit, or honor sequence. The last two are self-
explanatory. Attacking leads are generally made in suits headed by
the ace or king. They are made when you fear (or see) a long side
suit in dummy or are looking for a ruff. Leading from long broken
suits also falls under this category. These leads are often made
when you (or partner) have four trumps and your goal is to whittle
declarer's trump length down to your size or shorter. Passive leads
are safe leads, leads that neither gain nor cost a trick. There is an
art in knowing how and when to make passive leads. Much of this
chapter will be spent going over this aspect of defensive play.
If you have an idea of how declarer will get rid of her losers, you
may be able to thwart declarer's plans. Basically there are three
ways declarer disposes of losers:
1) Discarding them on dummy's strong side suit.

2) Ruffing them in the short hand, usually the dummy.
3) Via endplays, elimination plays, loser on loser plays, etc.
If (1) and (2), the two common techniques, are not available,
declarer is usually stuck with whatever losers she has. There is no
need for the defenders to rush madly to take their aces and kings,
perhaps giving up tricks by attacking new suits. Declarer's losers
aren't going anywhere. Don’t panic!
NORTH (Dummy)
♠K65
WEST (You) N EAST

W E
♠Q94 S ♠ A 10 3 2
SOUTH
♠J87
CHAPTER ONE ♥ PLANNING THE DEFENSE AT SUIT CONTRACTS ♥ 13
This is a typical card combination where South, left to his own

devices, has three losers and no winners. If the defenders get ner-
vous and start the suit, declarer makes an undeserved trick.
If you and partner can identify these ‘dangerous’ suits (not always
easy), these are suits to stay away from, far away. Declarer, on the
other hand, is either hoping you will make a friendly play in one of
these suits, or failing that, wants to force you to lead one. Thus the
constant struggle between the declarer and the defenders to see
who can get the other to break a dangerous suit.
Identifying the dummy

Once the dummy appears you can usually tell if you had it right
with your choice of opening leads. If not, you may have to change
horses in midstream. There are three common dummy types that
should hit you in the face when you see them.
Type 1. Dummy has ruffing potential but little else

NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH
NORTH (Dummy) West North East South

♠ 10 6 3 1♠
♥ 32 pass 2♠ pass 4♠
♦ J762 all pass
♣ A653
Opening lead: ♣K
WEST (You) EAST
♠ 98 N ♠ J2
♥ Q97 W E ♥ A 10 8 5
♦ Q 10 9 S ♦ K8543
♣ KQ982 ♣ 10 4
SOUTH
♠ AKQ754
♥ KJ64
♦ A
♣ J7
You lead the ♣K to dummy's ace, partner's ♣10 and declarer's ♣7.
You see that the dummy is pretty bleak. Furthermore, there is no
possibility of long suit establishment. The only real value in this
pitiful dummy is the doubleton heart.
Sure enough, declarer leads a heart to the jack and your queen at
trick two. No need to cash the ♣Q, that winner isn't going away.
More important is to shift to a spade at trick three. Declarer can do
no better than win in her hand and lead a low heart. Either you or
partner can grab this and lead a second trump. Declarer can ruff
only one heart in dummy and winds up losing three hearts and one
club. When the only value dummy has is a short side suit, trump
leads are usually top priority.
Type 2. Dummy has a threatening side suit
Of course, much depends upon how threatening the suit really is.
For example: it may be a solid suit (very threatening); it may be a
supported suit missing one honor (very threatening); you may be
sitting behind the dummy with small cards in the suit so you know
that if any finesses are required, they work (very threatening); or
you may be sitting over the dummy with all of the missing honors
and you know declarer cannot set up the suit (not threatening at
all). Your defense (active or passive) depends upon your assessment
of the danger of the long suit.
West North East South NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 3 2
1♠
♥ 6
pass 2♠ pass 3♠
♦ A Q J 10 8
pass 4♠ all pass
♣ 8543
Opening lead: ♥K EAST (You)
N ♠ 85
W E ♥ AJ93
S ♦ 7432
♣ J 10 2
Partner leads the ♥K and dummy hits with a very threatening suit,
diamonds, plus a singleton heart. A dummy with a threatening
side suit calls for an attacking defense, but a dummy with a side suit
singleton calls for a trump switch. What to do?
The length and strength of dummy's side suit are so overwhelming

(either declarer has the ♦K or it can be finessed), that an active
(attacking) defense takes precedence over a trump shift defense.
Overtake the ♥K and fire the ♣J through declarer.
If the hand turns out to be something like this, you will be a real
hero.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 3 2
♥ 6
♦ A Q J 10 8
♣ 8543
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 964 N ♠ 85
♥ K Q 10 4 W E ♥ AJ93
♦ 965 S ♦ 7432
♣ AQ9 ♣ J 10 2
SOUTH
♠ AKQJ7
♥ 8752
♦ K
♣ K76
But suppose the hand had been a little different:

EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER EAST
♠ 10 3 2
pass 1♠
♥ 10
pass 2♠ pass 4♠
♦ A Q 10 7 5 3
all pass
♣ 754
EAST (You) Opening lead: ♥K
N ♠ 85
W E ♥ AJ93
S ♦ KJ94
♣ 10 9 8
Partner leads the ♥K and you gaze at the dummy. This time the
diamonds are not threatening, you have them locked up from here
to Sunday. This dummy is good for one thing and one thing only,
heart ruffs. Overtake partner's lead and shift to a trump. What
about shifting to the ♣10? Club tricks cannot disappear; whatever
club tricks your side has coming will come in due time. What can
disappear are heart tricks. Furthermore, when you switch to a
trump looking at those diamonds, you are shouting ‘Partner, don’t
worry about the diamonds’.
Let’s take a look at a possible layout:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 3 2
♥ 10
♦ A Q 10 7 5 3
♣ 754
WEST (You) EAST
♠ A4 N ♠ 85
♥ KQ765 W E ♥ AJ93
♦ 86 S ♦ KJ94
♣ Q632 ♣ 10 9 8
SOUTH
♠ KQJ976
♥ 842
♦ 2
♣ AKJ
Assuming partner follows your defense and plays ace and a spade,
declarer is slated to lose four tricks. Notice that declarer's ♣J isn't
going anywhere, it will be a loser in due time.
If there is a strong usable side suit in dummy, play an attacking

defense; if the long side suit in dummy is not usable play passively,
perhaps by leading a trump to cut down dummy's ruffing power.
Type 3. Dummy is balanced
A balanced dummy is one that has no shortness, and no side suit

longer than four cards. Of course, even a four-card suit can gener-
ate winners for discards. But for our purposes, a balanced dummy
is one with no ruffing potential, and no clearly establishable side
suit. When a balanced dummy hits the table, think ‘passive’.
Playing passively means not leading (or continuing) any suit where
there is a reasonable chance of giving up a trick if any missing hon-
ors or critical spot cards are in declarer's hand. In many cases you
can lose a trick by leading a suit where two honors are missing and
they are divided between the two unseen hands. Deciding whether
to break a new suit, or which new suit to break if forced to, is
among the most difficult aspects of defensive play.
A trump lead from two, three, or four small is usually passive

though at times it may eat up partner's queen (usually it can be
finessed anyway). Forcing declarer to ruff is passive — as long as it
doesn't set up any usable winners in dummy. A wonderful example
of a passive play is leading a suit where the declaring side has all the
top cards in the suit, like giving declarer ice in the winter. ‘Passive’
is another way of saying ‘safe’.
NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH
♠ K843 West North East South

♥ 10 8 3 pass pass 1♥
♦ A 10 6 pass 2♥ pass 3♥
♣ K96 pass 4♥ all pass
WEST (You)
♠ J965 N
♥ 87 W E
♦ K95 S
♣ Q843
The opponents have crawled painfully to game, and you don’t want
to give them trick ten with your opening lead. Say you start by
leading a trump, noticing that dummy certainly fits the definition
of ‘balanced’. Not only that, but your spade holding is strong
enough to remove any menace there. Clearly, it is time to get pas-
sive, and your trump lead was a good beginning. Let’s look at the
whole hand:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ K843
♥ 10 6 3
♦ A 10 6
♣ K96
WEST (You) EAST
♠ J965 N ♠ Q 10 2
♥ 87 W E ♥ 942
♦ K95 S ♦ Q874
♣ Q843 ♣ A 10 2
SOUTH
♠ A7
♥ AKQJ5
♦ J32
♣ J75
NORTH (Dummy)
Hand repeated here for conve-
nience.
♠ K843
♥ 10 6 3
♦ A 10 6
♣ K96
WEST (You) EAST
♠ J965 N ♠ Q 10 2
♥ 87 W E ♥ 942
♦ K95 S ♦ Q874
♣ Q843 ♣ A 10 2
SOUTH
♠ A7
♥ AKQJ5
♦ J32
♣ J75
Look carefully at each minor suit. Left to her own devices declarer
has two diamond and perhaps three club losers. However, if either
you or your partner lead a club or a diamond, declarer has one less
loser in that suit.
As it turns out, the two ‘safe’ suits are hearts and spades. Yes, it's
much easier to detect safe suits when one can see all four hands!
Nevertheless, you should know what your objective is. When you
see a balanced dummy, don't do declarer's work for him, try to play
a passive game.
Other considerations
Declarer’s second suit
When declarer has a known two-suiter (assume 5-5), and a fit is
uncovered in one of the two suits, defenders have three different
strategies available:
1) Playing an active defense

2) Playing a forcing defense
3) Leading trumps
The trick is to know which one to use. The examples that follow
are designed to show you how to answer that question.
NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH
♠ Q 10 6 4 West North East South

♥ 942 1♠
♦ K 10 9 2♣ 2♠ 3♣ 4♦1
♣ 842 4♥ 4♠ 5♥ 5♠
WEST EAST (You) all pass
♠ 7 N ♠ 952 1) Two-suited slam try
♥ AQ73 W E ♥ J 10 8 5
♦ 42 S ♦ 863 Opening lead: ♣K
♣ K Q 10 9 6 3 ♣ AJ5
SOUTH
♠ AKJ83
♥ K6
♦ AQJ75
♣ 7
1) Playing an active defense
Partner leads the ♣K. The bidding tells you that partner has a likely
6-4 pattern and declarer a likely 5-5 pattern. Say clubs are led and
continued (a passive defense). Declarer ruffs, draws trumps in three
rounds, discards two hearts on the fourth and fifth diamonds, con-
cedes a heart, and ruffs a heart in dummy.
You could have defeated the hand by overtaking partner's lead and
shifting to a heart. How could you know to do that? The tip-off is
that every so often when declarer has a two-suiter declarer will be
able to draw trumps and still leave at least one trump in dummy,
the danger signal. If the second suit is solid, you may have to grab
your tricks (active defense) at once. Given the bidding, you know
only one club trick is available, so you must shift your attention to
hearts. Note that it is rare for declarer to have enough trumps in
dummy to pull off this little caper, but if she does, forewarned is
forearmed.
2) Playing a forcing defense
When either you or your partner have four trumps, the forcing
game is a strong defense against a two-suiter. The ‘forcing game’
means forcing declarer, the long hand, to ruff. Assuming a typical
5-3 trump fit, one force reduces declarer to your trump length, an
aggravation for the declarer. A second force is no longer an aggra-
vation, it's a disaster. Suddenly you have more trumps than declar-
er; you are in control of the hand! Declarer is going to have a devil
of a time taking tricks in his second suit no matter how strong it is.
BOTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH NORTH (Dummy)
West North East South ♠ J 10 9
1♠ ♥ Q42
pass 1NT pass 3♦ ♦ 976
pass 3♠ pass 4♦1 ♣ K982
pass 4♠ all pass WEST (You) EAST
♠ A862 N ♠ 5
1) Partner might have two spades
♥ A 10 7 5 3 W E ♥ KJ6
and three diamonds.
♦ 42 S ♦ 853
Opening lead: ♥A
♣ J7 ♣ Q 10 6 5 4 3
SOUTH
♠ KQ743
♥ 98
♦ A K Q J 10
♣ A
With your four trumps and no strength in declarer's second suit,

you decide to play the ‘forcing game’ and lead your longest suit,
hearts. You begin with ace and a heart and are gratified to see
declarer trump the third round of hearts, reducing declarer to your
trump length; the first step in her ruination.
Now let's look at the hand from the declarer's point of view.
Declarer would like to draw trumps and then run diamonds, a rea-
sonable objective, but you have other things in mind. Both
dummy and declarer are void in hearts. Your goal is to force declar-
er to trump another heart. You can't do that as long as there is a
trump in dummy. What you have to do is win the third round of
spades, the one that voids dummy, and then play a heart forcing
declarer to ruff with her last trump. Now when declarer starts play-
ing diamonds, you ruff the third diamond and cash your fifth
heart: down two.
If declarer doesn't play a third round of spades, reverting to dia-

monds instead, you ruff the third round of diamonds. Down one.
3) Leading a trump
Another possible defense against a two-suiter, particularly when you

are strong in declarer’s side suit, is a trump lead to cut down
dummy’s ruffing power.
NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH
♠ 2 West North East South

♥ J98 1♠
♦ K 10 6 2 pass 1NT pass 3♥
♣ QJ943 pass 3NT pass 4♥
WEST (You) EAST all pass
♠ A J 10 8 3 N ♠ 74
♥ 63 ♥ 542 Opening lead: ♥3
W E
♦ J873 S ♦ AQ95
♣ 86 ♣ K 10 7 5
SOUTH
♠ KQ965
♥ A K Q 10 7
♦ 4
♣ A2
Your spade holding suggests a trump lead. Follow the play after a
trump lead. Declarer wins in dummy and leads a spade to the king
and your ace. You continue with a second trump. Wiggle and
squirm as he will, even with the club finesse working, there are
only nine tricks. Your two trump leads have done declarer in!
Standing on your head
There will be times when the dummy will have more trump cards
than the declarer. Transfer sequences produce this phenomenon:
WEST (Opener) EAST (Responder) West East

♠ A87 ♠ 932 1NT 2♦1
♥ Q5 ♥ J97432 2♥ pass
♦ AK87 ♦ 4
♣ K943 ♣ Q85 1) Transfer to hearts
In this sequence, East is going to be the dummy. Since declarer

counts losers from the long hand, this can make it easier to see
which suits to attack, which to avoid, and which to play to force
the long hand to ruff. However, it is easier yet when the dummy
has a two-suiter. Say you hold as North:
♠— ♥93 ♦AQJ932 ♣KJ954
West North East South

1♠ 2NT 3♠ 5♦
all pass
Once the opening lead is made, your hand is coming down as

dummy. The defenders can see the spade void plus the strength of
your second suit, usually a key factor. If either defender is strong in
clubs, trump leads are probably the best defense to prevent declarer
from ruffing clubs in the closed hand.
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER WEST NORTH (Dummy)
West North East South ♠ KQJ76
1NT 2♣1 2♦2 2♠ ♥ A9642
pass 4♠ all pass ♦ A7
1) Majors
♣ 3
WEST (You) EAST
2) Not forcing
♠ A85 N ♠ 32
♥ K Q J 10 W E ♥ 75
♦ 42 S ♦ Q J 10 9 8 3
♣ K Q 10 8 ♣ J97
SOUTH
♠ 10 9 4
♥ 83
♦ K65
♣ A6542
On this hand you have so many good leads they're coming out
your ears. Your partner has bid diamonds, you have a perfect
sequence in hearts, you have strong clubs — what should you lead?
A trump! A trump lead is a standout. Dummy is known to have a
major two-suiter and South surely has more spades than hearts.
What is going to happen to dummy's hearts? Declarer is going to
try to trump them. Your best bet is to lead the ace and a trump in
case declarer has a singleton heart. As it happens, declarer must
give up a heart trick before she can trump even one heart in the
closed hand. Oh no. When declarer gives up a heart, you can play
a third spade. Don't look now, but because of your brilliant defense
declarer has to lose three hearts and a spade.
We now enter a new realm of defensive play — reducing the long

strong suit in dummy to mush. It’s called:
Killing the dummy

There are three ways to ‘kill’ a dummy besides shooting the poor
guy. They are:
1) Giving partner an early ruff in the long suit.

2) Killing the long suit by leading it once or twice.
3) Killing the entry to a long suit that can be established by
ruffing.
1) Giving partner an early ruff in the long suit

BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ AK6
♥ A 10 4 1♣ pass 1♥
♦ 10 9 pass 2♥ pass 4♥
♣ Q 10 8 7 2 all pass
WEST (You) N EAST
♠ J94 W E ♠ Q 10 7 3 Opening lead: ♣A
♥ 73 S ♥ 62
♦ K82 ♦ J76543
♣ AKJ94 ♣ 3
SOUTH
♠ 852
♥ KQJ985
♦ AQ
♣ 65
You decide to lead the ♣A and take a look around. When you see
the club spots, it is clear that partner is the one with the singleton
and declarer the doubleton. (If partner had two clubs, partner
would have started a high-low.) If you don't do something about
those clubs, declarer is eventually going to lead up to the ♣Q and
establish it for a discard. What you have to do is lead a low club
right now allowing partner to trump. Now the club suit is dead and
declarer has to lose two more tricks: a diamond and a spade.
Bravo!
2) Killing the long suit by leading it once or twice
One way to kill a solid side suit in dummy is to lead the suit before
declarer can draw trumps; if dummy has no outside entry, and both
declarer and at least one defender are void in the side suit, the suit is
dead.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ J642
♥ KQJ3
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH ♦ 10 5 2
West North East South ♣ 65
2♣ WEST (You) EAST
pass 2♦1 pass 3♣ ♠ Q 10 9 N ♠ 853
pass 3♥ pass 4NT ♥ 98742 W E ♥ 10 5
pass 5♣ all pass ♦ AJ9 S ♦ Q87643
♣ A7 ♣ 92
1) Waiting
SOUTH
♠ AK7
♥ A6
♦ K
♣ K Q J 10 8 4 3
Right or wrong, you decide to lead the ♦A and are pleased to see the
king fall. You have the ♣A, but what about the third trick? It will
have to come from spades, but what about those hearts? Declarer
surely has the ♥A and the ♠AK and will discard any spade loser on
hearts. Not so fast. Say you switch to the ♥9, dummy plays low,
partner plays the ♥10 (count) and declarer the ♥A. When declarer
leads a club, grab your ace and play a second heart.
By playing hearts twice before declarer can draw trumps, you have
rendered the hearts useless. Declarer will try to discard a spade on
the third heart, but partner will ruff and your ♠Q becomes the set-
ting trick.
3) Killing the entry to a long suit that can be estab-

lished by ruffing
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER EAST

♠ K74 3♥ 4♠
♥ 3 5♥ 6♠ all pass
♦ AK8643
Opening lead: ♥A
♣ 652
WEST (You) EAST
♠ 963 N ♠ —
♥ AQ6 W E ♥ K J 10 9 7 5 4
♦ 752 S ♦ Q 10 9
♣ K 10 8 4 ♣ 973
SOUTH
♠ A Q J 10 8 5 2
♥ 82
♦ J
♣ AQJ
You lead the ♥A and partner plays the ♥7, a suit preference signal
suggesting that you continue hearts. When partner's bidding shows
a six-card suit or longer, and you lead that suit, partner's first play is
suit preference. If partner had wished a club switch, she would
have played a low heart. If partner had wanted a diamond shift,
she would have played an unusually high heart, usually an honor
card.
How are you going to get a club trick with those diamonds staring
you in the face? First you must project the ♦Q in partner's hand.
Next, you have to face reality. Declarer is going to set up the dia-
monds with one ruff and then draw trumps ending in dummy, shed-
ding clubs and hearts on the established diamonds.
But you can prevent this. If you play a second heart and force
dummy to ruff a heart prematurely, declarer can no longer set up
diamonds and then draw trumps ending in dummy. Dummy will
have only two trumps left while you will have three. After the
smoke clears, the ♣K will be the setting trick.
Practice Hands
NEITHER VUL. DEALER EAST
West North East South Hand 1 NORTH (Dummy)
pass 1♠ ♠ J9
pass 1NT pass 3♦ ♥ Q7643
pass 3♠ pass 4♠ ♦ 75
all pass ♣ K752
WEST (You) EAST
♠ 10 6 3 N ♠ 752
♥ K 10 5 2 W E ♥ AJ8
♦ K Q 10 3 S ♦ 82
♣ 84 ♣ Q J 10 6 3
SOUTH
♠ AKQ84
♥ 9
♦ AJ964
♣ A9
Warned by the bidding that there is likely to be diamond shortness
in the dummy, your best bet to protect your diamond winners is to
lead a trump. Each trump you remove from dummy is one fewer
diamond declarer can ruff, one more diamond trick for you. If you
lead two rounds of trumps before declarer can ruff a diamond, your
side takes three diamonds and one heart. Down one.
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER SOUTH Hand 2 NORTH (Dummy)

West North East South ♠ 72
1♥ ♥ 642
1♠ 2♦ 2♠ pass ♦ A Q 10 8 5
pass 3♥ all pass ♣ KQ2
WEST EAST (You)
♠ K Q 10 9 5 N ♠ AJ3
Opening lead: ♠K ♥ K7 ♥ 953
W E
♦ 76 S ♦ KJ942
♣ J874 ♣ 10 9
SOUTH
♠ 864
♥ A Q J 10 8
♦ 3
♣ A653
Partner leads the ♠K and you see at a glance that dummy's dia-
monds are worthless to the declarer. The main value of the dum-
my will be in ruffing a spade (partner figures to have five spades
and declarer, three). Your play is to overtake the opening lead and
return a trump in case partner has the ♥Q or ♥K. South, not play-
ing with mirrors, will probably finesse the queen losing to partner's
king. Partner, following your defense, and trusting you to have the
diamonds all bottled up, returns a trump. If you and partner keep
your wits about you, declarer is destined to go down one.
Hand 3 NORTH (Dummy) EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER WEST

♥ 984 pass pass pass 1♠
♦ 10 6 5 2 pass 2♠ all pass
♣ AJ5
WEST (You) EAST Opening lead: ♥K
♠ 62 N ♠ QJ4
♥ K Q 10 6 W E ♥ 732
♦ K987 S ♦ AQ3
♣ 973 ♣ Q642
SOUTH
♠ A 10 9 8 7
♥ AJ5
♦ J4
♣ K 10 8
You lead the obvious ♥K which holds, partner playing the ♥2 deny-
ing the ace or jack.
Since declarer has both of those cards, a heart continuation is out.

If the diamonds were threatening, you would switch to a club, but
dummy’s diamonds are not threatening. On the other hand, it may
not be safe to switch to a diamond if the declarer has the AQ or AJ
doubleton. What about clubs? Unless it is necessary, it is danger-
ous to switch to a side suit where the queen is not visible. Declarer
may have a two-way guess for the queen and leading the suit obvi-
ates the guess.
By process of elimination that leaves spades. Even there you might

be finessing partner out of her queen; however, declarer holding
AJxxx could do that anyway. If you switch to a spade, and neither
you nor partner ever leads a club unless forced to, declarer has to
find the ♣Q to make 2♠.
BOTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH Hand 4 NORTH (Dummy)

West North East South ♠ KJ
1NT ♥ 98653
pass 2♦1 pass 3♥2 ♦ 98
pass 4♥ all pass ♣ AQJ6
WEST EAST (You)
1) Transfer to hearts
2) Good hand with four hearts
♠ 10 9 8 3 N ♠ A54
♥ K7 W E ♥ 42
Opening lead: ♠10
♦ Q532 S ♦ A 10 6 4
♣ 532 ♣ 10 9 8 4
SOUTH
♠ Q762
♥ A Q J 10
♦ KJ7
♣ K7
Partner leads the ♠10 and dummy's jack goes to your ace. Your job,
looking at that dummy, is to project (imagine) some possibility to
take four tricks. Clearly no more are coming in the black suits; it's
going to have to come from the red ones. It is unlikely that partner
can have more than one trump trick, so you must try for two dia-
mond tricks. If partner has the ♦K, it doesn't matter which dia-
mond you lead, but if partner has the ♦Q and declarer the ♦KJ, you
must put declarer to an immediate guess before the diamonds go
bye-bye on the black suits. Lead a low diamond at trick two, it's
your best chance.
Test Yourself
1) NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER SOUTH
♠ 10 5 West North East South

♥ KQJ863 1♠
♦ A5 pass 2♥ pass 2♠
♣ 875 pass 3♠ pass 4♠
WEST (You) all pass
♠ K4 N
♥ 10 9 2 W E
♦ Q J 10 7 3 S
♣ KJ2
You lead the ♦Q to dummy’s ace, partner playing the ♦2. Declarer Solution on page 31
plays the ♠10 from the table and lets it ride. What now?
2) NORTH (Dummy)
♠ AQJ4
1♣ pass 1♠
♥ K
pass 4♠ all pass
♦ Q86
♣ A Q J 10 2
EAST (You)
N ♠ 972
W E ♥ A964
S ♦ A 10 4
♣ 853
Partner leads the ♥Q to your ace. What next? Solution on page 31
3) NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER EAST
♠ QJ863 West North East South

♥ 10 8 4 3 3♣ 3♦
♦ KQ5 4♣ 4♦ pass 5♦
♣ 7 all pass
WEST (You)
♠ AK975 N
♥ KJ7 W E
♦ 42 S
♣ J63
You lead the ♠K (king from ace-king at the five-level or higher), Solution on page 32
partner plays the ♠2 and declarer the ♠4. What now?
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER NORTH

West North East South 4) NORTH (Dummy)
♠ A972
pass pass 1♠
♥ K 10 6
pass 3♠ all pass
♦ J75
♣ Q 10 3
EAST (You)
N
♠ K6
W E ♥ J852
S ♦ Q 10 3
♣ J985
Solution on page 32 Partner leads the ♠5, and dummy plays low. After you win the
trick, what are you going to do next?
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER NORTH
♠ 72
1♦ pass 1♥
♥ KJ6
pass 2♦ pass 3♥
♦ A K 10 9 7 6
pass 4♥ all pass
♣ J 10
EAST (You)
N ♠ A954
W E ♥ 10 2
S ♦ Q43
♣ A943
Solution on page 33 Partner leads the ♠3 and you win the ♠A. How are you going to try
to beat this hand?
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER SOUTH
1
♠ K J 10 5 2
1NT
2
♥ A6
pass 2♥ pass 2♠
♦ 87532
pass 3♦ pass 3♠
♣ 7
all pass
EAST (You)
1) 15-17 HCP N ♠ 863
2) Transfer to spades W E ♥ Q J 10
S ♦ A K 10 9
♣ A83
Solution on page 34 Partner leads the ♣Q to your ace and declarer's five. What now?
To questions
Test Yourself — Solutions

1) NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER SOUTH

♥ KQJ863 1♠
♦ A5 pass 2♥ pass 2♠
♣ 875 pass 3♠ pass 4♠
♠ K4 N ♠ 873
♥ 10 9 2 W E ♥ 75 Trick 1: ♦Q ♦A ♦2 ♦4
♦ Q J 10 7 3 S ♦ 9862 Trick 2: ♠10 ♠3 ♠2 ?
♣ KJ2 ♣ AQ94
SOUTH
♠ AQJ962
♥ A4
♦ K4
♣ 10 6 3
Declarer has the ♦K (partner's ♦2), yet declarer ‘stranded’ the heart
suit without a return entry. Why? He has the ♥A, that's why. If so,
an active defense is called for. Win the ♠K and shift to a low club.
On a good day partner has the ♣A and you score three club tricks.
2) NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH
♠ AQJ4 West North East South

♥ K 1♣ pass 1♠
♦ Q86 pass 4♠ all pass
♣ A Q J 10 2
WEST EAST (You)
Trick 1: ♥Q ♥K ♥A ♥3
♠ 5 N ♠ 972
Trick 2: ?
♥ Q J 10 7 2 W E ♥ A964
♦ KJ53 S ♦ A 10 4
♣ 974 ♣ 853
SOUTH
♠ K 10 8 6 3
♥ 853
♦ 972
♣ K6
If ever a dummy called for a diamond shift, this is it. Any black
suit finesse works and the only real hope for three diamond tricks is
that partner has both missing diamond honors. Go for it; switch to
a low diamond at trick two.
To questions
NEITHER VUL. DEALER EAST 3) NORTH (Dummy)
West North East South ♠ QJ863
3♣ 3♦ ♥ 10 8 4 3
4♣ 4♦ pass 5♦ ♦ KQ5
all pass ♣ 7
WEST (You) EAST
Trick 1: ♠K ♠3 ♠2 ♠4
♠ AK975 N ♠ 2
Trick 2: ?
♥ KJ7 W E ♥ 9652
♦ 42 S ♦ 9
♣ J63 ♣ K Q 10 9 5 4 2
SOUTH
♠ 10 4
♥ AQ
♦ A J 10 8 7 6 3
♣ A8
Kill the spades before they kill you! Partner is the one with the sin-
gleton spade (no high-low), so if you lead a low spade at trick two
and allow partner to trump while you still retain a high spade,
declarer can no longer use dummy's spades to discard a side-suit
loser. Any tricks you have coming in hearts or clubs will come
sooner or later. If you don't play a low spade but shift to a club
instead, declarer wins, draws trumps, and leads a spade to your ace.
You can now kiss your ♥K adios. It may take a trick on another
hand, but not on this one.
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER NORTH 4) NORTH (Dummy)
West North East South ♠ A972
pass pass 1♠ ♥ K 10 6
pass 3♠ all pass ♦ J75
♣ Q 10 3
WEST EAST (You)
Trick 1: ♠5 ♠2 ♠K ♠3
Trick 2: ?
♠ 54 N ♠ K6
♥ Q73 W E ♥ J852
♦ A962 S ♦ Q 10 3
♣ A742 ♣ J985
SOUTH
♠ Q J 10 8 3
♥ A94
♦ K84
♣ K6
To questions
Partner's trump lead, usually suggesting broken honor strength in
all suits, plus the balanced dummy suggest a passive defense.
Clearly the most passive exit card you have is your remaining
spade. This return, plus a continued passive defense (avoid break-
ing new suits), leaves declarer with four more losers.
5) NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER NORTH

♥ KJ6 1♦ pass 1♥
♦ A K 10 9 7 6 pass 2♦ pass 3♥
♣ J 10 pass 4♥ all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ KJ63 N ♠ A954 Trick 1: ♠3 ♠2 ♠A ♠8
♥ 53 W E ♥ 10 2 Trick 2: ?
♦ J85 S ♦ Q43
♣ Q762 ♣ A943
SOUTH
♠ Q 10 8
♥ AQ9874
♦ 2
♣ K85
If declarer has, as is likely, a singleton or doubleton diamond, the

suit can easily be established via one ruff. Your side needs four
black-suit tricks and this dummy calls for an active defense. You
have to project the ♠K in partner's hand as well as a club honor.
Shift to a low club. If partner has both black-suit kings, it won't
matter which club you lead, but if partner has the ♣Q and declarer
the ♣K, it is imperative to put declarer to an immediate club guess
by leading low.
To questions
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER SOUTH 6) NORTH (Dummy)
West North East South ♠ K J 10 5 2
1NT1 ♥ A6
pass 2♥2 pass 2♠ ♦ 87532
pass 3♦ pass 3♠ ♣ 7
all pass WEST EAST (You)
1) 15-17 HCP
♠ 94 N ♠ 863
2) Transfer to spades
♥ 9752 W E ♥ Q J 10
♦ 64 S ♦ A K 10 9
Trick 1: ♣Q ♣7 ♣A ♣5
♣ Q J 10 4 2 ♣ A83
SOUTH
Trick 2: ?
♠ AQ7
♥ K843
♦ QJ
♣ K965
First, a few preliminaries.
1) If you add your HCP to dummy's HCP you get a grand total of 22
(14+8). That means there are 18 HCP outstanding between part-
ner and declarer. Partner has three HCP in clubs from the lead
leaving declarer with the remaining 15 to justify the 1NT open-
ing bid.
2) Diamonds must be 2-2. If partner had a singleton he would have
led it; if declarer had a singleton diamond she wouldn't have
opened 1NT.
Dummy has more trumps than declarer and should be considered

‘the long hand’. Since losers are usually counted from the long
hand, dummy's losers appear to be all in diamonds. What can
declarer do with dummy's diamonds? Surely declarer is going to try
to ruff diamonds in the closed hand, and if you are a close friend or
relative and never lead trumps, she will ruff two diamonds and
make an overtrick. However, if you lead a trump each time you are
on lead, your side will eventually get four diamonds and one club,
defeating the contract one trick; a two trick swing.
Don't tell me you switched to a high diamond or a high heart at

trick two; please don’t tell me that after all we’ve been through.
Key ideas from Chapter 1
• Listen to the bidding before you make your opening lead.

• Re-evaluate your defensive strategy when the dummy
comes down, paying particular attention to the strength of
dummy's side suits.
• Defensive strategy is basically divided into two categories:
active and passive. An ‘active’ or attacking defense means
attacking side suits quickly to secure tricks before they dis-
appear on dummy's side suit. A ‘passive’ or safe defense
means sitting back and waiting patiently for tricks to come
to you. A passive defense implies not breaking new suits
that appear risky.
• If dummy has a strong usable side suit, play an active
defense; go after your tricks before the mice get at them.
• If dummy's strong side suit is not usable, play a passive
defense, perhaps even leading a trump to cut down
dummy's ruffing power.
• If dummy's only value is side suit shortness, trump leads
are usually best.
• If dummy tables with more trumps than declarer, think of
the dummy as the declarer and count losers from the
dummy's perspective.
• If declarer has a known two-suiter consider an active
defense if her second suit is solid and she can draw trumps
and remain with at least one trump in dummy. Play a forc-
ing defense if you have four trumps or suspect partner
does. Lead a trump if you are strong in declarer's side suit.
• When dummy tables with a strong side suit, there are three
possible ways to kill that suit:
1) give partner a ruff while retaining control of the suit;
2) lead the suit once or twice before declarer can draw
trumps. To pull this one off:
(a)there cannot be any side suit entry to dummy;
(b) either you or partner must be short in the suit.
3) if the suit must be established by ruffing, attack the side
suit entry that declarer must eventually use to reach the
established suit.
Learning
to
Think
“I am inclined to think —,” said I.
“I should do so,” Holmes remarked impatiently.
CONAN DOYLE
2 WHAT
YOU’RE GOING
TO LEARN
IN THIS
CHAPTER:
• What inferences you can draw
from the bidding
• What partner’s lead can tell
you
• What you can infer from the
way declarer is playing the
You have probably at some time had the experience of driving hand
• How to watch for negative
along and approaching a traffic light with the sun directly in your inferences from things that do
eyes. The sun is so bright that you can’t actually see the signal, but not happen
you can see all the other cars around you are going through the • How to figure out what to do
intersection. What color do you think the light is? Green, of based on the inferences you
course. make
Inferences from the lead 39

You don’t actually know for certain that the light is green (although Inferences from the play 40
you’re probably going to find out the hard way if it isn’t when you Inferences from the bidding 45
Practice Hands 48
enter the intersection). What you have done is to draw an infer- Test Yourself 50
ence, or a logical conclusion, from the facts you have observed: the Solutions 53
other cars are going through, so the light must be green. Key Ideas 54
♦ 37
38 ♦ EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES ADVANCED BRIDGE DEFENSE ♦ CHAPTER TWO
You can apply the same logic at the bridge table, particularly on
defense. For openers you have to make the assumption that both
partner and declarer are playing rationally! (Yes, yes, I know what
you are thinking.) If either one makes a completely irrational play,
you could find yourself making an even worse one! One idiocy
can easily breed another — the bridge equivalent of driving
through a red light.
Say you are defending a heart contract and you lead the ♠K. You
have the ♣A, and you notice that there are ten clubs between your
hand and dummy. Partner overtakes your opening lead and shifts
to a club. There is an overwhelming inference that partner has a
This famous exchange is a good singleton club. If partner lets the ♠K hold instead of overtaking and
example of a negative inference: shifting to a club, there is a negative inference involved: partner is
unlikely to have a singleton club.
‘Is there any point to which you
would wish to draw my atten- Here's another that you should have no trouble with after the last
tion?’ chapter. You lead a low spade against a heart contract and dummy
‘To the curious incident of the tables with trump support plus the ♣AQ1085; you have three little
dog in the night-time.’ clubs. Partner wins the opening lead and shifts to a trump. The
‘The dog did nothing in the inference is that partner has the clubs locked up and that you
night-time.’ shouldn't worry about that suit. If a trump switch is possible, but
‘That was the curious incident,’ partner does not shift to a trump, the negative inference is that
remarked Sherlock Holmes. partner does not have the clubs locked up.
Silver Blaze, Conan Doyle.
Inferences are also available when dummy tables with a powerful
suit such as KQJ10(x) or AQJ(x) and declarer shies away from the
suit. The inference is that declarer, not partner, has the missing
honor.
The following inferences related to discarding were discussed in

detail in Chapter 7 of Eddie Kantar teaches Modern Bridge Defense but
bear repeating nevertheless:
1) If dummy has something like the ♦AKJx(x) and declarer discards

a small diamond from dummy, declarer cannot have the ♦Q.
2) When dummy has trump support plus side-suit shortness, yet

declarer draws all of dummy's trumps or draws them after ruffing
once or twice in dummy, the inference is that declarer has no
more losers in that suit to ruff. The defenders can now discard
that suit with impunity.
CHAPTER TWO ♦ LEARNING TO THINK ♦ 39
Inferences from the lead

Say you are defending a spade contract; clubs is an unbid suit, a
club is not led, and when dummy appears, you can't see the ♣A or
the ♣K. The inference is that partner cannot have both of those
cards (he would have led one). Either declarer has them both or
they are split between the two unseen hands. To a slightly lesser
degree you can take the same inference when the king and queen of
a suit are not visible and not led.
Say partner bids a suit, you support the suit, and partner leads
another suit. Why? There are four possible reasons. (1) Partner
may have a suit headed by the AQ or the AJ and fears leading the
suit in case declarer has the king. However, if you have the ace of
the supported suit or dummy does, there must be another reason.
(2) Partner has a sequence lead in another suit. (3) Partner has
shortness with a likely trump entry and is planning on putting you
on lead in the supported suit to get a ruff. (4) Partner has forgotten
the bidding.
Say partner has preempted. Most preempts contain side-suit single-

tons and most partners will lead a singleton without even looking
at the rest of their hand. If partner preempts and doesn't lead a sin-
gleton, the inference is that partner's singleton, if she has one, is in
the trump suit. Unfortunately, sharp declarers are also aware of
these inferences as well as the ones coming up.
Another lead inference: say dummy has trump support with expect-
ed side-suit length, yet partner leads a trump. The inference is that
partner is strong in the side suit or else partner would not be play-
ing a passive defense. If partner leads dummy's bid and rebid suit,
the inference is that partner has a singleton, otherwise the lead is
too dangerous.
At notrump with no suits having been bid, partner leads the ♠2, Partner might well lead a strong
fourth best, indicating a four-card suit. Early in the play partner four-card suit (KQJx, say) in pref-
turns up with a singleton diamond. The inference is that partner's erence to a broken five-card suit,
original distribution was 4-4-1-4. Why? Because with a side five- but when he leads a low card, he
card suit, partner would have probably led that suit. has no honor sequence in the
suit.
When partner leads from shortness at notrump, the inference is
that partner's long suit(s) has been bid.
Inferences from the Play

Many defensive inferences come from the cards played in the suit
that has been led. For example, suppose you lead the ♠5 against a
heart contract and are faced with this layout:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠AQ6
N
WEST (You)
W E
♠ K 10 8 5 3 S
If dummy plays the ace, the inference is that declarer has a single-
ton; with two spades, the finesse is the more likely play.
Furthermore, if dummy plays the queen, there is an overwhelming
inference that partner has the jack. If declarer has the ♠J, declarer
plays low from dummy. Wouldn't you?
This diagram leads to the inevitable question any defender trying to

locate a missing honor must ask himself: if declarer has the missing
honor, would declarer be playing this way? If the answer is no,
then partner has the missing honor.
Now you try it:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠A62
N
WEST (You)
W E
♠ K 10 8 5 3 S
Again you are on lead versus a heart contract and you elect to lead
a low spade. Dummy flies with the ace; who has the queen? Piece
of cake. Partner. If declarer has it, declarer plays low. Later in the
hand you can even lead a low spade over to partner's queen if you
need partner on lead for one reason or another.
What about this one?

NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 9 5 3
N
WEST (You)
W E
♠KQ64 S
Hearts are trumps and you lead the ♠K which holds, partner playing
the ♠2. What do you make of this? Partner normally encourages
holding the jack or the ace when you lead the king. On the other
hand, if declarer has ♠AJ, he takes the trick since the ten in the
dummy ensures a quick second spade trick, not to mention the
nine. Who's gone mad?
Nobody. Partner probably has ♠J2 and cannot afford to drop the
jack; or she has ♠A2 or ♠AJ2 and doesn't think it is right to over-
take. In any event, partner has one or both of the missing honors.
How about this?

NORTH (Dummy)
♠ Q 10 6
WEST (You) N
W E
♠J5 S
Diamonds are trumps and you lead the ♠J which rides round to
declarer's ace. What do you make of this? Declarer must have the
♠K. If declarer did not have the ♠K, wouldn't declarer cover the ♠J
with the ♠Q?
And this:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠Q5
N
WEST (You)
W E
♠J962 S
You lead the ♠2 against a notrump contract, dummy plays the

queen, partner the king, and declarer the ace. Who has the ♠10?
Almost certainly partner. If declarer has A10x(x), declarer gets two
sure spade tricks by playing low from dummy. (However, if declarer
has ♠A10 doubleton, declarer might play the queen from dummy.)
And now a big league inference:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠Q5
N
EAST (You)
W E
S ♠ K 10 8 4
Partner leads the ♠3 against a notrump contract, no suits having

been bid, and dummy plays low. What do you make of this? If
declarer has ♠Ax(x) or ♠xx(x) declarer plays the ♠Q from dummy, so
scratch those holdings. Declarer must have the ♠J and partner the
♠A. If declarer has ♠Jxx, declarer cannot be prevented from taking
a spade trick; however if declarer has ♠Jx, you can run the entire
suit if you make the proper play of the ♠K.
Partner seldom underleads aces on opening lead against a suit con-

tract. Therefore, when partner leads a suit and you cannot see the
ace, assume declarer has it and play accordingly.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠KJ54
N
EAST (You)
W E
S ♠Q96
Partner leads the ♠3 against a club contract. If dummy plays low,

insert the ♠9. The ♠9 figures to drive out the ace. Partner should
have an honor for a low card lead and that honor figures to be the
♠10. If spades are not led originally, but later in the hand partner
shifts to a low spade, now there is a good chance that partner does
have the ♠A.
After having led from the top of an honor sequence, your second
card in the suit can lead to valuable defensive inferences.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠A754
N
WEST (You)
W E
♠KQJ9 S
You lead the ♠K which holds. Your second play should be the lower At notrump, the follow-up play of
or lowest of your remaining equals, the jack. The play of the jack the jack asks partner to unblock
shows the queen but denies the ten. the ten if she has it — very helpful
when holding KQJ9(x).
There is no calculating the number of tricks lost in the following
position from players who don't play this way:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠743
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠Q S ♠K86
SOUTH
♠ ???
Say partner leads the ♠Q against a notrump contract. You signal

with the ♠8, and partner's queen takes the trick. Now partner con-
tinues with the ♠J. Which spade do you play?
Do not overtake with the king to unblock for partner; partner is

unblocking for you! Partner's play of the ♠J denies the ♠10. If part-
ner has ♠QJ10x(x), partner continues with the ♠10, not the ♠J.
Partner's actual holding is ♠QJ9 and declarer's ♠A1052.
Similarly:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠K63
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠Q S ♠A872
SOUTH
♠ ???
Partner leads the ♠Q against a suit contract which holds, as you sig-
nal encouragement with the ♠8. Partner continues with the ♠J,
dummy covers with the ♠K, and you win the ♠A. Who has the
♠10? If partner has read this book, declarer has it. If partner has the
♠QJ10(x), partner continues with the ♠10, not the ♠J.
Leading equal honors out of order (lower-higher) also leads to infer-

ences. For example, if you and partner have agreed to lead the ace
from AKx(x) against suit contracts, and you lead the king and then
the ace (out of the normal order), the inference is that you have a
doubleton. Here is another example:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 4 3 2
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠A976 S ♠KQ
SOUTH
♠J85
Say spades is a side suit at a trump contract and early in the hand
partner shifts to the ♠Q and then continues with the ♠K. Since
partner has played spades ‘out of order’, the inference is that part-
ner has a doubleton. If there is a danger that the third spade trick
can be lost, overtake and give partner a ruff.
When declarer initiates a suit, inferences also abound. The catch is

to be able to pick up on them.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠63
N
WEST (You)
W E
♠ Q 10 5 4 S
At a heart contract, dummy leads a low spade, partner plays low,

and declarer's nine fetches your ten. What do you think is going
on? Declarer cannot have the ♠AK and play this way, and partner
cannot have the ♠AK and duck the trick. Ergo, the top spade hon-
ors are divided.
If declarer has the king and partner the ace, declarer plays the king
hoping to lose but one spade trick. Therefore, declarer cannot have
the king: declarer has the ace and partner the king. If partner has
given you count or the bidding has been revealing (say South had a
chance to bid spades and didn't), you also know how the spades are
dividing.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠64
N
WEST (You)
W E
♠A83 S
Spades are trumps, dummy has side entries, and declarer leads the
♠K. The inference is that declarer has the ♠KQJ(10)x. With
KQxxx(x), declarer would lead a spade from dummy.
Inferences from the bidding

The auction is, of course, a gold-mine of inferences, both from what This topic will be covered in
they have bid and from what they haven’t. Suppose there has been much greater depth in the next
an auction where both sides have been bidding, but no-one has chapter
mentioned hearts. Partner doesn’t lead a heart; dummy shows up
with three hearts, and you have two. The eight remaining hearts
should be split 4-4 between partner and declarer: if either had five
hearts the suit would have been mentioned.
Declarer’s and dummy’s bidding can yield an amazing amount of

information, if you listen carefully. In the following auction
North South With 5-3-3-2, North should pass

1♠ 1NT 1NT. Therefore, if he has no side
2♠ pass four-card suit, he must have six
spades.
Unless North is a weak player, he has six spades and is unlikely to
hold four hearts. Dummy figures to have fewer than three spades.
This sequence is even more revealing:

North South
1♠ 2♦
2♥ 2NT
3♦ 3NT
pass
What do you know about the two hands? To begin with, North has
a singleton club: anyone who bids two suits then supports a third
figures to have a singleton in the fourth suit. What about South,
who persists in notrump despite knowing of North’s singleton club?
South is obviously well-heeled in clubs. So if you had to lead from
this hand
♠ Q42 ♥ J5 ♦ A742 ♣ J542
which card would you pick?
Many experts would opt for the ♥J, a suit where partner is marked
with four or five cards. If the opponents had as many as eight
hearts between them, hearts would be trumps. They figure to have
six or seven hearts, meaning that partner has four or five hearts. In
addition, your inferior club spots plus South's insistence on
notrump facing a known singleton club argue for another lead. The
bidding also tells you that partner likely has a singleton diamond.
A two-level response is generally made on a five-card suit and North
surely has three diamonds. Although partner is likely to have four
spades, spades is dummy's long suit and your spade holding also
argues against that lead.
Sometimes you can draw an inference about partner’s hand from

the opponents’ bidding, and this can lead to a spectacularly success-
ful defense. Suppose you have ♠A5 ♥6 ♦10963 ♣QJ10652 and the
auction goes:
North South
1♠ 2♦
3♦ 3♠
4♦ 4NT
5♥ 6♠
pass
What would you lead? The bidding tells you that partner has one
See Chapter 8 for a full discussion diamond at most (with a diamond void partner doubles 6♠ asking
of lead-directing doubles. for an unusual lead). Holding the ace of trumps you can envision
giving partner a second-round diamond ruff. What about your sin-
gleton heart? Probably the worst lead in your hand. A singleton
lead against a slam contract works out great if partner has the ace of
the singleton suit or the ace of trumps. But you have the ace of
trumps and partner can't have the ♥A — the opponents wouldn't be
in a slam off two aces after a Blackwood sequence! What about the
♣Q? That would be a reasonable choice if the diamond ruff possi-
bility wasn't so compelling; lead a diamond.
Distributional inferences once

the dummy comes down
Once dummy tables, you can often work out the declarer's distribu-
tion by adding the number of cards dummy has in a suit to the
number of cards you have in that suit and then figuring out from
the bidding the distribution of the unseen hands in the suit. This
little gimmick works particularly well in unbid majors.
Say partner, East, opens 1♦, South overcalls 2♣ and that ends the
bidding. You lead a diamond and dummy has a doubleton heart
while you have three hearts. There are eight hearts unaccounted
for. If either partner or declarer had a five-card heart suit, the suit
would have been mentioned. The conclusion is that hearts are 4-4.
Supported major suits may lead to simple inferences.
Opener Responder
1♣ 1♠
2♠ 3NT
pass
Play responder for four spades. If responder had more than four
spades, spades would be trumps. Skipping over major suits to rebid
notrump also leads to distributional inferences:
Opener Responder
1♣ 1♥ Some pairs (especially those play-
1NT pass ing a weak notrump) do not deny
spades in this sequence. If in
The inference is that opener does not have four spades. doubt, ask your opponents.
To summarize: One reason bridge experts are experts is that they

have the knack of making inferences quickly from the bidding, the
lead, partner's defense, and the way declarer is attacking the hand.
Of course, having defended thousands upon thousands of hands
doesn't hurt either. The point is that you, too, can make many of
these inferences; those that have been touched upon in this chapter
plus many others you will be able to work out on your own. Just
don't go through too many red lights!
Practice Hands
Hand 1 NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 9742
♥ 64
2♣ ♦ QJ
pass 2♦ pass 2♠ ♣ 98753
pass 4♠ pass 7♠ WEST (You) EAST
all pass ♠ 10 5 N ♠ 6
♥ Q J 10 8 2 W E ♥ 9753
Opening lead: ♥Q ♦ 643 S ♦ 10 9 8 7 5 2
♣ 10 6 2 ♣ QJ
SOUTH
♠ AKQJ83
♥ AK
♦ AK
♣ AK4
You lead the ♥Q, and South can do nothing except run off all his
winners and hope someone unguards clubs. You are too shrewd for
this, however: you know that if declarer had a third heart, he would
have ruffed a heart in dummy after drawing trumps. So you have
no problem throwing away all your hearts to keep the guarded ♣10!
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER EAST Hand 2 NORTH (Dummy)
pass 1♥ ♥ Q832
1♠ 2♦ 4♠ pass ♦ AQJ632
pass 5♥ all pass ♣ 64
WEST (You) EAST
♠ AJ965 N ♠ K8432
♥ J6 W E ♥ 10 5
♦ 985 S ♦ 10 4
♣ AQ3 ♣ J 10 8 2
Your aggressive bidding has SOUTH
pushed the opponents to the five- ♠ Q 10
level, but where are your defen- ♥ AK974
sive tricks coming from? Surely ♦ K7
you have no more than one ♣ K975
spade trick, and any club losers
The bidding suggests that dummy has a strong red two-suiter, and a
declarer happens to have will dis-
possible defense is to lead a low spade hoping partner has the king
appear pretty quickly on
and can lead a club through declarer’s envisioned king. Don’t look
dummy’s diamonds.
now, but declarer is shaking his head in disbelief.
Hand 3 NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH
♠ AQ West North East South

♥ 10 8 7 1♥
♦ K8 pass 2♣ pass 2♥
♣ K J 10 9 5 2 pass 4♥ all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 10 8 7 6 2 N ♠ K95 Opening lead: ♦2
♥ 64 W E ♥ 93
♦ J932 S ♦ A Q 10 5
♣ A3 ♣ 8764
SOUTH
♠ J43
♥ AKQJ52
♦ 764
♣ Q
Partner leads the ♦2 and you capture dummy's king with your ace. Yes, declarer should have played
If declarer had the ♦J, he would surely have played low from low from dummy at trick one.
dummy, so your play is to lead a low diamond to put partner in for Nevertheless, you must be able to
a spade play. You must project that partner has either a club trick take advantage of errant play.
or a trump trick. If so, you need that spade play quickly!
Hand 4 NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH

♥ 10 7 3 1♦
♦ 9865 pass 1♠ 2♠1 4♣
♣ K5 pass 4♦ pass 5♦
♠ Q4 N ♠ A J 10 9 6 3
♥ A9865 W E ♥ QJ4
1) Natural
♦ 43 S ♦ 72
♣ 8732 ♣ 94
Opening lead: ♠Q
SOUTH
♠ 5
♥ K2
♦ A K Q J 10
♣ A Q J 10 6
Dummy plays low on partner’s ♠Q. Declarer figures to have 10 or
11 minor-suit cards and likely a singleton spade. It seems that, if
you don’t attack hearts early, declarer will be able to pitch dummy’s
hearts on good clubs, and then ruff hearts in dummy. It may take a
little courage on your part, but your play is to overtake the ♠Q and
switch to the ♥Q before the mice get at those heart losers.
Test Yourself
1) NORTH (Dummy)
♠J63
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ K Q 10 2 S ♠4
SOUTH
♠5
Solution on page 53 Against 4♥, you lead the ♠K. Dummy plays low, partner the ♠4,
and declarer the ♠5. Who has the ♠A and why?
2) NORTH (Dummy)
♠KJ6
N
WEST (You)
W E
♠ A 10 5 3 S
Solution on page 53 Diamonds are trumps, and in the middle of the hand, declarer plays
the ♠K from dummy. Who has the ♠Q, and why?
3) NORTH (Dummy)
♠AJ3
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ 10 7 6 4 S ♠Q
SOUTH
♠K
Solution on page 53 You lead the ♠4 against notrump, and the trick continues jack,
queen, king. Who has the ♠9, and why?
4) NORTH (Dummy)
♠ Q 10 5 2
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠K93 S ♠A
SOUTH
♠4
Solution on page 53 You lead the ♠3, dummy plays low, partner plays the ♠A and declar-
er the ♠4. Who has the ♠J, and why?
5) NORTH (Dummy)
♠A84
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠Q S ♠K732
SOUTH
♠5
Partner leads the ♠Q which holds and continues with the ♠J to Solution on page 53
declarer’s ace. Who has the ♠10, and why?
6) NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 9 8 4
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠KQJ2 S ♠3
SOUTH
♠5
You lead the ♠K against notrump; it holds the trick, partner playing Solution on page 53
the ♠3 and declarer the ♠5. Who has the ♠A, and why?
NORTH (Dummy)
7)
♠K3
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠Q9852 S ♠4
SOUTH
♠6
Defending against 4♥, you lead the ♠5. Dummy wins the ♠K, part- Solution on page 53
ner playing the ♠4 and declarer the ♠5. Who has the ♠J and why?
8) NORTH (Dummy)
♠KJ
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠4 S ♠A93
South has opened 1NT, and becomes declarer in 4♥. Partner leads Solution on page 53
the ♠4, and declarer plays the ♠K. Who has the ♠Q, and why?
9) NORTH (Dummy)
♠K3
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠J9742 S ♠5
SOUTH
♠6
Solution on page 53 You lead the ♠4 against 3NT: dummy plays the ♠K, partner the ♠5,
and declarer the ♠6. Who has the ♠Q, and why?
10) NORTH (Dummy)

♠A63
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠Q S ♠ K 10 7 4 2
Solution on page 53 After you have bid spades, partner (who has not supported you)
leads the ♠Q against 3♦. Dummy plays low on this trick. Who has
the ♠J, and why?
To questions

1) East has the ♠A. With ♠Jxx in dummy, South would win the
ace and later lead up to the ♠J for a second trick.
2) South has the ♠Q. Without that card he would lead up to the
KJx, not away from it!
3) Partner figures to have the ♠9. With K9x, declarer plays low
from dummy winning three tricks any time you have underled
the queen or the ten. If you have underled the queen, partner’s
ten drives out the king, but declarer can lead to the jack later.
If you have underled the ten, playing low forces partner to play
the queen at once giving declarer an immediate three tricks.
4) Declarer has the ♠J. If partner has both the ace and the jack,
the proper play at trick one is the jack, particularly when you
have led a low card showing an honor.
5) Declarer has the ♠10. If partner has ♠QJ10, the proper contin-
uation after the queen holds is the ten.
6) East has the ♠A, since South would have won the ace to guar-
antee a second stopper facing dummy’s ♠10984.
7) East must have the ♠J, or else declarer would have let the open-
ing lead come up to the AJx in his hand.
8) Declarer must have the ♠Q. Declarer knows partner is not

underleading an ace into the notrump bidder. Please. If declar-
er had small spades, he’d surely play the ♠J from dummy, play-
ing you for the ace and partner for the queen. Declarer’s play
of the ♠K from dummy shouts from the rooftops that he also
has the ♠Q.
9) South has the ♠Q. Partner might have unblocked with ♠Qx, or
else surely would have played a higher spot card holding ♠Qxx
or ♠Qxxx.
10) Partner has the ♠J. If declarer had it, he would win the ♠A,
and later lead a spade from dummy towards his jack, through
your marked ♠K.
• Inferences can be drawn by alert defenders from the bid-

ding, the opening lead, and the way suits are played during
the hand.
• Inferences allow you to build a picture of the distribution,
place missing high cards, and form a strategy for defense.
• Negative inferences can be as revealing as positive ones.
• Declarer has similar inferences available at all stages of the
hand.
• Expert players ‘guess right’ more often than not because
they are aware of all these subtle inferences and are very
good at acting upon them.
Counting
Distribution
Not everything that can be counted counts, and not
everything that counts can be counted.
ALBERT EINSTEIN 3 WHAT
YOU’RE GOING
TO LEARN
IN THIS
CHAPTER:
• How to draw inferences from
the opponents’ bidding about
their trump length and overall
distribution
• How to use information from
The opponents have bought the contract and you and partner are partner’s opening lead to help
on defense. Declarer has an edge because once that dummy you figure out the distribution
appears, she can see her partner's hand and make big-time plans. • How experts use count signals
Your job is to try to thwart those plans (with partner's help, of more effectively
course). But unless you do some counting (the dreaded word), even Major-suit openings 56
the best partner in the world can't save you from yourself. Notrump openings 62
Minor-suit openings 64
Responder is declarer 67
There are three things you are supposed to count on defense during Partner bids 70
the play of the hand: (1) declarer's distribution, what this chapter is Someone preempts 71
all about; (2) declarer's potential tricks and (3) declarer's HCP, what The opening lead 73
the next two chapters are all about. The count signal 76
The wrap-up 78
Practice Hands 79
The quicker you get a read on declarer's distribution, the easier it is Test Yourself 82
to defend a hand without making mistakes. Players who don't Solutions 85
count make many more defensive errors than players who do. Key ideas 88
That's a given.
♣ 55
56 ♣ EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES ADVANCED BRIDGE DEFENSE ♣ CHAPTER THREE
It all boils down to this: declarer has thirteen cards just like you do.
Those cards have to be divided into some distributional pattern just
as yours are. Your job is to try to figure out what that pattern is
before the hand is over. But how do you do it?
Counting is not nearly as difficult as some make it out to be. There

are times when declarer's bidding is so revealing that you will be
able to zero in on declarer's distribution before the opening lead is
made!
Major-suit openings
Throughout this chapter we’re Sequences that begin with an opening bid of 1♥ or 1♠ and wind up
going to assume ‘standard’ bid- with the opening bidder being the declarer are usually the easiest
ding methods. Obviously, to to count.
some extent your exact infer-
ences depend on what system Opener Responder
your opponents are using. 1♠ 2♦
Whatever their system and agree- 2♥ 2NT
ments are, inferences are avail- 3♦ 3♠
able; the opponents know what 4♠ pass
they are — make sure you do too
by asking the right questions. First things first. Assume an opening bid of 1♠ or 1♥ shows a 5-card
suit unless it is rebid, when you can assume six. Assume a second-
bid suit shows four cards unless it is rebid; if it is, assume five.
Assume delayed support (opener's 3♦ bid) shows three cards.
Of course, if your opponents play ‘four-card majors’, you have to

make allowances. Also, third-seat opening bids of 1♠ or 1♥ may be
made with a four-card major. However, some players won't open a
four-card major even at gunpoint; assume that a 1♠ or 1♥ opening
bid shows a five-card suit.
Using this as a guide, opener in our example auction figures to have

a 5-4-3-1 hand pattern (starting with spades, then hearts, then dia-
monds, etc.) This has to help you on defense. It has to.
CHAPTER THREE ♣ COUNTING DISTRIBUTION ♣ 57
When you count declarer's hand, you only need a count on three
suits, not four. Once you know three, you know all four.
In the example sequence, declarer bid three suits, so counting her

hand was a piece of cake. Sometimes declarer bids only two suits.
Opener Responder
1♠ 1NT
2♦ 3♦
pass
Assume opener has five spades and four diamonds. Say the open-
ing lead is the ♣A followed by the ♣K which declarer ruffs. You
now have a count on the third suit, clubs, and declarer's likely dis-
tribution is 5-3-4-1. ‘Can't declarer have five diamonds?’ you may
ask. Of course, but until you learn otherwise, assume four.
Revising your count
Maybe the diamonds in the above auction are divided like this:
NORTH (Dummy)
♦ A 10 4 3
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♦J6 S ♦Q9
SOUTH
♦K8752
South is declarer in 3♦, and plays the ♦K and a diamond to the ace,
felling your jack and partner's queen simultaneously. Clearly each
of you have played your last diamond so declarer must have five,
not four diamonds. Time to revise your estimate of declarer's distri-
bution. The revised count is 5-2-5-1. You must remain ‘count flex-
ible’ in the face of new evidence.
The fall of the cards in a side suit may also offer a chance for a
‘count revision’.
BOTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH

♠ 2
1♠
♥ KJ3
pass 2♣ pass 2♥
♦ QJ86
pass 2NT pass 3♥
♣ K J 10 5 4
pass 4♥ all pass
EAST (You)
N ♠ J954
W E ♥ Q9
S ♦ 10 9 5 4
♣ AQ8
You go into battle figuring declarer has 5-5 in the majors. Say part-
ner leads the ♦A which declarer ruffs. Your provisional ‘count esti-
mate’ should be 5-5-0-3. Say declarer continues by playing the ace
and a low spade ruffing in dummy, partner playing the ♠K on the
second lead. Partner's play of the ♠K is supposed to deny the queen
(defenders follow suit with the lower of equals). Since partner has
two spades, declarer has six. The new revised count reads 6-5-0-2.
This is declarer's hand:
♠ AQ10763 ♥ A8542 ♦ — ♣ 73.
Say declarer, instead of cashing the ♠A, makes the stronger play at
trick two of a club to the jack, partner playing the ♣2, a count sig-
nal. If partner has three clubs, declarer has two clubs. Given this
information, again you have to revise your count and should play
declarer for 6-5 or possibly 5-6 in the majors. Opener, with six
hearts and five spades, may not have been strong enough to open
1♥ and reverse into spades.
On a bad day declarer only bids one suit, but even that suit may be
‘count revealing’.
Opener Responder
2♠1 4♠
pass
1) Weak
You start by assuming declarer has six spades. Your job is to zero in
on two other suits. Help may be just around the corner. Say the
defense begins with three high hearts, and declarer ruffs the third
round. Good. That's two suits you know about. Declarer has six
spades and two hearts. Now declarer attacks clubs. You and part-
ner will probably be giving each other a count signal in clubs,
something coming up again later in this chapter. Say you can tell
from partner's count signal that declarer started with two clubs.
The count is complete. Declarer's distribution should be 6-2-3-2.
It can't be emphasized too strongly how important it is to become

familiar with these hand patterns you see sprinkled all over this
chapter. An easy aid to remembering patterns is to look at your
own and try to absorb it. Another is to have a friend give you
three numbers such as ‘5-2-2’, and you fill in the missing number
(‘4’) to complete the distribution. You can even test yourself out
loud that way. Only do it when you are alone or else they may cart
you off somewhere.
So what exactly are your counting crutches?
1) The bidding: yours, theirs and what isn't bid (the biggie!)
2) Spot card leads and cards returned in those suits.
3) Count signals.
4) When anyone shows out of a suit.
5) Common sense, including what partner does and doesn't lead.
For example, spades are trumps, partner makes an opening lead,
and you see ten clubs between your hand and dummy. If part-
ner has a singleton club, partner will presumably lead it looking
for a ruff. If partner doesn't lead a club, play declarer for a sin-
gleton or a void in clubs.
Just to show you can count with the best of ‘em, here's an example.
Don't let me down.

NORTH (Dummy)
♠ J4
♥ 984 1♠
♦ Q 10 9 4 2 pass 1NT1 pass 2♦
♣ KJ5 pass 3♦ all pass
WEST (You)
♠ 10 9 8 2 N 1) Not forcing
♥ K Q 10 2 W E
♦ 53 S
♣ A86
You lead the ♥K and partner signals encouragement. You lead a low
heart to partner's ace, and partner returns a third heart which
declarer ruffs. What do you make of declarer's distribution?

Declarer should be 5-2-4-2. Consequently, if declarer leads a low
club, play low and hope declarer misguesses. However, if declarer
follows to a third round of hearts implying that declarer has
a 5-3-4-1 hand pattern, grab your ♣A if declarer leads a club, or if
you lead the suit, lead the ace. A possible defense in that case is to
cash the ♣A and exit with a spade. If declarer started with
♠ AKxxx ♥ xxx ♦ AJxx ♣ x,
declarer will not be able to get to dummy to take the diamond

finesse. If declarer tries to ruff a third round of spades, partner
overruffs.
Now try these sequences and see what you come up with:
Opener Responder
1♠ 1NT
2♠ 2NT
3♥ 3♠
pass
Play declarer for six spades and four hearts. Once you get a count
on either minor, the puzzle is solved.
Opener Responder
1♠ 2♣
2♥ 2NT
3♠ 4♠
pass
Again opener shows six spades and four hearts. The difference
between this sequence and the last is that bidding a second suit and
then returning to the first shows a stronger 6-4 hand.
Opener Responder
1♥ 1♠
2♦ 2NT
3♦ pass
Opener figures to be 5-5 in the reds with fewer than three spades.
With three-card spade support, opener is supposed to show that
support sooner or later. Yes, opener might have six hearts and five
diamonds or even five hearts and six diamonds with a hand not
strong enough to reverse (10-13 HCP). Nevertheless, play opener
for the most likely distribution until you learn otherwise.
Opener Responder
1♠ 2♥
2NT 3NT
pass
Opener should have a balanced hand without any singletons.
Opener's most likely distribution is some 5-3-3-2 pattern. In fact,
once you discover opener's doubleton, you should assume 3-3 in
the two other suits. There is a further inference that declarer's dou-
bleton is in hearts. The 2♥ response shows a five-card suit so if
opener has three hearts, he tends to raise. Start by assuming that
opener is 5-2-3-3, keeping ‘revision time’ open.
What other patterns fit this auction? Declarer may be 5-2-4-2 and
not be strong enough to introduce diamonds at the three-level.
Opener may even be 5-1-3-4 with a singleton honor in hearts; the
opening lead may tell you that declarer started with four clubs.
‘Revision time’ has arrived.
What about when declarer jump shifts? Unless opener rebids the Be wary of sequences like:
second suit, assume for the moment that it is a four-card suit. Opener Responder
1♥ 1♠
Opener Responder 3♣ 3♦
1♥ 1♠ 3♥ 4♥
3♦ 3♥ pass
3NT pass
3♣ may have been bid on a
Opener figures to have 5-4 in the reds with fewer than three spades. three-card suit to create a game
Play opener for 1-5-4-3 or 2-5-4-2. force. Opener could have:
♠ Ax ♥ AQJxxx ♦ xx ♣ AKx
When opener rebids a major the assumption is a six-card suit, but
there are exceptions.
Opener Responder Opener Responder

1♥ 1♠ 1♠ 1NT
2♥ pass 2♠ pass
In each of these sequences opener has skipped over three possible

rebids to rebid the original suit. Whenever opener skips over three
possible rebids, assume a six-card suit (whether the suit is a minor
The more suits the opener skips
or a major). Of course, we are referring to openers who know how
over to rebid the original suit,
to bid, not those that rebid a five-card minor just to show their
the more likely it is to be a six-
partners that it wasn't a short club or a short diamond!
card suit.

1♥ 2♦ 1♠ 2♥
2♥ 4♥ 2♠ 4♠
pass pass
When the original response is made in the suit directly beneath the
opener's suit in rank, opener may have a second suit and not be
strong enough to introduce it at the next level, which constitutes a
reverse. The inference of a six-card suit has shrunk from nearly
100% to something like 60%.
Jump rebids show six- or seven-card suits; double-jump rebids tend

to show seven-card suits, or possibly six-card suits if partner has bid
notrump and indicated a balanced hand.
1♥ 1♠ 1♥ 1NT
3♥ 4♥ 4♥
pass pass
Either of these jumps can show a six- or seven-card suit, but the
jump to 4♥ is more likely to contain a seven-card suit because the
1NT response does not show a balanced hand.
Notrump openings
Players are more likely to open An opening bid of 1NT, 2NT, or 3NT is presumed to show one of
1NT with a five-card major at three possible distributions: any 4-3-3-3, any 4-4-3-2 or some 5-3-3-
matchpoints, where playing in 2 patterns. If opener has a five-card suit, it is more likely that suit is
notrump can result in a much a minor. Some players won't open 1NT with a five-card major, oth-
higher score. On the other hand, ers will, while others will pick and choose. This is something you
it is relatively common for players have to ask about. Knowing your opponents’ bidding tendencies is
to open 2NT with a five-card important when trying to count a hand; very important.
major.
Your job is to figure out which of these three distributions declarer
has as quickly as possible. The bidding, especially when Stayman
enters the picture, simplifies the problem. Here's an easy one:
South North
1NT 2♣
2♥ 3NT
4♠ pass
South must have four hearts and four spades. Once you discover
how many clubs or diamonds South has, South's distribution is
known.
Now look at this sequence:
South North
1NT 2♣
2♥ 3NT
pass
South has four hearts but fewer than four spades. With four spades
South bids 4♠ over 3NT because North has promised four spades.
South North
1NT 3NT
pass
The worst; South can have any of the three distributions. Help may
be on the way, however. Say partner leads the ♦2, showing four;
dummy tables with ♦K6, and your diamonds, regrettably, are the
♦95. Right off the bat you know declarer has five diamonds and
some 5-3-3-2 pattern. You also know that partner has made an
unfortunate lead smack into declarer's five-card suit. What else is
new? Once you discover declarer's doubleton, at least you will have
a ‘read’ on the hand — though it may be too late!
South North
2NT 3♣
3♦ 3♥
3NT pass
Say North's 3♥ bid systemically shows five hearts and four spades.
If so, South, who has denied a four-card major, shows two hearts
and three spades with his 3NT rebid. Your partner's expected
minor-suit lead may clarify declarer's exact distribution.
Transfer sequences can also lead to distributional inferences.
South North
1NT 2♦1
2♥ 2NT
pass
With three hearts and a minimum South's pass of 2NT typically denies three hearts, so start by playing
hand, South would convert to South for a doubleton heart; not much to go on. However, if South
3♥. turns up with five clubs, play South to be 3-2-3-5. If South turns up
with four clubs, South is either 4-2-3-4 or 3-2-4-4.
South North
1NT 2♥1
3♠ 4♠
pass
1) Transfer to spades
South loves spades, and the way most people play, the jump shows
four spades.
Minor-suit openings
Clearly it is easier to count declarer's hand after a major-suit open-
ing bid because you can assume a five-card suit and usually be right.
A minor-suit opening bid can be made with as few as three cards in
the suit, however. It might be a good idea to dismiss some myths
right away. There is a large group out there that thinks every time
partner opens 1♣ or 1♦, it is likely to be a ‘short club’ or a ‘short
diamond’. Not true.
Let's start with the 1♣ opening bid. Say you pick up
♠ A943 ♥ A754 ♦ KQ2 ♣ 65.
Playing five-card majors, you have no choice but to open 1♦. This,
by the way, is the only distribution where you are supposed to open
Another restricting factor is that
1♦ with a three-card diamond suit. Do you have any idea how
with the same distribution and
often this happens? Less than 5% of the time! In other words,
more high cards, you would open
when partner opens 1♦, chances are partner has four or more dia-
1NT.
monds 95+% of the time. To turn this figure around: when
defending against a declarer who opens 1♦ and turns up with three
diamonds, assume a 4-4-3-2 pattern.
What about those who play ‘better minor’ and open 1♦ with
♠ AQ4 ♥ J875 ♦ AQ4 ♣ 987?
Even including this aberration (my feeling), an opening bid of 1♦

with a three-card diamond suit is unlikely.
What about a ‘short club’? How often can you expect a 1♣ opening
to be made with exactly three clubs? Less than 15% of the time. To
turn this figure around: if partner opens 1♣ you can expect to find
four or more clubs in partner's hand at least 85% of the time. If
more players realized what these numbers were, they would support
minor-suit opening bids more often.
Let's look at sequences that begin with 1♣ or 1♦.
Opener Responder
1♣ 1♦
2♣ pass
This is an easy one. Opener has skipped over three possible rebids,
1♥, 1♠, and 1NT. Opener has at least six clubs and does not figure
to have a four-card major.
This sequence brings us to the topic of opener skipping over one or

two major suits to rebid a minor suit. When this happens, the
inference is that the opener does not have four cards in a ‘skipped-
over’ major. Once again, nothing is written in stone. Opener may
have:
♠K4 ♥ 8653 ♦ 2 ♣ AKQ1087
and feel it is more descriptive to rebid 2♣ rather than 1♥ over a 1♦

response.
Opener Responder
1♣ 1♦
1♠ 1NT
2♦ pass
Several inferences available: (1) opener has skipped over 1♥ to rebid
1♠ so opener does not have four hearts; (2) opener has bid two suits
and supported a third. When this happens, assume five cards in
the first suit, four in the second, and three in the third. Play opener
for 4-1-3-5. Notice a ‘short club’ is not even a ballpark thought
when three suits are bid. Many players would be better off if they
had never heard of a short club or a short diamond when trying to
work out declarer’s distribution. The frequency is too low. On the
preceding sequence, opener might have
♠ AK87 ♥ 2 ♦ AJ5 ♣ Q10874.

1NT and 2NT rebids are supposed to show balanced hands:

Opener Responder
1♣ 1♥
1NT 2NT
pass
This one is not as easy as it looks. A possible distribution is 3-2-3-5.

Opener should not rebid a five-card minor suit in preference to
rebidding 1NT with a balanced hand. Another possibility is
3-2-4-4; however, some players always open 1♦ with 4-4 in the
minors, others always open 1♣. You can save yourself mucho
counting headaches if you ask your opponents about their agree-
ments concerning opening the bidding with 4-4 in the minors.
Continuing with this sequence: has opener denied four spades? It

would appear so. However, there is an auxiliary problem with an
opener who opens a short club with 4-3-3-3 distribution.
♠ Q843 ♥ AJ3 ♦ K104 ♣ QJ5
Is opener better served to rebid 1♠ or 1NT with this distribution?

Suffice it to say that many top players rebid 1♠ while many others
rebid 1NT. You should ask whether opener has denied four spades
before making your opening lead. Also, you and your partner
should decide how you plan to rebid such hands yourselves.
When opener makes a jump rebid, showing at least a six-card suit,

and then bids the suit again, assume a seven-bagger.
Opener Responder
1♣ 1♦
3♣ 3♥
4♣ 5♣
pass
Play opener for seven clubs and no spade stopper.
When opener reverses, assume five cards in the first suit and four in
the second, and go from there.
Opener Responder
1♣ 1♠
2♥ 3♥
4♥ pass
Play opener for five clubs and four hearts. Don't even think about a
short club in reversing sequences.
When opener makes a jump rebid of 2NT and responder raises to

3NT, you don't know much.
Opener Responder
1♦ 1♠
2NT 3NT
pass
This one is a toughie. Opener can have many possible distributions

including some with up to six diamonds! This one requires your
antennae to be up, way up. For starters, opener cannot have a short
diamond: with 4-4-3-2 distribution, opener raises spades.
However, when opener makes a jump rebid of 2NT and responder

bids a second suit, things begin to clear up.
Opener Responder
1♦ 1♠
2NT 3♥
3NT pass
Responder figures to have five spades and four hearts. Opener A jump rebid of 2NT after a
should have fewer than three spades and cannot have four hearts. minor-suit opening bid can con-
Opener’s most likely distributions are 2-3-4-4, 2-3-5-3, 2-2-6-3 and ceal a six-card suit.
2-3-6-2.
When responder
becomes declarer
In the previous examples opener always wound up being the declar-
er. Let's not discriminate. Responder is quite apt to become the
declarer, particularly if opener supports one of responder’s suits, if
responder has a long, strong suit, or if responder bids notrump and
plays there.
The rules stay in place. If responder bids two suits, assume 5-4; if
responder rebids the same suit, assume a six-card suit; if the initial
response is a natural 2NT or 3NT (not 1NT) assume one of the three
balanced-hand distributions.
Opener Responder
1♣ 1♥
1♠ 2♥
pass
The assumption is that responder has six hearts and fewer than four
spades. Had responder jumped to 3♥ over 1♠, the assumption
would still be a six-card suit. However, had responder leaped to 4♥
over 1♠, not knowing of any heart support, seven hearts is more
likely than six.
Opener Responder
1♣ 1♠
2♠ 2NT
3♠ pass
Responder has four spades and denies four hearts. With 4-4 in the
majors, the normal response is 1♥. What about diamonds? Has
responder denied four diamonds by skipping over that suit too?
As usual, you should realize that No. In the modern game the emphasis is on bidding major suits as
not everyone plays this way. Ask! quickly as possible before competition, particularly preemptive
competition, may cause you to ‘lose the suit’. With strong hands,
hands approaching opening-bid strength, responder can afford to
go slowly and bid 1♦ (especially with strong diamonds) and then
bid the major next, but with weaker hands, the major suit is nor-
mally bid first.
Opener Responder
1♣ 1♠
2♠ 4♠
pass
This one is also a bit tricky. If opener ‘promises’ four spades with
that raise (as some play), then responder can leap to game with a
four-card spade suit. However, if opener can have three spades, as
most play, then the leap to 4♠ shows at least five spades. Ask.
Opener Responder
1♦ 1♠
2♦ 2♥
2NT 3♥
4♥ pass
Play responder for 5-5 in the majors.

Opener Responder
1♦ 1♥
2♦ 2♠
2NT 3♠
4♥ pass
Play responder for five spades and six hearts. With 5-5, regardless
of strength, the first response is in spades, the higher-ranking suit,
not hearts.
Opener Responder
1♦ 1♠
2♠ 3NT
pass
Responder has exactly four spades and denies four hearts. Opener
apparently has three spades. With four spades, opener usually
returns to 4♠ on this sequence. However, if opener has promised
four spades with the raise, opener may pass 3NT.
Distributional inferences change dramatically when the original

response is 2NT as opposed to an original suit response followed by
a 2NT rebid.
Opener Responder
1♦ 2NT
3♣ 3♥
3NT pass
Responder is balanced and does not figure to have a four-card

major. The 3♥ bid says, ‘my hearts are much stronger than my
spades, so don't bid 3NT unless you have a spade honor or spade
length’. Perhaps responder has
♠ Q54 ♥ AKJ ♦ 1076 ♣ K532.
Now compare the previous sequence to this one:
Opener Responder
1♦ 2♣
2♠ 2NT
3NT pass
The 2NT rebid does not necessarily promise a balanced hand;

responder might be 3-4-1-5 or even 3-3-1-6.
Be wary of a 1NT response, particularly to a major-suit opening bid.

Opener Responder
1♠ 1NT
3NT pass
Responder does not necessarily have a balanced hand. He may
have a wildly distributional hand that is not strong enough to
respond at the two level. To give you an idea of what responder
could have:
♠ — ♥ J8743 ♦ K43 ♣ Q10874
Sometimes a 1NT responder has a chance to show a six-card minor.
Opener Responder
1♥ 1NT
2NT 3♦
pass
Play responder for at least six diamonds, fewer than three hearts,
and fewer than four spades.
When partner joins the party

In the previous sequences only the opponents were bidding. It was
almost as if your side had a case of terminal lockjaw. On most
hands the defenders join in, and many of the bids your partner
makes show a specific number of cards in a particular suit. For
example, if your partner opens 2♥, weak, you know partner has six
hearts. If the opponents play the hand, you will know the moment
the dummy comes down how many hearts declarer has. (Of course
declarer also knows how many hearts you have.)
The more bidding your side does, the easier it is to count declarer's
hand. Try this one from the East chair:
1♥ ♠ A93
2♠1 dbl2 pass 2NT ♥ 96
pass 3NT all pass ♦ KQ96
♣ A975
1) Weak EAST (You)
2) Negative N ♠ 8
W E
S ♥ K 10 8 5 2
♦ AJ743
♣ J3
Partner leads the ♣2, fourth best. What is declarer's distribution?

You can do it! Just go back to the bidding and the opening lead.
There are three clues: declarer's 1♥ bid, partner's 2♠ bid, and the
lead of the ♣2. Declarer figures to have five hearts (did not rebid
hearts); partner should have six spades, leaving declarer three; the
lead of the ♣2 shows four, so declarer has three clubs. Putting it all
together, declarer should have a 3-5-2-3 hand pattern.
Defenders can also take inferences from what partner does not bid.
For example:

(You)
1♥ 1♠
2♥ 2♠ all pass
Partner's pass of 2♠ denies six hearts. With six hearts partner is sup-
This concept is called the Law of
posed to compete to 3♥. Knowing partner has only five hearts tells
Total Tricks. U.S. expert Larry
you how many hearts declarer has (when dummy comes down).
Cohen has written several books
Similarly your raise to 2♥ normally shows three hearts. Holding
on the Law and its applications in
four hearts you are supposed to compete to 3♥ yourself. The rule is
competitive auctions.
not to let the opponents play at the two-level if your side has a
nine-card fit. Important.
When someone preempts

When either side makes a preemptive bid, counting becomes easier
for everybody, particularly when the preemptive bidder becomes
the declarer. Why? Because when declarer is known to have a long
suit there are fewer ‘other’ cards to count!
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ K5
♥ 876 3♠
♦ K J 10 9 all pass
♣ J976
WEST (You)
♠ 82 N
♥ KQ4 W E
♦ A753 S
♣ A543
You lead the ♥K, partner encourages with the ♥9, and you continue
with the ♥Q and a heart to partner's jack, declarer following.
Partner switches to the ♣2, declarer plays the king, you win and
return the ♣3 (showing four); dummy plays the ♣9, partner the
♣10, and declarer ruffs. Are you counting? Declarer exits with a
low diamond. What do you do?
Declarer’s hand is:
Play low. The clues are all there. The bidding tells you that South
♠ AQJ10xxx
has seven spades. The play in hearts indicates declarer started with
♥ xxx
three hearts and declarer is known to have a singleton club.
♦ xx
Declarer must be 7-3-2-1, so you want to give declarer a guess in
♣K
diamonds by playing low.
One further point. Let's go back to the heart suit:
NORTH (Dummy)
♥876
N
WEST (You) EAST (Loving partner)
W E
♥KQ4 S ♥AJ93
SOUTH
♥ 10 5 2
When partner wins the third round of hearts with the ♥J, you know
partner still has the ♥A. However, if partner is careless and wins
the third round of hearts with the ♥A, partner denies the ♥J. Now
you have a miscount on the hearts which is why it is mega-impor-
tant for defenders to take a trick with the lower or lowest equal.
If partner wins the third heart with the ace, and declarer eventually
leads a diamond, you should fly with your ace playing declarer for a
7-4-1-1 pattern. Can you see now why good players make so many
more mistakes when not playing with other good players? Their
partners screw them up!
The opening lead

The most readable count card is the opening lead of a deuce versus
notrump (or the opening leader's known lowest card), indicating a
four-card suit (playing fourth-best leads). That clue, coupled with
the bidding, may be all third hand needs to get a complete count!
♠ 62
1♠
♥ 73
pass 2♣ pass 2♦
♦ AJ54
pass 3♦ pass 3NT
♣ KQJ42
all pass
EAST (You)
N ♠ J73
W E ♥ A 10 6 4
S ♦ 93
♣ A 10 9 6
Partner leads the ♥2. What does everybody have? You can do it!
Declarer has shown five spades and four diamonds. Partner's lead
shows four hearts leaving declarer with three hearts. Voilà, declarer
has a 5-3-4-1 hand pattern. When you return the ♥4, your lowest
from three remaining cards in partner's suit, partner also has a com-
plete count on the hand.
One can make some remarkable plays with an early count.

♠ 10 7 6 4 3
1♥
♥ KJ
pass 1♠ pass 2♦
♦ AQ93
pass 3♦ pass 3NT
♣ 86
all pass
EAST (You)
N ♠ AQ92
W E ♥ 10 7 4
S ♦ 10 6
♣ A954
Partner leads the ♣2. What is declarer's distribution, and how do

you plan to defend?
Declarer figures to be 5-4 in the reds, and the lead pinpoints three
clubs in declarer's hand, ergo declarer has a singleton spade!
Regardless of what that spade is, your side has four spade tricks if
you play the ace and another spade next. Declarer's hand:
♠ K ♥ AQ982 ♦ KJ54 ♣ KJ7.
If you woodenly return a club, declarer races off with the next ten
tricks.
When partner leads high in a suit you have bid but he has not sup-
ported, then assume partner has a doubleton. At notrump a high-
low lead in an unbid suit generally shows a five-card suit. But what
about a suit contract? Does it show two or five cards? How can
you tell? The answer to most distributional ambiguities can be
BOTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH found by going back to the bidding.
NORTH (Dummy)
3♠
♠ AQ8
pass 4♠ all pass
♥ J76
♦ A K J 10 8
♣ J 10
EAST (You)
N
♠ 32
W E ♥ AK9
S ♦ 9432
♣ A985
Partner leads the ♥3 to your king and declarer's four. When you
play the ♥A, partner plays the ♥2 and declarer the five. How do
you read the hearts, and what now?
Partner has either two or five hearts. Whenever partner can have
one of two distributions, assume the shorter, work out how many
that gives declarer, and ask yourself if that is a reasonable possibili-
ty. If it isn't, assume partner has the larger number. In this case, if
partner has two hearts, declarer has five. This is not reasonable
given the bidding. Play partner for five hearts, declarer for two,
and shift to a low club. Why a low club?
With those diamonds staring you in the face, you must try for two
quick club tricks to defeat the contract. If partner has the ♣K, it
doesn't matter which club you lead, but if partner has the ♣Q, and
declarer the ♣K, you must put declarer to an immediate guess by
leading low.
Declarer's hand:
♠ KJ109754 ♥ 54 ♦ 65 ♣ K7. A modern popular method, espe-

cially against suit contracts, is to
Playing fourth-best leads, the lead of a low card at a suit contract lead low from an odd number of
can also be ambiguous. For example, the three is led from Q73, cards, and high-low to show an
Q743, and singleton three. Although it may be difficult to distin- even number. Playing this, you
guish three-card length from four-card length, the bidding usually lead the 4 from K642, and the 2
makes a singleton lead an ‘easy read’. from K62 or K6542.
NORTH (Dummy) EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER WEST

♥ K 10 8 pass pass pass 1♠
♦ J 1NT1 3♠ pass 4♠
♣ J 10 8 7 3 all pass
EAST (You)
N ♠ 10 9
W E ♥ A96543 1) Unusual for the minors
S ♦ K53
♣ 62
Partner leads the ♥2, dummy plays low, you win the ace, and
declarer plays the ♥J. Partner's lead is either a singleton or low from
three to the queen. Which is it? Go back to the bidding.
Partner's 1NT overcall by a passed hand is ‘unusual’ describing a

hand with at least 5-5 in the minors. If partner has led from ♥Q72
partner is void in spades, giving declarer seven. Doubtful. The
more likely possibility is that partner is 2-1-5-5 and is looking for a
ruff or two. Might as well oblige. Return the ♥9, a suit preference
play asking for the higher-ranking side suit, diamonds. As it hap-
pens, partner ruffs, underleads his ♦A to your king and you give
partner a second heart ruff. Down one. Cheers.
Declarer's hand: ♠ AQJ42 ♥ QJ7 ♦ Q1092 ♣ A

Partner's hand: ♠ 73 ♥ 2 ♦ A8764 ♣ KQ954
The count signal

The final nail in declarer's coffin is the count signal that you and
partner give to tell each other how many cards you have in any suit
declarer or dummy leads first. However, remember that if the count
in one of these suits is already known from the bidding, it is no
longer necessary to give count. In fact, it is counterproductive.
Why tell partner how many cards you have in a suit when partner
already knows? Declarer may be eavesdropping!
Let's take a look at a side suit in a spade contract.
NORTH (Dummy)
♦ 10 5
WEST N EAST (You)

♦QJ87 W E ♦632
S
SOUTH
♦AK94
Diamonds is an unbid suit and South begins with two top dia-
monds with the intention of ruffing a third. West begins a count
signal by playing the 8-7, high-low, showing an even number of
diamonds; East plays the 2-3, low-high to show an odd number of
diamonds. After South ruffs a diamond in dummy, both East and
West know that South has another diamond.
But let’s say diamonds is declarer's second-bid suit. Now both

defenders can be reasonably sure declarer has four diamonds and
neither should give count.
The count signal is used most often (and most effectively) when
declarer leads up to a suit in dummy, particularly one lacking the
ace.
NORTH (Dummy)
♣ K Q J 10
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♣72 S ♣A965
SOUTH
♣843
Say South has shown a balanced hand during the bidding and
eventually leads a club towards dummy. West plays the ♣7 starting
a high-low to show an even number of clubs. The trouble is that
from East's point of view West also plays the ♣7 from the ♣8742,
once again starting a high-low to show four clubs. How can East
tell?
The key, as ever, lies in the bidding. Since South has shown a bal-
anced hand, West can't have four because that would place South
with a singleton club. No, West has two clubs and South has three.
However, if South is marked with club shortness, then East should
play West for four clubs and South for a singleton.
Another point about count signals. When the opponents lead a

suit first, the only thing the defenders can do is give count. You
can’t give attitude, so don’t bother trying. For example:
NORTH (Dummy)
♣65
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♣ 10 8 3 S ♣KJ972
SOUTH
♣AQ4
Clubs is a side suit in a heart contract and declarer leads a low club
from dummy. Play the ♣2, count. Don't play something like the
♣7 and then the ♣2 thinking you are echoing to show that you
have club strength. Your high-low in clubs shows an even number
of clubs and partner is likely to miscount the hand; it's on your
head if he does and goes wrong later in the play.
What about trying to screw declarer up (assuming he is even watch-

ing) by giving false count? Giving false count is a two-edged
sword. Declarer may be misled, but then again, so may partner. If
partner goes wrong in the endgame because you gave false count in
an important suit, it's on your head again. The best time to give
false count is when you have all of your side's high card strength
and partner, holding zilch, is not going to be involved. Partner,
however, the one with zilch, gives honest count to help the
stronger hand out. The strong hand lies (occasionally), the weak hand
tells the truth.
Let's see if you are ready for prime-time, sitting East.

NEITHER VUL. DEALER SOUTH
♠ 10 3 2
3♦
♥ A K Q 10
4♠ 5♦ all pass
♦ AQ4
Opening lead: ♠A ♣ 962
EAST (You)
N ♠ 98
W E ♥ 432
S ♦ 963
♣ A9765
Partner starts with the ♠AK, declarer ruffing the second round.
Tricks three, four, and five are top diamonds, partner discarding
three spades. Declarer continues by playing the ♥AKQ, discarding
the ♣J on the third round of hearts. Next comes a low club from
dummy. Which club do you play, and worse, why?
If you are counting, you know that declarer started with a 1-2-7-3
hand pattern and remains with two clubs. There is no danger of
losing your ♣A if you make the proper prime-time play of a low
club (without hesitating or trembling or sweating). You are hoping
declarer remains with the ♣K10 and guesses wrong; if partner has
the ♣K, it doesn't matter which club you play.
Declarer's hand:
♠ 7 ♥ 85 ♦ KJ108752 ♣ KJ10
The wrap-up
So there you have it, all these weapons in your counting arsenal:
the bidding, the leads, the showouts, the count signals, plus a little
common sense, all helping you to get an early or an eventual count
on declarer's hand. Of course, once you have the count you have
to know what do with it! Hey, nobody ever said this was an easy
game.
Practice Hands
Hand 1 NORTH (Dummy) NONE VUL. DEALER SOUTH
♠ J98765 West North East South

♥ Q2 1♥
♦ AQ3 pass 1♠ pass 2♦
♣ 84 pass 2♥ pass 2NT
WEST EAST (You) pass 3NT all pass
♠ A3 N ♠ K Q 10 4 Opening lead: ♣3
♥ 987 W E ♥ 10 4 3
♦ 8654 S ♦ 10 9
♣ J 10 6 3 ♣ A952
SOUTH
♠ 2
♥ AKJ65
♦ KJ72
♣ KQ7
Partner leads the ♣3. The bidding tells you that South has five
hearts and four diamonds; the opening lead tells you that South has
three clubs and therefore a singleton spade. Your best chance is to
shift to a low spade at trick two. If partner has ♠Ax, you take an
immediate four spade tricks; if declarer has the singleton ace, you
still beat the hand if partner has a heart entry. Returning a club at
trick two only nets you four tricks at most; your side needs five.

♠ K4
♥ K63 1♠
♦ J 10 7 pass 2♣ pass 2♥
♣ K J 10 4 2 pass 2NT pass 3♥
WEST (You) EAST pass 4♥ all pass
♠ 8532 N ♠ 10 9 Opening lead: ♦K
♥ 42 W E ♥ QJ5
♦ KQ862 S ♦ A94
♣ A7 ♣ Q9853
SOUTH
♠ AQJ76
♥ A 10 9 8 7
♦ 53
♣ 6
You lead the ♦K, and partner encourages with the ♦9. You continue
with a diamond to partner's ace and declarer ruffs partner's dia-
mond return. At trick three declarer leads a low club. Up or down,

Mrs. Brown?
Up. Declarer's bidding has described a hand with at least 5-5 in the
majors. Declarer has turned up with two diamonds so that club
that is staring you in the face must be a singleton. Hop up with the
♣A and hope partner has a major-suit trick.

♠ 9
1♠ ♥ AJ7
pass 2♣ pass 2♥ ♦ Q 10 7 4
pass 2NT pass 3♥ ♣ KJ532
pass 4♥ all pass WEST EAST (You)
♠ QJ654 N ♠ 10 2
♥ 5 W E ♥ 6432
Opening lead: ♦A
♦ AK86 S ♦ 93
♣ Q74 ♣ A 10 9 8 6
SOUTH
♠ AK873
♥ K Q 10 9 8
♦ J52
♣ —
Partner leads the ♦A and you start an echo with the ♦9. Partner
continues with the king and a diamond and you ruff the third
round, declarer following with the two, the five and the jack.
The count is complete. Declarer has shown 5-5 in the majors and
has turned up with three diamonds. Declarer has a club void!
Don't even think of playing that ♣A — it is not the setting trick!
Instead, shift to a trump. Partner has five spades and declarer may
have to trump three spades in dummy. If you take one of those
trumps out of dummy, declarer could wind up a trick short. On
this layout, a trump return is the only one that defeats the contract.
Hand 4 NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER WEST

♠ K532
♥ Q J 10 2 pass pass pass 1NT
♦ K83 pass 2♣ pass 2♠
♣ 86 pass 3♠ pass 4♠
♠ A 10 8 N ♠ 76 Opening lead: ♥9
♥ 94 W E ♥ A863
♦ Q 10 5 2 S ♦ J974
♣ A972 ♣ 10 5 3
SOUTH
♠ QJ94
♥ K75
♦ A6
♣ KQJ4
Partner leads the ♥9, almost certainly a short suit — but is it a sin- Most partnerships bid 2♥ holding
gleton or a doubleton? You have no side entries, so if it’s a single- 4-4 in the majors over Stayman.
ton you have to win this trick and return a heart. If it’s a double- However, some bid their better
ton, you have to duck, so partner can reach your hand when she major first. Ask!
gets in with her presumed trump entry. What did you decide? The
auction tells you the answer — if partner has a singleton, then
South has four hearts, which he has denied by bidding 2♠ over his
partner’s Stayman enquiry. So play the encouraging ♥8, and when
partner gets in with the ♠A, she will play another heart to your ace,
and get her ruff for down one.
Test Yourself
Solutions on page 85 1) In each of the following auctions, what would you assume
North’s major-suit distribution to be?
a) North South b) North South

1♠ 2♦ 1♠ 2♣
2♥ 3♦ 2♠ 2NT
3♠ 4♠ 3♥ 4♥
pass pass
c) North South d) North South

1♠ 2♦ 1♠ 2♥
2♥ 3♠ 2NT 3NT
3NT pass pass
e) North South f) North South

1♥ 1NT 1♥ 1NT
2♠ 2NT 2♠ 2NT
3♠ 4♠ 3♥ 4♥
pass pass
g) North South h) North South

1♣ 1♦ 2NT 3♣
1♥ 2NT 3♦ 3♠1
3♠ 4♠ 3NT pass
pass
1) 5 spades and 4 hearts
2) NORTH (Dummy)
♥ KQ7
WEST (You) N
a) ♥ 6 5 2 W E
b) ♥ 9 6 5 2 S
c) ♥ 9 8 6 5 2
d) ♥ 10 9 5 2
e) ♥ 9 2
Solution on page 85 You are defending a spade contract, and South leads a low heart
towards dummy. Assuming hearts is an unbid suit and you wish to
give partner count, which heart do you play in each case?
3) NORTH (Dummy)
♠6
N
WEST EAST
W E
♠ Q 10 8 4 S ♠KJ752
SOUTH
♠A93
Diamonds are trumps and declarer plans to ruff both losing spades Solution on page 85
in the dummy. Declarer begins by playing the ace and then trump-
ing the ♠3, If the defenders wish to give each other count, in what
order do they play their spades?
4) NORTH (Dummy) EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER NORTH
♠ A72 West North East South

♥ J 10 6 5 pass pass 1♦
♦ K Q 10 8 6 1♠ 3♦ 4♠ 4NT
♣ 9 pass 5♦ pass 6♦
EAST (You) all pass
N ♠ J954
W E ♥ AQ82
S ♦ 4
♣ Q865
Partner leads the ♠K, dummy wins, and a spade is ruffed at trick Solution on page 86
two. A diamond is led to dummy, partner producing the jack, and
another spade is ruffed. Declarer continues with the ace, king and
four of clubs, ruffing in dummy, partner playing the two, three, and
seven in that order. What is declarer’s original distribution, and
which heart do you play when the jack is led from dummy?
BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH 5) NORTH (Dummy)

pass pass 1♥ ♥ Q J 10 2
pass 3♥ pass 4♥ ♦ K65
all pass ♣ KQ4
EAST (You)
N ♠ AK76
W E ♥ 43
S ♦ 982
♣ 10 7 6 5
Solution on page 86 Partner leads the ♦Q which dummy wins with the ♦K. Dummy's
♥Q loses to partner's ace and partner exits with the ♦10 taken by
declarer's ace. Declarer crosses to dummy with a heart, partner
playing the ♥9, and ruffs a diamond in the closed hand. Next,
South continues by playing the ace and a club to dummy's queen,
discarding spade on the ♣K. Hello, are you still there? A low spade
is led from dummy. Which spade do you play?

West North East South ♠ Q 10 6 5
1♣ pass 1♠ ♥ K43
pass 2♠ pass 6♠(!) ♦ A2
all pass ♣ K943
EAST (You)
♠ 32
N
W E ♥ Q J 10 9
S ♦ J8764
♣ 72
Solution on page 87 Partner leads the ♦K to dummy's ace. A spade is led to declarer's ace,
and then a spade back to the queen in dummy, partner following.
Declarer continues by ruffing a diamond in the closed hand, finally
exiting with the ace-king and a low heart to your jack, partner fol-
lowing to all three hearts. What now?
To questions

Problem 1
a) Six spades and four hearts.
b) Six spades and four hearts.
The difference between this and (a) is that North is showing a
weaker hand here by rebidding 2♠ immediately and bidding the
heart suit later.
c) Five spades and four hearts.
Apparently North has weak spades and a fitting honor in dia-
monds, plus a club stopper or two.
d) Five spades and two hearts.
With three hearts, North tends to raise hearts. He might even
have a singleton heart honor, but not, of course, a heart void!
e) Six hearts and five spades.
The spade rebid promises five, and if North has only five hearts
the proper opening bid is 1♠.
f) Six hearts and four spades.
North already showed five hearts and four spades with the first
two bids; the heart rebid shows six but denies five spades — see
the answer to part (e).
g) Four hearts and four spades.
North should be 4-4-1-4 or 4-4-0-5.
h) Two spades and three hearts.
South shows five spades and four hearts. With three spades
North normally raises to 4♠.
Problem 2
a) ♥2 Low from odd.
b) ♥6 Second highest from four.
c) ♥2 Low from odd.
d) ♥5 Third-highest from four in this case, since the ♥9 may be
an important spot.
e) ♥ 9 High-low from a doubleton.
Problem 3
West plays the 8-4, high-low to show an even number of spades.
Even though one tries to play second highest with four if possible,
care must be taken if the second-highest card has trick-taking
potential, particularly when dummy has four or five cards in the
suit. Don't waste a potential trick to give count. Period. East plays
2-7, low high to show an odd number of cards.
To questions
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER NORTH 4) NORTH (Dummy)
pass pass 1♦ ♥ J 10 6 5
1♠ 3♦ 4♠ 4NT ♦ K Q 10 8 6
pass 5♦ pass 6♦ ♣ 9
♠ K Q 10 8 6 N ♠ J954
Trick 1: ♠K ♠A ♠9 ♠3
♥ 97 W E ♥ AQ82
Trick 2: ♠2 ♠4 ♦2 ♠6
♦ J S ♦ 4
Trick 3: ♦3 ♦J ♦K ♦4
♣ J 10 7 3 2 ♣ Q865
SOUTH
Trick 4: ♠7 ♠5 ♦5 ♠10
Trick 5: ♣A ♣2 ♣9 ♣6
♠ 3
Trick 6: ♣K ♣3 ♥5 ♣5
♥ K43
Trick 7: ♣4 ♣7 ♦6 ♣8
♦ A97532
Trick 8: ♥J
♣ AK4
The count is known. Declarer has a singleton spade, six diamonds,

and judging from partner's count signal, three clubs. Declarer has
three hearts and your job is to get two heart tricks if declarer has
If you need three heart tricks to the king. The bottom line is that you must play partner for ♥9x
defeat the contract (against 5♦, and cover the jack with the queen. When declarer takes the ♥K,
say), play partner for ♥Kx and partner must unblock the ♥9. Partner’s unblocking play allows you
duck the ♥J to keep the suit fluid. to take two heart tricks with your ♥A8 sitting over dummy's ♥106.
If partner fails to unblock, declarer can duck the ♥9 leaving partner
on lead. As partner has no more hearts, partner must lead a black
card giving declarer a ruff and a sluff. Goodbye second heart trick.

pass pass 1♥ ♥ Q J 10 2
pass 3♥ pass 4♥ ♦ K65
all pass ♣ KQ4
WEST EAST (You)
♠ J8 N ♠ AK76
Trick 1: ♦Q ♦K ♦2 ♦7 ♥ A9 W E ♥ 43
Trick 2: ♥Q ♥3 ♥5 ♥A ♦ Q J 10 4 3 S ♦ 982
Trick 3: ♦10 ♦5 ♦9 ♦A ♣ 9832 ♣ 10 7 6 5
Trick 4: ♥6 ♥9 ♥10 ♥4 SOUTH
Trick 5: ♦6 ♦9 ♥7 ♦3 ♠ Q 10 9 5
Trick 6: ♣A ♣8 ♣4 ♣7 ♥ K8765
Trick 7: ♣J ♣2 ♣Q ♣5 ♦ A7
Trick 8: ♣K ♣6 ♠5 ♣3 ♣ AJ
Trick 9: ♠2 ?
To questions
Declarer's hand counts out to 4-5-2-2 distribution meaning declarer
still has three spades left. Play a low spade and hope partner has a
doubleton honor, it's your only chance. Notice that if partner has
Qx and you mistakenly play your king, you can no longer take
three spade tricks even if you lead a low spade next. Partner is out
of spades and has to concede a ruff and a sluff.
♠ Q 10 6 5 West North East South

♥ K43 1♣ pass 1♠
♦ A2 pass 2♠ pass 6♠(!)
♣ K943 all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 74 N ♠ 32
♥ 852 W E ♥ Q J 10 9
Trick 1: ♦K ♦A ♦8 ♦3
♦ K Q 10 9 5 S ♦ J8764
Trick 2: ♠5 ♠2 ♠A ♠4
♣ Q86 ♣ 72
Trick 3: ♠8 ♠7 ♠Q ♠3
SOUTH
Trick 4: ♦2 ♦6 ♠9 ♦5
♠ AKJ98
Trick 5: ♥A ♥2 ♥3 ♥9
♥ A76
Trick 6: ♥6 ♥5 ♥K ♥10
♦ 3
Trick 7: ♥4 ♥J ♥7 ♥8
♣ A J 10 5
Trick 8: ?
South is known to hold five spades, three hearts, one diamond, and
therefore, four clubs. It would be a mistake to shift to a club
because North and South each still have four clubs. A ruff and a
sluff won't help declarer. You are hoping partner has the ♣Q and
that declarer eventually misguesses after you lead a diamond (or a
heart) giving South that useless ruff and sluff. If you return a club,
you make a friend of South for life; if you return a red card, partner
will cherish your counting skills.
• The answer to most defensive problems, particularly count

problems, lies in the bidding: yours, theirs, and what isn't
bid!
• At times you must ask your opponents about their meth-
ods to help you with the count. (Will they raise a major
suit response with three trumps or do they require four?
Which suit do they open with 4-4 in the minors? Etcetera.)
• The opening lead frequently plays a vital role in counting.
• Giving each other count in ‘mystery suits’ (not suits
declarer has bid or where the count is known), completes
or helps complete the count picture in many a hand.
• If you make a real commitment to try to count each hand,
you may find yourself playing worse for the first few
months — too much to do, not enough time to do it. Not
to worry, everyone goes through that phase. However, once
you climb the hurdle, you will be playing at a completely
different level. Trust me.
Counting
Tricks
They don’t ask how, just how many
OLD GOLF SAYING 4 WHAT
YOU’RE GOING
TO LEARN
IN THIS
CHAPTER:
• How to count declarer’s tricks
using clues from the bidding
and the play
• How to use the same kind of
clues to count your own tricks
• How to change your defensive
strategy according to your trick
count
It is inescapable.
Clues from the bidding 90
Bridge is a game of counting. Once you make a ‘counting commit- Clues from the dummy 91
Clues from the first trick 93
ment’ you are on the way to becoming a much better player. In the Counting dummy’s suit 105
previous chapter you zeroed in on counting declarer’s distribution. Counting declarer’s suit 109
In this chapter you will zero in on counting tricks — yours and Counting trump tricks 112
declarer’s. After all is said and done, bridge is a game of tricks. You When dummy’s long suit
bid for tricks, you take as many tricks as you can in the play, and on can be established 117
Practice Hands 119
defense you try to prevent the opponents from taking enough tricks Test Yourself 122
to make their contract. Solutions 124
Key ideas 128
♠ 89
90 ♠ EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES MODERN BRIDGE DEFENSE ♠ CHAPTER FOUR
Clues from the bidding
Obviously it is easier to count tricks after you see the dummy. For
example, when defending a notrump contract, if dummy arrives
with ♣AKQJx and you have ♣xxx, count five club tricks for declar-
er. However, if you are looking at ♣10xxxx, count only four.
Sometimes the bidding will tip you off that there is going to be a
powerful suit in one or both of the opponent’s hands. This infor-
mation influences your choice of opening leads. Say you are West
and you hold:
♠ Q10853 ♥ AK5 ♦ 963 ♣ 32.
(You)
1NT
pass 2NT pass 3NT
all pass
You have no reason to believe that either player has a long, strong,
suit so you make your normal lead of the ♠5 hoping eventually to
set up your spades. But say this is the bidding:
(You)
1♣
pass 1♦ pass 3♣
pass 3♦ pass 3NT
all pass
This is a different ball game. South surely has a long, powerful club
suit, and North might have the same in diamonds. You are not
going to have time to set up your spades. You must make an attack-
ing lead looking for quick tricks. Lead the ♥K hoping to hit partner
with something like ♥Qxxxx or ♥Jxxxx (and declarer ♥Qx).
This difference in strategy — (1) establishing a long suit perhaps

giving up the lead once or twice, or simply sitting back and waiting
for your tricks by leading a suit in which the opponents have the
top tricks (a passive defense), or (2) taking your tricks as quickly as
possible before giving up the lead (active defense) — is the key to
most defensive thinking. And this decision is based largely upon
your assessment of how many tricks declarer has available. This
chapter will give you the tools to help you solve this problem.
CHAPTER FOUR ♠ COUNTING TRICKS ♠ 91
Clues from the dummy

NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER WEST

♥ AK3 1♠ 2♣ pass 2NT
♦ 74 pass 3NT all pass
♣ K Q J 10 7 4
WEST (You)
♠ Q J 10 9 8 N
♥ 864 W E
♦ AJ92 S
♣ A
You lead the ♠Q, partner plays the ♠2, and declarer wins the ♠K.
Already you know that declarer has two spade tricks from partner’s
discouraging signal at trick one. At trick two declarer leads the ♣9,
you win the ace, and partner plays the ♣5. Suddenly declarer has a
bushel basket of tricks staring you in the face. Count. You know of
two spade tricks and now you see five more club tricks plus the ♥AK
for a grand total of nine. This is not even counting a likely ♥Q in
declarer’s hand. No matter; you have arrived at a point that comes
up often during the defense of many a contract:
When declarer has enough tricks in three suits to make the con-
tract, switch to the fourth suit. Just do it!
Many players in this spot continue with a spade to drive out declar-
er’s king while retaining the ♦A as an entry to the established
spades. That may be the right play on some hands with some other
dummy, but it not the right play on this hand with this dummy.
Declarer has too many quick tricks staring you in the face for you to give
up the lead and go quietly. What you have to do is shift to a low dia-
mond. This is the diamond layout you are hoping for:
NORTH (Dummy)
♦74
N
WEST (You) EAST (Partner)
W E
♦AJ92 S ♦ K 10 3
SOUTH
♦Q865
If your projection is right (you have to project minimum honor

card strength in partner’s hand when desperation sets in), and part-
ner makes the standard third-hand play of the ♦K followed by the
♦10, your side collects four diamond tricks. If partner doesn’t have
the ♦K the contract could never be beaten, but at least you tried.
As an aside, the above hand was one I used many years ago in an
ill-fated television show that never saw the light of day. The format
was to have one celebrity, usually a well-known movie star who
supposedly played bridge, plus three other local players on the set.
After I interviewed the movie star, and talked for a moment or two
to each of the other players, they would all adjourn to the bridge
table and play one lesson-type hand that I had set up — a hand
they had never seen before.
Many famous entertainers have Complications soon arose. It was apparent that many of these
been bridge players. The late movie stars hadn’t played bridge for eons. One of them had never
comedian George Burns was an played at all; she had only watched her mother play! One guest
active player even at age 100! was Steven Allen’s wife, Jane Meadows. She insisted on being pho-
Lucy Lawless (Xena, Warrior tographed from one angle only. At first I was more nervous than
Princess) is also reputed to be a anyone because I was not confident about my interviewing skills.
bridge fan. When I mentioned this to Jane, she told me not to worry. She said,
‘Just ask me any question and you won’t have to say another word.’
She was right. She saved me from myself.
Back to the hand. For this hand the celebrity was the late Jim
Backus, who was the movie voice of ‘Mr. Magoo’ for many years.
He was the nicest guy, but he hadn’t played bridge for decades and
was afraid he would make a fool of himself. It had been agreed that
we would never make the celebrity be the dummy, so I put Jim in
the East seat. He was so nervous that I told him privately ‘If your
partner ever leads a diamond, play the king; and then play the ten.’
I know I wasn’t supposed to do that, but if you had seen him, you
would have done the same. He even wrote himself a little note
about how to play those diamonds.
Well, the cameras started rolling (this was a one-shot deal — no sec-
ond takes) with me off-camera as the commentator. The bidding
went as I had hoped. The lead was the ♠Q; declarer won this and
led a club to West’s ace. Now West started to think as Jim glanced
at the little note he had written. Finally, to my horror, West laid
down the ♦A! Jim, of course, played the ♦K, and then led the ♦10
out of turn. Talk about ill-fated TV shows.
Clues from the lead and the

play to the first trick
On the last hand you were able to count declarer’s spade tricks from
partner’s discouraging signal. Here is another example — again you
are leading an honor card:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠432
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ J 10 9 8 S ♠5
SOUTH
♠K
You are leading against a notrump contract and start with the ♠J.
This is greeted by the ♠5 from partner and the ♠K from declarer.
What is going on?
When you lead an honor against notrump, partner is expected to:

signal encouragement with honor third or honor fourth in your
suit (the 7 from Q7x or Q7xx), overtake with a doubleton honor
(Qx, Kx, or Ax) or play low without an honor. Here, partner’s ♠5 This book recommends that you
can be read as her lowest spade and you should play partner to be adopt the convention that the
‘honorless’. Declarer should have the ♠AKQ. Furthermore, if you lead of a jack denies holding a
use the lead convention ‘jack denies’, partner will never have a higher honor in the suit, while the
problem counting declarer’s tricks anytime you lead a jack. lead of a 10 or a 9 promises 0 or
2 higher honors.
This position is a little trickier:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠K43
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ J 10 9 8 S ♠7
SOUTH
♠Q
Defending 3NT, you lead the ♠J, dummy plays low, partner the ♠7,
and declarer the ♠Q. Play partner for the ♠A7x(x), not a doubleton.
At notrump encouraging signals are generally reserved for honor

cards, not shortness; assume declarer has one spade trick. If partner
plays a discouraging spade, play declarer for three spade tricks.
When an honor card is led, both players have a pretty good idea of
how many tricks declarer can take in that suit. However, when a
spot card is led, it is usually the opening leader who is in a better
position to count declarer’s tricks.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠543
WEST (You) N EAST

W E
♠Q8762 S ♠ 10
SOUTH
♠A
Defending a notrump contract, you lead the ♠6 to the ♠10 and ♠A.
How many spade tricks does declarer have coming? Two. Partner
must have the ♠J, or else declarer would have taken the trick with
that card. Partner cannot have the ♠K. He would have played it
with KJ10(x) in case you had led from the ace. Also, the play of the
♠10 denies the ♠9. Declarer has the ♠AK9, partner ♠J10 doubleton.
Say declarer wins the opening lead with the ♠J, not the ace. Now
what is going on? Declarer must have the ♠AKJ9, and partner the
singleton ♠10. At notrump you have run into a hornet’s nest; in a
suit contract, you can start giving partner spade ruffs.
Partner’s normal play of third hand high, but the lower of equals, is
very helpful in counting declarer’s tricks. Also, if partner wins the
trick in the suit you have led and returns the suit, the card partner
returns is usually all you need to get a complete ‘read’ on the suit.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠54
WEST (You) N EAST

W E
♠ A 10 8 3 2 S ♠K97
SOUTH
♠QJ6
During the bidding South has denied holding four spades and
winds up in notrump. You lead the ♠3 to the king and six. When
partner returns the ♠9 (higher of two remaining cards), you know
declarer has the ♠QJ blank left. It is usually right to allow declarer
to win the second round of the suit, keeping a spade in partner’s
hand to return to you in case partner has an outside entry.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠54
WEST (You) N EAST

W E
♠ K 10 8 3 2 S ♠A6
SOUTH
♠QJ97
Say the bidding has not been revealing and you lead the ♠3 against
notrump. Partner wins the ace and returns her lowest card, the ♠6,
showing an original holding of two or four cards. Most of the time
the bidding resolves these ambiguities; some of the time it doesn’t!
In the above diagram, partner started with two spades and it will
cost you a trick to play the king on declarer’s queen and return the
suit. Partner will not be impressed. But suppose the spades were
distributed like this:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠54
WEST (You) N EAST

W E
♠ K 10 8 3 2 S ♠AJ96
SOUTH
♠Q7
Again partner wins the ace and returns the six. Again declarer plays
the queen. This time your side has five spade tricks available and
you had better win the king and play back a low spade or you’ll
never hear the end of it. Not to worry, nine times out of ten the
bidding and/or the strength of the dummy tells you how many
spades declarer (or partner) has. Sometimes you have to play your
partner for length to have any chance of defeating the contract.
When dummy wins your opening lead with the queen or a lower
card, partner gives count, not attitude. You already know partner’s
attitude; he couldn’t beat dummy’s card.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠QJ6
WEST (You) N EAST

W E
♠ K 10 8 2 S ♠9
SOUTH
♠4
Either against a suit or notrump you start with the ♠2, dummy
plays the ♠J and partner contributes the ♠9. What’s going on?
Partner figures to have ♠9x (with ♠9753, partner plays the ♠7, sec-
ond highest from four), and declarer, ♠Axxx. Assuming declarer
has the wherewithal to lead up to dummy’s ♠Q, credit declarer with
three spade tricks. If, instead of the ♠9, partner plays the ♠3, also a
count card, showing a likely ♠xxx, credit declarer with ♠Axx and
two spade tricks.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠AK6
WEST (You) N EAST

W E
♠J932 S ♠4
SOUTH
♠5
You lead a low spade against a suit or notrump; dummy plays the
king, partner the ♠4, and declarer the ♠5. What’s up?
When dummy has the king, the ace, or the AK, and an honor is
played from dummy, third hand signals attitude, not count. The
play of the ♠4 denies the ♠Q (unless partner has ♠Q4 doubleton).
Count declarer for three spade tricks. P. S. You can also infer that
declarer does not have ♠Q10xx; with that holding a low card is nor-
mally played from dummy.
Sometimes partner’s play at trick one coupled with a revealing dis-

card can be all you need to get a ‘trick-taking’ count.
NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER SOUTH
♠ K Q 10 West North East South

♥ 876 1NT
♣ K J 10 9 4
WEST (You)
♠ 9 N
♥ KJ54 W E
♦ Q 10 8 4 3 S
♣ A62
You elect to lead the ♦4 in preference to the ♥4 and partner’s ♦J

loses to the king. At trick two a low club is led to the jack, partner
following. When declarer continues with the ♣10 from dummy,
partner discards the ♠2. What now? Think like this: ‘I know
declarer has two diamond tricks from the play to trick one.
Furthermore, because the ♦9 is in dummy I can establish my dia-
monds using the king of hearts as my entry to get in and cash my
diamonds’. That’s one way to look at this problem, but it’s the
wrong way. It only takes into account your eventual tricks; it does
not take into account declarer’s immediate tricks, tricks that can be
taken the next time declarer has the lead.
Declarer has two diamond tricks, and now four club tricks for a
total of six. The discard of the ♠2 tells you that declarer has the ♠A.
This, in turn, means you can add at least three tricks to your previ-
ous total of declarer’s ‘immediate tricks’ giving declarer nine or ten
tricks ‘on the ready’ (they can be taken the next time declarer has
the lead).
Players who are not counting declarer’s tricks will continue with a
high diamond upon winning the ♣A. Happily you are no longer a
card-carrying member of that union. Your play is to shift to a low
heart upon winning the ♣A. You must find partner with the
♥Axx(x) to defeat this contract. These are the unseen hands:
Declarer’s hand: ♠ A3 ♥ Q109 ♦ AK76 ♣ Q753

Partner’s hand: ♠ J876542 ♥ A32 ♦ J5 ♣ 8
If partner wins the ♥A and returns a heart, your side takes four
heart tricks and defeats the contract. But what if partner wins the
♥A and returns a diamond? Horrors! Now declarer has nine tricks.
How does partner know to return a diamond, your first suit, or a

‘Relatively’ in this sense means heart, your second suit? It goes by the relative size of the card you
that if you switch to, say, a six in lead in the second suit. If you lead a relatively low card in your sec-
your second suit, and the 2,3,4 ond suit, you are asking partner to return your second suit; if you
and 5 are all visible, the six is a lead a relatively high card in your second suit, you are asking part-
‘relatively’ low card. In fact, it is a ner to return the first suit. Got it?
very low card! Conversely if you
switch to a six and none of the This ‘rule of switching’ is consistent with the lead of a low card
lower cards is visible, that six showing strength and the lead of a high card denying strength.
should be considered a ‘relatively’ You just have to educate your partner on how to deal with your
high card. magnificent switches. If you had wanted partner to return a dia-
mond because you couldn’t safely lead one yourself, you would
have switched to a high heart. Say your hearts were something like
♥J8x(x) or ♥108x(x). With those holdings switch to the ♥8.
Most important is that you realize why you are shifting to a second
suit when you can so easily set up your first suit. You don’t have time
to set up your first suit! Now try this one:
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER SOUTH NORTH (Dummy)

West North East South ♠ K432
1NT
♥ KQJ
pass 2♣ pass 2♦
♦ 65
pass 3NT all pass
♣ J 10 6 3
WEST (You)
♠ Q J 10 9 7 N
♥ 92 W E
♦ AJ93 S
♣ K5
Blessed with a beautiful spade sequence you lead the ♠Q, captured
by dummy’s ♠K. The ♣J is led from dummy, partner plays the ♣2,
count, and you win the ♣K. How many tricks does declarer have
ready to roll?
You know declarer has two spade tricks, and at most three heart
tricks (South has denied a four-card major, remember?) for a total of
five. What about clubs? Partner’s ♣2 shows an odd number of
clubs, clearly three, which means declarer started with four clubs
and has three club tricks established for a grand total of eight.
There is no need to panic and shift to a diamond. Bide your time;
drive out declarer’s ♠A, and sit back and wait for declarer who even-
tually will have to lead a diamond. When she does, you will be
ready.
For the curious:

Declarer’s hand: ♠ A85 ♥ A86 ♦ K107 ♣ AQ87
Partner’s hand: ♠ 6 ♥ 107543 ♦ Q842 ♣ 942
Bridge is a strange game. If partner had played the ♣9 at trick two,

showing a doubleton, declarer’s immediate trick count after you
won the ♣K would have been nine, not eight (four clubs, two
spades and three hearts). Now the right play is to shift to a low dia-
mond hoping partner has ♦Kx or ♦Kxx to defeat the contract.
The Rule of E1even helps third hand count declarer’s tricks in the
suit that has been led:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠97
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠6 S ♠ Q 10 2
SOUTH
♠K
Assume South opens 1NT, denies a four-card major, and winds up
in 3NT. Partner leads the ♠6 and your ♠Q loses to the ♠K. What can
you deduce using the Rule ?
The Rule of Eleven (subtracting the card partner has led from 11)
tells you that there are five spades higher than the ♠6 in the three
remaining hands: dummy’s, yours, and declarer’s. You can see four
higher spades (two in your hand, two in the dummy) so declarer
has started life with only one spade higher than the ♠6, the ♠K.
The implications are clear. Partner has started with ♠AJ8xx(x) and
the spades are ready to rumble. Do not let declarer steal a trick
from you in another suit by playing second hand low with a side-
suit winner when your side has the setting tricks ready to be taken.
Speaking of ‘stealing’, defenders live by the rule
Thou shalt not steal the contract-fulfilling trick from under me.
BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH NORTH (Dummy)

West North East South ♠ KQ2
1♦ pass 2NT1 ♥ 873
pass 3NT all pass ♦ A K Q 10 9
♣ 32
EAST (You)
1) 13-15 HCP
N ♠ 864
W E ♥ A 10 9 5
S ♦ J2
♣ Q J 10 6
Partner leads the ♠J, taken by dummy’s queen. At trick two a low
heart is led. This is how you have to train yourself to think: ‘The
opening lead tells me that declarer has three spade tricks; the
dummy tells me that declarer has five diamond tricks for a total of
eight tricks. In order to defeat this contract, my partner must have
the ♣A’. Using this reasoning, rising with the ♥A and shifting to
the ♣Q is a must play.
Declarer’s hand: ♠ A53 ♥ KQJ ♦ 7654 ♣ K54

Partner’s hand: ♠ J1097 ♥ 642 ♦ 83 ♣ A987
Declarer was trying to stealing a ninth trick from you early in the
play, but you were counting tricks!
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER EAST NORTH (Dummy)

pass 1♦ ♥ AKQ92
pass 1♥ pass 1NT ♦ Q J 10
pass 3NT all pass ♣ 76
WEST (You)
♠ AQ4 N
♥ J 10 W E
♦ A64 S
♣ J9432
You lead the ♣3, partner plays the ♣10, and declarer the ♣K. At
trick two a low diamond is led. Any thoughts?
Declarer is marked with the ♣AKQ from partner’s play at trick one.
In addition, you can see five winning heart tricks in the dummy for
a total of eight. If declarer has the ♦K, which is quite likely, you
cannot afford to play low. You would be giving declarer her ninth
trick! A better play is to go up with the ♦A and switch to the ace-
queen of spades! If declarer has the ♦K, not only does partner need Even if partner has the ♦K, and
the ♠K to defeat the contract, but he is also marked with that card. declarer the ♠K, you still can’t
With the ♣AKQ and two more kings, South would have opened beat the hand if declarer has
1NT. What if partner has the ♦K and declarer the ♠K? Then you ♠K10x or ♠KJx even if partner is
could be looking very silly, couldn’t you? clairvoyant enough to return a
spade instead of a club. Winning
Declarer’s hand: ♠ J108 ♥ 543 ♦ K832 ♣ AKQ the ♦ A and shifting to a high
Partner’s hand: ♠ K972 ♥ 876 ♦ 975 ♣ 1085 spade is your percentage action.
When a ‘conventional’ lead is made
If the opening lead is a conventional card such as a jack (jack

denies) or a 9 or 10 (zero or two higher), third hand can often direct
the course of the defense more accurately. Of course, this assumes
you are using these lead conventions.
NORTH (Dummy) EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER NORTH
♠ AJ9 West North East South

♥ 54 1♣ pass 2NT1
♣ A Q 10 6 5 2
EAST (You) 1) 13-15 HCP
N ♠ 762
W E ♥ AJ3
S ♦ J 10 9 8
♣ 987
(1) How do you defend if partner leads the ♥10 (0 or 2 higher)?

(2) How do you defend if partner leads the ♥9 (0 or 2 higher)?
If partner leads a conventional ♥10 and you are looking at the ♥J,
partner must be leading top of a sequence, giving declarer the ♥KQ.
That in itself isn’t so terrible, but that plus the dummy you are
looking at, is. You don’t have time to develop partner’s hearts with
eight or nine black-suit tricks staring you in the face. Your play is
to rise with the ♥A and shift to the ♦J hoping partner has ♦AQxx.
However, if partner leads a conventional ♥9, partner figures to be

leading from the ♥K109xx or ♥Q109xx. It would be nice to know
which, but your best shot is to win the ♥A and return the ♥J hoping
(praying) partner has led from the ♥K109xx. Playing partner for one
card, the ♥K, is better than playing partner for two cards, the ♦AQ.
Partner leads the ♠J (jack denies) and you begin an unblock by play-
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 4
1♦ pass 1♥ ♥ 632
pass 2♦ pass 3NT ♦ A Q J 10 8 7
all pass ♣ KQ3
WEST EAST (You)
♠ J 10 9 8 5 2 N ♠ KQ3
♥ Q85 W E ♥ A74
♦ 9 S ♦ 6432
♣ 954 ♣ A76
SOUTH
♠ A76
♥ K J 10 9
♦ K5
♣ J 10 8 2
ing the ♠Q which holds. You continue with the ♠K which also
holds. Should you play a third spade to drive out the ace?
Count tricks. Declarer has the ♠A, six diamond tricks (whoever has
the ♦K), and surely several club tricks once your ace is driven out.
And how are you going to get partner in to score those established
spades if you do play a third spade?
If partner has the ♥K, you can underlead your ♥A after you get in
with the ♣A and all will be rosy. But what if declarer has the ♥K?
When you lead a low heart he will surely play it to prevent partner
from getting in. Actually, all you need in partner’s hand to defeat
this contract is the ♥Q, not the ♥K.
Simply switch to a low heart at trick three before your ♣A has been
driven out. Even if declarer plays the ♥K, you have five tricks ready
to be taken once you get in with the ♣A: two spades, the ♣A, and
two hearts. Counting your tricks and their tricks was once again
the answer.
When partner leads an obvious singleton
BOTH VUL. DEALER WEST

NORTH (Dummy)
♠ K 10 9 5 West North East South
♥ Q 10 pass 1♦ pass 1♠
♦ K Q 10 7 6 pass 3♠ pass 4♠
♣ AK all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 63 N ♠ A84
♥ KJ432 W E ♥ 965
♦ 4 S ♦ A932
♣ Q8732 ♣ 10 9 5
SOUTH
♠ QJ72
♥ A87
♦ J85
♣ J64
Partner leads the ♦4, an obvious singleton. Of course the first
impulse is to win the ace and give partner a diamond ruff.
However, first impulses are not always right. A better impulse is to
count your tricks. You need four tricks to defeat this contract and
you can see three: the ♦A, the ♠A and a diamond ruff. Furthermore,
you know you can give partner that diamond ruff later when a
trump is played because partner figures to have two spades (partner
is unlikely to have two singletons and be silent throughout the
entire auction). A far better play at trick two is a heart, trying to
build up your fourth defensive trick there before declarer’s hearts go
away on the established diamonds.
Opening leader’s play with ‘remaining equals’
Wondering what that means? Consider this diagram:

NORTH (Dummy)
♠73
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠J9865 S ♠ A 10 2
SOUTH
♠KQ4
You lead the ♠6, partner wins the ♠A and returns the ♠10 to declar-
er’s king. At this point you remain with the ♠J983. The ♠J98 are all
equals and you can give partner that information by playing the
jack, your highest equal, under the king.
Now partner can place declarer with the ♠Q.
For those who dig rules, this is the rule:
When either declarer or partner is winning the second round of the

suit you have led, and you remain with equals, following suit with
your highest equal (here the jack) denies a higher card.
NEITHER VUL. DEALER SOUTH

Playing the highest equal on the second lead of a suit can save part-
West North East South ner many a headache:
3♦
NORTH (Dummy)
pass 5♦ all pass
♠ A K Q 10
♥ 765
♦ AK84
♣ J9
WEST (You) EAST
♠ 976 N ♠ J832
♥ J92 W E ♥ AK84
♦ 6 S ♦ 2
♣ AQ8732 ♣ 10 6 5 4
SOUTH
♠ 54
♥ Q 10 3
♦ Q J 10 9 7 5 3
♣ K
You elect to lead the ♥2, thrilling partner no end. Partner plays the
♥K and ♥A. On the second heart lead, declarer plays the ♥10,
telling you that declarer still has the ♥Q. Unfortunately partner is
not privy to that information unless you play the ♥J under the ♥A,
denying the ♥Q. Once partner knows you don’t have the ♥Q, part-
ner will shift to a club defeating the contract one trick.
Looks easy, but if you don’t play the ♥J, a good partner will play
you for the ♥Q92 and continue with a third heart, in which case
you can kiss your ♣A adios.
Discarding honors from equals
Those seemingly spectacular plays of playing honor cards to deny

higher honor cards come in handy when discarding. This is a topic
that was covered in the chapter on discarding in Eddie Kantar teach-
es Modern Bridge Defense, but it is apropos here as well. Briefly, the
discard of an ace, king, queen or jack shows the lower equals, but
denies a higher honor.
NORTH (Dummy)
♣73
WEST (You) N EAST

♣Q42 W E ♣ J 10 9 8 6
S
SOUTH
♣AK5
At notrump you lead another suit, and you see two little clubs in
the dummy. From your point of view it is a bit difficult to work out
the number of tricks declarer has available in clubs. However, if
early in the play partner discards the ♣J, you can place declarer
with the ♣AK, or two tricks in the suit.
Counting tricks in
dummy’s strong suit
The stronger the suit in dummy, the easier (and more discouraging)
it is to determine how many tricks declarer has available — or will
have available. At times one defender has a clearer count than the
other.
NORTH (Dummy)
♣ K Q J 10
N
WEST EAST
W E
♣432 S ♣A76
SOUTH
♣985
This is notrump and there are side entries to the dummy. From
West’s point of view, declarer has either three or four club tricks
depending upon who has the ace. East, on the other hand, knows
that declarer soon will have three club tricks available.
For the sake of discussion, exchange the East and South clubs. Now
neither defender can see the ♣A. However, if declarer does not try
to drive out the ♣A, a play that is almost automatic with a suit of
this strength in the dummy, the inference is that declarer has the
♣A and both defenders should count declarer for four club tricks.
At times looks can be deceiving:
NORTH (Dummy)
♣KQJ9
WEST N EAST
W E
♣72 S ♣ A 10 5 3
SOUTH
♣864
This time West can’t be sure how many club tricks declarer has, but
East knows that declarer has only two club tricks coming. If East’s
♣10 is a smaller club, East counts three club tricks as the ten is like-
ly to fall under the KQJ unless declarer started with a small single-
ton.
Strong suits in the dummy missing the king lend themselves to easy
trick counting:
NORTH (Dummy)
♣ A Q J 10
When you see a suit like this and declarer doesn’t attack this suit,
play declarer for the king. If declarer takes the finesse and it loses,
play declarer for three tricks. If you (West) have the king, and the
finesse can be repeated as many times as necessary, count four
tricks.
When you do have honor cards in dummy’s long suit, the relation-
ship of your honors to dummy’s honors is critical. First, the good
news: when your honors are sitting ‘over’ dummy’s honors (you
play after dummy).
NORTH (Dummy)
♣ A Q 10 8
WEST N EAST (You)

♣432 W E ♣KJ95
S
SOUTH
♣76
West cannot tell how many club tricks declarer has available, but
you know that declarer can take only one measly club trick. Now
let’s turn the East-West clubs around; the bad news:
NORTH (Dummy)
♣ A Q 10 8
N
WEST (You) EAST (Partner)
W E
♣KJ95 S ♣432
SOUTH
♣76
You can see that all finesses in clubs are working and that declarer
can probably take three club tricks by making the normal play of
low to the ten first. Partner sees that whatever finesse(s) necessary
in clubs are working, and will count declarer for four club tricks.
The relationship of the defender’s honor cards to dummy’s honor

cards can tell the defenders just how good their chances are.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 8753
♥ A Q 10 5
♦ K 10 5 4
♣ 3
WEST (You) EAST
♠ KJ9 N ♠ 62
♥ 64 W E ♥ KJ93
♦ A83 S ♦ J97
♣ QJ965 ♣ 10 8 4 2
SOUTH
♠ A Q 10 4
♥ 872
♦ Q62
♣ AK7
Say that South opens 1NT and after a Stayman sequence winds up
in 4♠. South doesn’t know it, but this hand is stacked against her.
Both spade finesses lose, both heart finesses lose and the ♦J is sit-
ting over the ♦10. South is doomed to go down. However, if you
reverse the East-West hands, South can make a slam! Both spade
finesses work, both heart finesses work, and the finesse of the ♦10
works.
The point is that it isn’t how many honor cards you hold, but
rather where they are in relation to the opponents’ honor cards.
Given the original diagram, both East and West know that the hand
is not lying well for the declarer. Reverse the East-West hands and
both defenders know they are dead ducks.
Frequently the trick count is dependent upon which of the two

unseen hands holds the one missing honor.
NORTH (Dummy)
♣AQ3
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
? S ♣ J 10 9 5 4
SOUTH
?
From your point of view if declarer has the ♣K she has three club
tricks; if partner has it, declarer has two club tricks. Sometimes the
bidding tells you who has it, sometimes it doesn’t.
NORTH (Dummy)
♣KJ6
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♣4 S ♣Q93
SOUTH
♣5
At notrump declarer leads the ♣5 to dummy’s ♣J as partner plays

the ♣4. There are several possibilities. If partner has ♣xxx, then
declarer has ♣Axxx and three club tricks available after you take
your queen. If partner has ♣42 doubleton, then declarer has
♣A10xxx and has four club tricks coming. Finally, if partner has
♣Axx, declarer has ♣10xxx and declarer has two club tricks coming
eventually. Fortunately, the bidding usually helps you sort this out,
particularly in the major suits.
Another awkward trick-counting scenario occurs when both you

and dummy have small cards in the same side suit.
NORTH (Dummy)
♣9432
N
W E EAST (You)
S ♣865
At a suit contract partner leads another suit. Immediately you can

deduce that partner doesn’t have an honor sequence in clubs. It’s
still not clear what’s going on. You do know that if declarer needs a
club finesse or two it isn’t going to work. On the other hand, if
declarer shies away from clubs you can also deduce that declarer
doesn’t have something like ♣KQJ or ♣AQJ. With a powerful hold-
ing like that, the suit is usually attacked early. A likely scenario is
declarer holding ♣Kx(x) or ♣AQ(x) hoping your partner will even-
tually be forced to lead the suit.
Counting tricks in declarer’s

suits (suits you can’t see)
It is ever so much easier to count tricks in long suits you can see as
opposed to long suits you can’t see. Clever observation, Kantar.
When declarer attacks a side suit (as opposed to the trump suit),
and you are last to play to the trick, you do have this going for you:
(1) partner’s count signal (2) the fall of the cards (3) partner’s play-
ing an honor from known length showing the top of an honor
sequence.
NORTH (Dummy)
♣32
WEST (You) N EAST (Partner)

W E
♣A6 S
♣4
SOUTH
♣K
NORTH (Dummy)
♣32 Case 1. South bids and rebids clubs, winds up playing in notrump,
N
and early in the hand leads a club from dummy. Partner con-
WEST (You) EAST
♣A6
W
S
E
♣4 tributes the ♣4, and declarer, the ♣K. Now you have to try to work
out what is going on.
SOUTH
♣K
If partner is giving count, partner has three clubs and declarer, six.
Of course you can’t see those six clubs. Furthermore, partner may
have four clubs and might not have been able to spare a higher club
to show you an even number. If so, declarer has five clubs.
Nevertheless it is almost a certainty that declarer’s clubs are headed
by the KQ. If so, it is usually right to duck the first club (declarer
can’t see that your ace is doubleton), particularly with a doubleton
club in the dummy. If declarer’s clubs are headed by the KQ10, you
force declarer to enter the dummy and lead another club. If declarer
misguesses and plays the queen, partner’s jack becomes a winner.
Even if declarer has ♣KQJxxx, winning the second round of clubs
may make it difficult for declarer to re-enter her hand to cash her
remaining clubs.
Case 2. South has never bid clubs and leads a club from dummy at
notrump, East and South playing the same cards as before. What is
going on? It appears that partner has five clubs and declarer four
(unless declarer has an unbid six-card club suit!). Again, with a
doubleton in dummy, it is usually wise to duck the first round.
In neither case can you tell for sure how many tricks declarer has
coming in the suit. However, by ducking and seeing what happens
on the second round of the suit, you will have a better idea. For
example, if declarer enters dummy to lead the suit again, you can
infer that declarer does not have a KQJ10 combination. With that
holding, declarer continues the suit from her hand.
Counting tricks in a long suit that is concealed in the closed hand is

easier when there is an honor card (or two) in the dummy.
NORTH (Dummy)
♣K64
WEST (You) N EAST

W E
♣AJ5 S ♣82
SOUTH
♣ Q 10 9 7 3
Say declarer leads a low club to the king and a club to the ten. If
partner plays high-low, you will have a good reading on the suit.
Credit declarer with an eventual three club tricks.
When partner plays an honor card in second seat, it is easy to count This topic was covered in more
declarer’s tricks. All you need is an agreement that the play of an detail in Eddie Kantar teaches
honor card from known length shows a sequence. In effect, part- Modern Bridge Defense, Chapter 6.
ner plays the same card he would have led had he been on lead.
Not everyone plays this way, but it is simple and recommended.
NORTH (Dummy)
♣832
WEST (You) N EAST

♣65 W E ♣ J 10 9 7
S
SOUTH
♣AKQ4
When a club is led from dummy, partner plays the ♣J (the same
club he would have led) telling you that declarer has the ♣AKQ.
When declarer plays a high card and partner follows suit with the
highest missing card, assume partner has played his last card in the
suit.
NORTH (Dummy)
♣832
WEST (You) N EAST

W E
♣76 S ♣Q5
SOUTH
♣ A K J 10 9 4
Clubs are trumps and declarer bangs down the ♣AK. When partner
plays the queen, assume partner has played his last club and does
not have the jack.
In other words, declarer has six club tricks coming. If partner actu-
ally has the ♣QJ5, partner plays the five and the jack, not the five
and the queen.
Counting declarer’s
trump tricks
Now you’re really playing with the big boys. When defending a
trump suit contract, there are new trick-counting variables to deal
with:
1. Counting how many trumps declarer has. Clearly it is easier to

count declarer’s trump tricks when you have an idea of how
many trumps are in the closed hand.
2. Keep in mind that when declarer trumps in the long hand, no extra
trick is gained, but trumping in the short hand does give declarer an
extra trick.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠543
N
WEST EAST
W E
♠97 S ♠862
SOUTH
♠ A K Q J 10
Spades are trumps. If South draws trumps, South is entitled to five
trump tricks. If the defenders force declarer to trump twice in the
closed hand, declarer takes the same five trump tricks. However,
each time declarer trumps in the North hand, it adds one trump
trick to declarer’s trick count.
3. Counting tricks if declarer crossruffs.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠KJ97
N
WEST EAST
W E
♠53 S ♠642
SOUTH
♠ A Q 10 8
Spades are trumps, a trump is not led, and there is a short side suit
in each hand. If declarer can manage to use each trump separately,
she can take eight trump tricks, ruffing four times in each hand. If
you (or partner) lead a spade before the crossruff begins, declarer is
limited to seven trump tricks: six separately plus the trick taken
when you led a spade. Similarly, if you can lead trumps twice,
declarer can take no more than six trump tricks: four separately plus
the two tricks taken when you led the suit.
Finally, if your side leads trumps three times, you limit declarer to
five trump tricks; the three tricks taken when your side led a trump,
plus the remaining two trumps that almost always can be used sep-
arately.
4. The danger of the lurking hidden side suit.
If declarer can draw trumps and remain with trumps in both hands,
a new danger exists. If declarer has a strong second suit lurking back
there, that suit can be run discarding a loser from dummy. Now the
discarded suit can be trumped in dummy. Very discouraging.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 74 NEITHER VUL. DEALER EAST
♥ Q 10 9 8 6 West North East South

♦ QJ5 pass 1♥
♣ KQ5 1♠ 2♠1 4♠ 5♥
♠ AKQ63 ♠ J 10 9 5 2
♥ 53 N ♥ 7 1) Strong heart raise
♦ A72 W E ♦ K 10 8 6 3
♣ 643 S ♣ 72
SOUTH
♠ 8
♥ AKJ42
♦ 94
♣ A J 10 9 8
If you and partner play the lead convention of the Q from the AKQ
asking for count (recommended), you have a better chance to
defeat this contract.
Most defenders, not seeing any danger, would begin with two high
spades. Declarer ruffs, draws trumps, discards two diamonds from

dummy on the clubs, concedes a diamond, and finally ruffs a dia-
mond in the dummy. Making five.
However, if the ♠Q is led and partner plays the ♠2, count, you can
figure partner for five spades. This in turn, tells you that declarer
will ruff the second round of spades. That in itself is no big deal.
However, if declarer has a hidden club suit and can discard two dia-
If dummy had the ♦KJx, your play monds on the fourth and fifth clubs, it is a big deal. Looking at this
at trick two holding the same dummy, that is really what you have to fear. Your right play at this
hand should be a low diamond point is the ♦A hoping partner has the ♦K. You would hate to see
forcing declarer to guess the dia- one of your diamond winners vanish.
mond position.
Thus far we have considered four trick-counting variables when
defending a suit contract. Here are the final two:
5. Does dummy have a long strong, side suit? If so, how many tricks can
declarer take from that suit?
6. Can declarer set up a long suit in dummy by ruffing? If so, how many
tricks can declarer take from that suit?
When declarer has a long, strong, side suit in dummy it sort of hits
you in the face. Once you know exactly how many winners (tricks)
are available, you can plan your defense accordingly.

West North East South ♠ A K Q 10 9 2
2♥1 ♥ AJ4
pass 4♥ all pass ♦ 6
♣ 864
1) Weak EAST (You)
N ♠ J53
W E ♥ 86
S ♦ A 10 8 7 5
♣ J72
Partner leads the ♦K and you see this humungous spade suit ready
to rain down winners upon you. Clearly you must take your minor-
suit winners as quickly as possible.
You need four minor-suit tricks to defeat the contract, and only one
is available in diamonds so three must come from the club suit.

Partner wouldn’t lead the ♦K holding the ♣AK, so you must project
the ♣AQ10 in partner’s hand. Overtake the opening lead and
pound back the ♣J. What a player you are!
Declarer’s hand: ♠ 8 ♥ KQ10953 ♦ J92 ♣ K95

Partner’s hand: ♠ 764 ♥ 72 ♦ KQ43 ♣ AQ103
At times the bidding plus the looks of the dummy tell you that the
defensive tricks must come from going for a ruff in dummy’s long
suit, a suit you seldom attack! Keep an open mind.
NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER WEST
♠ Q 10 9 West North East South

♥ Q J 10 pass pass 1♣ 1♠
♦ Q J 10 9 7 2♣ 2♠ 3♣ 4♠
♣ 10 2 all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 64 N ♠ 82
♥ 9843 W E ♥ K76
♦ A85 S ♦ K4
♣ QJ76 ♣ AK9853
SOUTH
♠ AKJ753
♥ A52
♦ 632
♣ 4
Partner leads the ♣Q and you survey the landscape.
Partner should have at least four clubs for a minor-suit raise, plac-
ing declarer with a singleton. Furthermore, partner must have an
outside ace or king to justify the raise. That outside trick might be
in the trump suit or might be a red-suit ace. If partner has a trump
trick, then declarer has both red-suit aces, and you are one dead
duck because both red-suit finesses work.
If partner has the ♥A, only two heart tricks are available — not
enough. However, if partner has the ♦A and declarer has three dia-
monds, you can secure a diamond ruff and defeat the contract.
Overtake the ♣K and switch to the ♦K. How else are you going to
take three more tricks?
The following hand was defended by the late Jim Jacoby, East, in
the 1972 World Bridge Olympiad. It gives you an idea of how quick-
ly and deeply experts think when it comes to counting tricks.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ Q754
2NT1 ♥ 4
pass 3♣2 pass 3♠ ♦ A 10 2
pass 4♣3 pass 5♣4 ♣ Q9532
pass 6♠ all pass WEST EAST (Jim Jacoby)
1) 20-21 HCP
♠ 986 ♠ J3
N
2) Stayman ♥ Q 10 6 3 W E ♥ A9852
3) Gerber for key cards ♦ Q7654 S ♦ K98
4) 3 aces or 2 aces and the ♠K ♣ 4 ♣ 876
SOUTH
♠ A K 10 2
♥ KJ7
♦ J3
♣ A K J 10
West led the ♦5, taken by dummy’s ace.
Declarer drew three rounds of trumps and then played five rounds
of clubs discarding his remaining diamond. West discarded the ♦4
on the second club indicating a five-card suit, then discarded a
heart and two more diamonds.
Finally the singleton heart was led from dummy and Jim Jacoby
played low like a flash! Why? Because he counted declarer’s tricks!
He counted five spade tricks (three rounds were played plus one
trump remained in each hand that could be made separately), five
club tricks and the ♦A for eleven. He knew that the declarer had
the ♥K, but he hoped that declarer had ♥KJx and would misguess if
he played low.
Sure enough that’s what happened, and declarer never could get
that elusive twelfth trick; down one.
When declarer can establish

dummy’s long suit by ruffing
When declarer sets up winners in the dummy by ruffing a long suit,

the established cards can be counted as tricks. However, there is a
catch. There has to be an entry to cash those established winners
after trumps have been drawn. Declarer has two ways to get to a
suit that has been established by ruffing: (1) Draw trumps ending in
dummy. This option must be used if there are no other side-suit
entries to dummy. (2) Draw trumps, and then enter dummy with a
side-suit winner.
What are your countermeasures? You either have to cash all of

your tricks quickly before they go off on dummy’s established win-
ners, or you have to kill the eventual entry to dummy before the
suit is established. If you can do that, you can sit back and wait for
all your tricks in the other suits. Oh, how they hate it when you do
that. First let’s try counting tricks in side suits that can be estab-
lished without your being able to attack dummy’s side-suit or trump
entry. Assume diamonds is a side suit at a spade contract.
NORTH (Dummy)
♦ A 10 7 6 2
WEST N EAST
W E
♦J98 S
♦Q54
SOUTH
♦K3
If declarer plays the king, ace, and ruffs a diamond, the suit breaks
3-3 and the two remaining diamonds in dummy are high. Credit
declarer with four diamond tricks.
NORTH (Dummy)
♦ A 10 7 6 2
N
WEST EAST
W E
♦J984 S ♦Q5
SOUTH
♦K3
This time the suit does not break so well for declarer, but given
enough dummy entries declarer can still establish dummy’s fifth
diamond by ruffing two diamonds and returning to dummy to use
the established winner. If declarer has the wherewithal to do all of
this, the defenders must count declarer for three diamond tricks.
That necessary return entry to dummy that declarer needs so badly

to use the established suit may lie in the trump suit. If so, declarer
must draw trumps ending in the dummy. However, clever defenders
may be able to prevent that by forcing dummy to ruff prematurely.
Take a good look at the following example:
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER NORTH NORTH (Dummy)
West North East South ♠ AK8752
1♠ pass 2♦ ♥ 10 3
pass 2♠ pass 3♣ ♦ AJ5
pass 4♦ pass 5♦ ♣ 10 9
♠ 10 4 3 N ♠ QJ9
♥ J9542 W E ♥ AKQ
♦ 632 S ♦ 4
♣ K6 ♣ 875432
SOUTH
♠ 6
♥ 876
♦ K Q 10 9 8 7
♣ AQJ
If ever a bidding sequence screamed for a heart lead, this is it.

Accordingly, partner leads the ♥4 to your queen. When you cash
the ♥A, partner plays the ♥2 confirming a five-card suit. If partner
has five hearts, declarer has three. Playing a third heart immediate-
ly, forcing dummy to ruff, kills the spade suit establishment. Why?
Partner figures to have three diamonds so declarer will not be able
to ruff a spade and draw trumps ending in the dummy to use the
Had you switched to a club at established spades.
trick three, declarer makes the
hand easily by rising with the ♣A, The bottom line is that your heart play is eventually going to force
setting up the spades, and draw- declarer to take a losing club finesse. Follow the play after dummy
ing three rounds of trumps end- ruffs the third spade. Declarer plays the ♠AK, discarding a club,
ing in the dummy. When the third ruffs a spade, and then plays two high diamonds ending in dummy
diamond is removed prematurely, hoping they break 2-2. When they don’t, declarer is reduced to a
so is the contract. losing club finesse. Down one.
Practice Hands
Hand 1 NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH

♥ AQJ 1♣ pass 3NT1
♦ 42 all pass
♣ K Q 10 7 6 3
WEST (You) EAST
1) 16-17 balanced
♠ AJ92 N ♠ K85
♥ 9873 W E ♥ 10 6 4
♦ 865 S ♦ A 10 9 7 3
♣ J2 ♣ 84
SOUTH
♠ Q 10 7 4
♥ K52
♦ KQJ
♣ A95
You lead the ♠2; partner wins the king and returns the ♠8 to the
♠10 and your ♠J. Partner’s return indicates three spades which
means declarer remains with the guarded queen. You have to find
an entry in partner’s hand to lead another spade. If you do, you
will take five tricks: four spades and partner’s entry. Looking at the
dummy, you decide that partner must have a minor suit ace or the
♥K to have a chance, but which?
If partner has the ♣A, there is no rush to lead a club as declarer will
surely have to lead a club early on in order to establish such a pow-
erful suit. The real choice is between diamonds and hearts. If part-
ner has the ♥K, then declarer must have the ♦AKQ plus the ♣A to
justify the opening one notrump bid (coming up in the next chap-
ter on counting declarer’s points) and is not about to take a heart
finesse with at least ten tricks off the top.
The most realistic shot is to play partner for the ♦A. Switch to the
♦8, your highest diamond, showing weakness, and hope partner
has read this chapter. If so, she will win the ace and return a spade,
not a diamond. Success!
BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH Hand 2 NORTH (Dummy)

West North East South ♠ Q2
1♣ 1♠ 1NT ♥ A6
pass 3NT all pass ♦ 65
♣ AKQJ652
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 63 N ♠ A J 10 8 7 4
♥ 10 8 7 4 2 W E ♥ Q53
♦ AJ93 S ♦ K74
♣ 98 ♣ 3
SOUTH
♠ K95
♥ KJ9
♦ Q 10 8 2
♣ 10 7 4
Partner leads the ♠6 and dummy plays low. Normally with this
holding you play the ♠10 to drive out the king and establish your
remaining spades. But this isn’t ‘normally’. This dummy is posi-
tively scary! You can see seven solid club tricks, plus the ♥A for
eight tricks, and if you let declarer win the opening lead with the
♠K, you have just given up all hope of defeating this contract. Win
the ♠A and shift to a low diamond. You have to ‘project’ partner
with the ♦AQ9x or ♦AJ9x. In either case, four tricks are available.
No other defense is worth talking about.

West North East South ♠ AK652
1♥ ♥ J5
pass 1♠ pass 2♥ ♦ 765
pass 4♥ all pass ♣ A65
WEST (You) EAST
♠ J7 N ♠ 10 9 8 4
♥ K93 W E ♥ 42
♦ KJ42 S ♦ A83
♣ Q J 10 7 ♣ 9832
SOUTH
♠ Q3
♥ A Q 10 8 7 6
♦ Q 10 9
♣ K4
You lead the ♣Q which is captured in dummy with the ♣A, partner
playing the ♣2. At trick two declarer leads the ♥J from dummy to
your king. Your thinking should go like this: ‘Declarer figures to
have at least six hearts (has skipped over three other bids to rebid
hearts) and partner would have covered the ♥J with a doubleton
honor so declarer remains with five winning hearts, minimum. In
addition, declarer is known to have two club tricks and at least two
spade tricks for a grand total of nine. If declarer has the ♦A, there is
no chance, so play partner for that card and switch to a low dia-
mond.’ As it happens, partner wins the ace and returns a diamond
allowing you to defeat the contract one trick. Even if your dia-
mond lead goes smack into the AQ, all you will have done is pre-
sent declarer with an overtrick; not the end of the world.

♠ A2 BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH
♥ 763 West North East South

♦ KJ765 1♦ pass 2NT1
♣ A Q 10 pass 3NT all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ K9874 N ♠ J 10 5
1) 13-15 HCP
♥ 852 W E ♥ Q J 10 9
♦ — S ♦ AQ43
♣ 87532 ♣ 64
SOUTH
♠ Q63
♥ AK4
♦ 10 9 8 2
♣ KJ9
Partner leads the ♠7, dummy plays low, and your ♠10 drives out
declarer’s ♠Q. At trick two, declarer leads the ♦10, partner discard-
ing the ♣2. The Rule of Eleven tells you that declarer has only one
more spade stopper, the ace. Furthermore, partner with a diamond
void, figures to have five spades. Win the ♦Q, exit with the ♠J, and
when you get in with the ♦A, return your remaining spade. Your
side will take three spade tricks and two diamond tricks before
declarer can establish her diamond suit. What about that tempting
heart shift at trick three? Even though partner has thrown a low
club it still doesn’t add up. Declarer needs the ♥AK to justify the
2NT bid and five tricks are available with the spade continuation.
Go for it.
Test Yourself
BOTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH 1) NORTH (Dummy)
West North East South ♠ K Q 10 8 7
pass ♥ AQ2
pass 1♠ pass 2NT1 ♦ 98
all pass ♣ Q87
WEST (You)
1) 11-12 HCP ♠ A54 N
♥ J76 W E
♦ J 10 7 3 2 S
♣ K4
Solution on page 124 You lead the ♦3 to the queen and king. At trick two declarer leads
the ♠J which you duck, partner playing the ♠2. When he continues
with the ♠9 you win the ace, partner playing the ♠3. What now?
2) NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 765
2NT1 ♥ J 10 9 8
pass 3♣ pass 3♦ ♦ J9
pass 3NT all pass ♣ K Q J 10
EAST (You)
1) 20-21 HCP
N ♠ Q82
W E ♥ A76
S
♦ 10 4
♣ 86532
Solution on page 125 West leads the ♦8, won by dummy’s jack and declarer calls for the
♥J. What do you do?
3) NORTH (Dummy)
West North East South ♠ QJ5
1♥ pass 1♠ ♥ K Q 10 8 5
pass 2♠ pass 4♠ ♦ AJ3
all pass ♣ 73
EAST (You)
N ♠ 93
W E ♥ 9742
S ♦ K 10 2
♣ A985
Solution on page 125 Partner leads the ♣Q. What is your plan to secure four tricks? Project!
4) NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER WEST

♥ AQ4 1♠ 2♦ pass 2NT
♦ K Q J 10 9 5 pass 3NT all pass
♣ 982
EAST (You)
N ♠ 10 9 3
W E ♥ J765
S ♦ 872
♣ A 10 6
Partner leads the ♠5 to your nine and declarer’s queen. Declarer Solution on page 126
leads a diamond to the king, then the ♦Q to partner’s ace. How do
you play 1) if partner returns the ♣3? 2) if partner returns the ♣7?
5) NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH

♥ AKQ6 1♣
♦ 986 1♦ 1♥ pass 1NT
♣ QJ5 pass 3NT all pass
WEST (You)
♠ AJ73 N
♥ 10 7 W E
♦ Q J 10 7 3 S
♣ K9
You lead the ♦Q to the deuce and king. Declarer crosses to the ♥A Solution on page 126
(♥2 from partner, count) and leads the ♣Q, ducked to your king.
How do you continue if partner plays 1) the ♣2? 2) the ♣7?

♥ J2 1♣
♦ A Q J 10 1♠ 1NT 2♥ 5♣ (!)
♣ 32 dbl all pass
WEST (You)
♠ K Q 10 9 5 2 N
♥ A8 W E
♦ 96 S
♣ Q 10 9
Enough is enough. You are not going to let them push you around! Solution on page 127
You lead the ♠K and declarer ruffs. Declarer continues with the
♣AK and a club to your queen, partner following to the first club,
then discarding the ♦2 and the ♥5. Now what?
To questions

West North East South ♠ K Q 10 8 7
pass ♥ AQ2
pass 1♠ pass 2NT1 ♦ 98
all pass ♣ Q87
WEST (You) EAST
1) 11-12 HCP ♠ A54 N ♠ 632
♥ J76 W E ♥ 983
Trick 1: ♦3 ♦8 ♦Q ♦K ♦ J 10 7 3 2 S ♦ Q5
Trick 2: ♠J ♠4 ♠5 ♠2 ♣ K4 ♣ AJ632
Trick 3: ♠9 ♠A ♠8 ♠3 SOUTH
Trick 4: ? ♠ J9
♥ K 10 5 4
♦ AK64
♣ 10 9 5
Oddly enough, this is an easier hand to defeat in a contract of 2NT

than it would be in a contract of 3NT! Against a contract of 3NT
This topic was discussed at length you must allow for partner playing the ♦Q from ♦AQx, in which
in Chapter 3 of Eddie Kantar case you can take four diamond tricks and defeat the contract.
teaches Modern Bridge Defense. However, in a contract of 2NT four diamond tricks is not enough.
If partner does have the ♦AQx, declarer will surely have the ♥K and
the ♣A to justify the 2NT response. If declarer has these cards, he
has the rest of the tricks after you cash your four diamonds. You
have to think of something else.
What about setting up your diamonds by driving out declarer’s like-

ly ♦A and waiting to get in with the ♣K? No good. Declarer must
have the ♥K or the ♣A to go along with the ♦AK to justify the 2NT
response. Either of those cards brings declarer’s trick count to at
least eight tricks after he wins your diamond return.
What you really need is five quick tricks. The only way to get them
is to project the ♣AJxxx in partner’s hand and shift to the ♣K! It’s
your only hope. Won’t everyone be impressed.
To questions

♥ J 10 9 8 2NT1
♦ J9 pass 3♣ pass 3♦
♣ K Q J 10 pass 3NT all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ A J 10 4 N ♠ Q82 1) 20-21 HCP
♥ 543 W E ♥ A76
♦ 87653 S ♦ 10 4 Trick 1: ♦8 ♦J ♦4 ♦2
♣ 7 ♣ 86532 Trick 2: ♥J ?
SOUTH
♠ K93
♥ KQ2
♦ AKQ2
♣ A94
No stealing! Partner’s lead marks declarer with the ♦AKQx and

dummy’s clubs tell you of four more tricks coming in that suit. In
order to defeat this contract, partner needs very good spades. Win
the ♥A and shift to the ♠Q playing partner for ♠AJ10x. In any case,
don’t duck the heart, it is declarer’s ninth trick and you know it!
3) NORTH (Dummy)
♠ QJ5 West North East South
♥ K Q 10 8 5 1♥ pass 1♠
♦ AJ3 pass 2♠ pass 4♠
♣ 73 all pass
WEST EAST (You)
Opening lead: ♣Q
♠ 74 N ♠ 93
♥ A63 W E ♥ 9742
♦ Q754 S ♦ K 10 2
♣ Q J 10 6 ♣ A985
SOUTH
♠ A K 10 8 6 2
♥ J
♦ 986
♣ K42
Win the ♣A and shift to a low diamond projecting the ♦Q in part-
ner’s hand along with the ♥A or a trump trick. It is your only
chance to build up two diamond tricks before everything goes away
on the hearts. This trick-taking dummy calls for an aggressive
defense.
To questions
BOTH VUL. DEALER WEST NORTH (Dummy)
1♠ 2♦ pass 2NT ♥ AQ4
pass 3NT all pass ♦ K Q J 10 9 5
♣ 982
WEST EAST (You)
Trick 1: ♠5 ♠6 ♠9 ♠Q
♠ KJ854 N ♠ 10 9 3
Trick 2: ♦4 ♦3 ♦K ♦2
♥ 98 W E ♥ J765
Trick 3: ♦Q ♦7 ♦6 ♦A
♦ A3 S ♦ 872
Trick 4: ♣3 ?
♣ KJ73 ♣ A 10 6
SOUTH
♠ AQ72
♥ K 10 3 2
♦ 64
♣ Q54
Partner’s switch to a low club shows strength and asks for a club
return. Win the ♣A and return the ♣10. Had partner switched to
the ♣7, a relatively high club (you can see the 8, 9, and 10), show-
ing weakness, win the ♣A and return the ♠10, partner’s first suit.
What you need to defeat the contract with a spade return is to find
partner with ♠AJ8xx.

1♣ ♥ AKQ6
1♦ 1♥ pass 1NT ♦ 986
pass 3NT all pass ♣ QJ5
WEST (You) EAST
Trick 1: ♦Q ♦6 ♦2 ♦K ♠ AJ73 N ♠ K82
Trick 2: ♥5 ♥7 ♥A ♥2 ♥ 10 7 W E ♥ J9432
Trick 3: ♣Q ♣2 ♣4 ♣K ♦ Q J 10 7 3 S ♦ 42
Trick 4: ? ♣ K9 ♣ 732
SOUTH
♠ Q 10 5
♥ 85
♦ AK5
♣ A 10 8 6 4
1) If partner plays the ♣2 suggesting three clubs, declarer has five

clubs and nine tricks ready to rumble: three heart tricks (partner
To questions
should have five hearts judging from the ♥2), four club tricks plus
the ♦AK. Your play is to shift to a low spade hoping partner has
♠Kxx.
2) If partner plays the ♣7 suggesting four clubs, declarer’s trick

count is only eight: three hearts, three clubs and two diamonds.
Now the winning defense is to continue with a high diamond
establishing your suit with the ♠A as the eventual entry.

♥ J2 1♣
♦ A Q J 10 1♠ 1NT 2♥ 5♣ (!)
♣ 32 dbl all pass
WEST (You) EAST
♠ K Q 10 9 5 2 N ♠ A3
♥ A8 W E ♥ Q 10 9 7 6 5 Trick 1: ♠K ♠4 ♠3 ♣5
♦ 96 S ♦ 7432 Trick 2: ♣A ♣9 ♣2 ♣4
♣ Q 10 9 ♣ 4 Trick 3: ♣K ♣10 ♣3 ♦2
SOUTH Trick 4: ♣6 ♣Q ♠6 ♥5
♠ — Trick 5: ?
♥ K43
♦ K85
♣ AKJ8765
This is a good exercise in trick counting and passive defense appli-

cation. Declarer has six club tricks and partner’s discouraging dia-
mond discard tells you that declarer has four more tricks available
in diamonds for a total of ten. But where is trick eleven coming
from?
Nowhere, if you don’t panic. Declarer’s distribution must be 0-3-3-

7 or 0-2-4-7. In the first case declarer can discard one heart on the
fourth diamond but is still left with two hearts. In the second case
there is no discard coming on dummy’s diamonds and declarer
again is left with two hearts. As long as declarer is left with two
hearts, there is no rush to cash your ♥A. If you panic and play the
♥A and find declarer with ♥Kx and partner with the ♥Q10, declarer
will think you are Santa Claus come to life.
• Counting your defensive tricks and declarer’s offensive

tricks is the key to most defensive problems.
• There are five major sources of information to determine
declarer’s trick count: the bidding, the lead (and partner’s
return of your lead), the dummy, partner’s count signals,
and declarer’s line of play.
• If declarer doesn’t attack a strong suit in dummy missing
one high honor, assume declarer has the missing honor
and count tricks accordingly.
• After you lead one suit and switch to another, a switch to a
low card in the second suit asks partner to return that suit;
a switch to a high card in the second suit asks partner to
return the original suit.
• If partner leads a suit and dummy plays the queen or a
lower card that you cannot top, give count. This helps
partner count declarer’s tricks in the suit.
• When you know that declarer has enough tricks in three
suits to make the contract, switch to the fourth suit. Do it!
• Ask yourself how many tricks you need to defeat the con-
tract and project the least amount of honor strength neces-
sary in partner’s hand to do it — then assume partner has
what you need!
• Conventional leads of the 9, 10, and J help the defending
side count declarer’s tricks (and the declaring side count
defenders’ tricks!).
• Forcing the dummy to ruff is one way of killing a dummy
entry to a soon-to-be-established side suit.
Counting
High Card
Points
All the powerful kings and queens...
JOHN DONNE
5 WHAT
YOU’RE GOING
TO LEARN
IN THIS
CHAPTER:
• How to estimate declarer’s
point-count range from
notrump auctions and from
suit auctions
• How to use your estimate,
along with clues from the
opening lead and partner’s
Who’s got that missing queen of hearts? signals, to help you place
the missing honor cards
We’ve discussed two kinds of counting that help you to figure out
Notrump sequences 130
what is going on during the play of a hand, and to determine your Suit sequences 135
appropriate defensive strategy: counting distribution and counting Other ways of counting
tricks. Implicit in both of these, but definitely worth inclusion in points 138
this book, is a third kind of counting — counting the high card When partner bids 142
Notrump ranges in
points around the table.
competition 145
Practice hands 147
It goes without saying that once you know who has the missing Test yourself 150
honors, you can defend like a demon. It all starts with analyzing Solutions 151
the bidding. Key ideas 152
♥ 129
130 ♥ EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES ADVANCED BRIDGE DEFENSE ♥ CHAPTER FIVE
Notrump sequences
Opener rebids notrump
Most opening notrump bids are limit bids, typically with a three-
point range. You must keep in mind, however, that not everyone
uses the same ranges as you do!
As an example, for many years 16-18 HCP was the biblically pre-
scribed point count range for an opening bid of 1NT; in the modern
style this has been shaded down to 15-17. However many players
play a ‘weak notrump’, swearing by a 12-14 range; players who play
the Precision Club system opt for a 13-15 range; and let's not forget
the ‘mini’-notrumpers who rejoice with 10-12, or the ‘Kamikaze’
fringe group who are out to get you with an 8-10 range!
The opening bid of 2NT has undergone the same metamorphosis. It

used to be 22-24 in the good old Goren days. Nowadays it is more
like 20-21 or 20-22. The stronger hands are shown by opening an
artificial 1♣ or 2♣ and rebidding 2NT.
The idea here is not to determine which is the best range, but rather
to know which range your opponents are using, and to try to work
out where the missing honors are early in the play.
In tournament bridge, the opponents’ convention cards are sup-

posed to be marked telling you what their ranges are on the most
common notrump sequences. But there are too many sequences
for any convention card to include them all. What you might have
to do is ask if you are not sure. Besides, you may not be playing in
a tournament, and there may not be any convention cards lying
around. Ask!
We’re assuming a strong notrump Now let's look at a few bidding sequences where opener is limited
system in all the bidding sequ- by a notrump rebid (assume a 1NT opening would be 15-17 HCP):
ences in this chapter. If your
opponents are using a different
range for the opening 1NT, then Opener Responder Opener shows a hand too weak to
their rebids will also show differ- 1♣ 1♠ open 1NT; play opener has 12-14.
ent ranges from ‘standard’. 1NT
CHAPTER FIVE ♥ COUNTING HIGH CARD POINTS ♥ 131
Opener Responder Opener describes a hand that is

1♣ 1♠ too strong to open 1NT and not
2NT 3NT strong enough to open 2NT. Play
pass opener for 18-19.
Opener Responder This is an atypical case where

1♣ 1♠ opener describes a hand with a
3NT pass long, solid minor suit, not neces-
sarily balanced. This is more of a
trick-taking rebid. Play opener for
about 15-17 HCP but expect a six-
or seven-card running suit to
come showering down upon you
once opener gets in.
Opener Responder This is one you may have to ask

1♠ 2♦ about. Some play that it shows a
2NT 3NT minimum, 12-14, others play it
pass shows the range of a strong
notrump, 15-17. Ask.
Opener Responder If a 2NT rebid shows 12-14, then

1♠ 2♦ a 3NT rebid shows 15-17; if a 2NT
3NT 6NT rebid shows 15-17, then a 3NT
pass rebid shows 18-19. Ask.
Opener Responder In this 2NT sequence, most play

1♦ 2♣ that opener has the equivalent of
2NT 4NT a 1NT rebid after a one-level
pass response — 12-14. ‘Most’ doesn't
mean ‘all’. Check it out.
Opener Responder Opener should have 18-19. With

1♦ 2♣ 15-17, opener begins with 1NT.
3NT pass
Opener Responder This is a strong rebid showing 18- Every so often, opener will have a
1♣ 2♣ 19, the equivalent of a jump rebid six-card suit with 15-17 HCP.
2NT 3♣ of 2NT. It does not mean that
pass opener has a ‘short club’ and is
running away from his suit.
Fourth-suit forcing is a popular

Sometimes opener doesn't bid notrump until the third round of
and useful convention in which a
bidding. No matter; notrump bids are still limit bids and you want
bid of the only unbid suit by
to get a handle on the range. The following ‘third-round’ notrump
responder at his second turn is an
rebids come after responder has bid the fourth suit, an artificial
artificial waiting bid. It promises
force, asking opener to limit her hand. Once opener limits the
nothing about the suit bid, but
hand, your job becomes much easier.
simply gives opener another
chance to describe his hand.
Opener Responder After the ‘fourth suit’ is bid, look
Some pairs play FSF as creating a
1♠ 2♣ for opener to limit the hand.
game force, particularly after an
2♦ 2♥ When opener bids the cheapest
original two-level response.
2NT 3NT notrump bid available, assume a
pass minimum, 12-14.
Opener Responder This one shows 15-17 HCP. Once

1♠ 2♣ again opener is limited.
2♦ 2♥ Responder’s 4NT is natural, invit-
3NT 4NT ing opener to bid slam with a
pass maximum hand.
Opener Responder After the ‘fourth suit’, 4NT is nat-

1♠ 2♣ ural. Opener should have 18-19
2♦ 2♥ HCP.
4NT 6NT
pass
Opener may also rebid 3NT after responder’s invitational rebid:
Opener Responder This time opener's range is a mys-

1♣ 1♦ tery. If opener has a fitting dia-
1♥ 3♦1 mond honor, opener will gamble
3NT pass 3NT on a wing and a prayer; with
a misfit for diamonds opener,
1) Invitational unless a loony-tune, should have
extras.
Opener Responder Again, not so easy to determine.

1♣ 1♥ If opener has five clubs, opener is
1♠ 3♣1 more apt to gamble 3NT with a
3NT pass minimum hand. With a four card
club suit, opener should have
1) Invitational
extras, perhaps 14-17.
Responder bids notrump
Responder can also bid notrump naturally and wind up being the
declarer. Again, the notrump bid must have a range; it's your job to
know the range.
Opener Responder After a 1♣ opening, a 1NT

1♣ 1NT response usually shows 8-10 HCP.
pass
Opener Responder This one is a bit different as

1♦ 1NT responder may have long clubs
3NT pass and may not be strong enough to
bid them. Figure responder for 6-
10, a wide range.
Opener Responder The typical range is 6-10. Many five-card major systems use
1♥ or 1♠ 1NT However, if the opponents play a forcing 1NT response to 1♥
and 1♠ as part of their structure.
the 1NT response as forcing, the
It is especially common in Two-
range is 6-11. over-One methods, where a two-
level response to an opening bid
Opener Responder There are two possible ranges. is usually game-forcing.
1♣ or 1♦ 2NT Some play this sequence to show
10-12, others 13-15. Ask.
Opener Responder The most common range is 16-17,

1♣ or 1♦ 3NT possibly a ‘bad’ 18 if there is such
6NT pass an animal. However, some play
13-15. Ask.
Opener Responder If not artificial, this shows 13-15, Many pairs use the 2NT and 3NT
1♥ or 1♠ 2NT balanced; some play it as 11-12. responses to major-suit openings
as conventional bids that show
specific kinds of strong raises.
Opener Responder If not artificial, 16-17, balanced;

1♥ or 1♠ 3NT some play it as 13-15.
Responder rebids notrump
When the responder rebids notrump, the defenders should have a

good idea of the range.
Opener Responder The 1NT rebid is similar to a 1NT

1♣ 1♥ response excluding 6-point hands
1♠ 1NT which sometimes pass the 1♠
pass rebid. Figure responder for 7-10.
Opener Responder This is one you want to be famil-

1♣ 1♥ iar with. The range is 11-12 (at
1♠ 2NT times a ‘good’ 10). The bid is not
pass forcing.
Opener Responder 11-12. It doesn't matter whether

1♠ 2♦1 the 2NT rebid is a jump or not,
2♥ 2NT the range remains constant. If 2♦
3NT pass is a game force, play responder for
1) Not a game force 12-14/15.
Opener Responder Responder shows 13-15, perhaps

1♣ 1♦ 16.
1♥ 3NT
pass
Opener Responder A passed-hand jump response of
pass 2NT shows 11-12; more often
1♥ 2NT than not, 11.
It is easier to determine responder's range after opener shows a min-

imum opening bid. However, when opener jumps and responder
bids notrump, don't look for any easy answers — or ranges!
Opener Responder God alone knows what responder
1♣ 1♥ has. Responder can be gambling
3♣ 3NT or can have a pretty good hand
pass just short of a slam try.
Opener Responder This one is even worse than the

1♥ 1♠ previous one. In the previous
3♣ 3NT example, opener made a non-
pass forcing jump which responder
Opener Responder was at liberty to pass. In this

1♥ 1♠ sequence, if responder passes 3♣,
3♣ 3NT it may be the last call he ever
pass makes! Responder's range in this
sequence is something like 6-11.
In sequences where opener begs to be let off the hook, but respon-
der persists to game, play responder for a full opening bid:
Opener Responder Opener shows a minimum hand

1♦ 1♠ with long, long, diamonds.
2♦ 2♥ Responder figures to have 13-16.
3♦ 3NT
pass
Whatever the range, the overriding objective of the defense is to
defeat the contract. However, at tournament play, when beating
the contract is clearly out of the question, holding down the over-
tricks becomes the main goal.
Suit sequences
If opener becomes the declarer in a suit contract, opener's hand fig-
ures to fall into one of these ranges:
6-9 Preemptive opening bid

11-14/15 Minimum opening bid
15-17/18 Intermediate opening bid
18-21 Powerhouse opening bid
22+ Rock Crusher
Notice the overlaps, particularly the 15- and 18-point hands. With
these counts, opener has to decide which way to go on the rebid.
Distribution, system, and degree of fit with partner's suit, all enter
into the picture.
Hands in all groups except preempts and rock crushers are opened
with one of a suit. Therefore you have to wait for opener's rebid, or
even opener's third bid (if the first rebid doesn't limit opener's
hand), to get a handle on opener's range.
Here are some of the easy sequences:
Opener Responder Opener has a minimum hand

1♦ 1♥ (11-14/15).
2♦
Opener Responder Opener has an intermediate hand

1♦ 1♥ (15-18).
3♦
Opener Responder Opener has a powerhouse (18-21).

1♦ 1♥
2♠
Opener Responder Opener has reversed after a one-

1♦ 1♠ level response, showing a mini-
2♥ mum of 17 HCP.
Opener Responder Opener has reversed, but has

1♦ 1♠ made no move toward slam. Play
2♥ 3♥ opener for 17-18
4♥
The toughest sequences are those where the opener bids a second
suit without reversing or jump-shifting. The range can vary from
an unlikely 11 all the way up to 18. What you have to do is wait
for opener to clarify on her next bid... if there is a next bid.
Opener Responder There is no way of knowing

1♥ 1♠ (unless opener groans), whether
2♣ pass opener has a minimum or an
intermediate type hand; with a
powerhouse, opener jump shifts.
Opener Responder Opener has a minimum in the

1♥ 1♠ face of an invitational bid.
2♣ 3♣
pass
This last sequence raises the point of ‘narrowing’ the range. When
a bid shows a range, any range, and the bidder’s partner makes an
invitational bid which is passed, the defenders can assume that the
player who passes is at the low end of the range; a player who
accepts is at the high end of the range. In this case, opener figures
to be at the low end: play opener for 11-13 HCP.
Opener Responder Figure opener for trash.

1♦ 1♥
1♠ 3♠
pass
Opener Responder This one isn't as easy as it looks.

1♦ 1♥ The reason is that opener's range
1♠ 3♠ for the 1♠ bid was 11-18. The fact
4♠ pass that opener has bid 4♠ simply
means that opener doesn't have
cheese.
Opener Responder A limited opener has accepted an

1♠ 2♣ invitational bid and should have
2♠ 3♠ more than a bare minimum.
4♠ pass
Here's one where you have to know your customers:
Opener Responder Opener has reversed after a two- In Two-over-One methods, a two-
1♥ 2♦ level response. Some play that a level response is a game-force
2♠ reverse after a two-level response and reverses over them usually
can show a minimum; others need not show extras.
insist that it shows at least an
intermediate type hand.
Sequences where responder

becomes declarer
Responder often times becomes the declarer. Responder's hands

can usually be classified by range:
6-9/10 Minimum
10-12 Invitational
12-15 Game-going
16-19 Slam try
19+ Usually on to a slam
Again, there are overlaps due to distribution, intermediate spot

cards, fit for partner, etc.
Opener Responder Minimum, minimum, minimum

1♦ 1♥ (5 to an ugly 8). With 9-10,
2♣ 2♥ responder accepts the invitation.
3♥ pass
Opener Responder Invitational (10-12). Responder

1♦ 1♥ might have as few as 9 HCP with
2♣ 3♥ a healthy-looking six-card suit or
pass perhaps a seven-card suit.
Opener Responder Game-going values (12-15).

1♦ 1♥ (Possibly 10-11 HCP with a seven-
2♣ 4♥ card suit.)
pass
Opener Responder Responder has slam try values,
1♦ 2♥ 16-18. The days of the 19-point-
3♦ 3♥ plus jump shift are long gone. If
4♥ pass responder had a powerhouse, it is
unlikely he would pass 4♥.
Other techniques for

counting declarer’s points
Assuming you have an idea of declarer's range, once you see
dummy you should be able to determine how many of the 40 HCP
in the deck declarer is working with. Here's how it works:
NEITHER VUL. DEALER SOUTH NORTH (Dummy)
1NT1 ♥ K3
pass 3NT all pass ♦ Q 10 7 3 2
♣ 954
1) 15-17 HCP WEST (You)
♠ Q J 10 5 N
♥ A85 W E
♦ K64 S
♣ Q83
You lead the ♠Q and dummy tables with a 9-count. Take declarer's
middle count, 16, and add it to dummy's count giving you a total
of 25. That figure represents (within one point) the number of
points declarer is playing with. If the opponents hold 25 HCP, you
and your partner have 15. You have 12 so partner has about 3. If
partner happens to have the ♠K, you've just seen Paris.
When declarer is known to have a weak hand and turns up with an

ace and a king early in the play, you may have seen all declarer has:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ K Q J 10 6 NEITHER VUL. DEALER NORTH
♥ AKQ
♦ 43 1♠ pass 1NT
♣ Q 10 8 pass 2NT all pass
WEST (You)
♠ A432 N
♥ J 10 4 W E
♦ Q J 10 9 S
♣ K6
You lead the ♦Q, partner plays the ♦2, and declarer the ♦K. The
clues are rolling in. South, with an original range of 6-10, has
passed an invitational bid; play South for 6-7. Partner's discourag-
ing play of the ♦2 tells you that declarer has the ♦AK for a total of 7
HCP. Putting this all together tells you that partner has the ♣AJ.
When declarer leads a spade, take the ace and shift to the king and
a club. On a good day partner will have five clubs and the contract
will be defeated a trick. Making the lazy continuation of a diamond
can't be right — it presents declarer with nine sure tricks: four
spades, three hearts and two diamonds. This kind of ongoing track-
ing is vital to good defense.
Declarer's hand: ♠ 98 ♥ 7632 ♦ AK76 ♣ 954

Partner's hand: ♠ 75 ♥ 985 ♦ 852 ♣ AJ732
Slam bidding sequences, particularly where there has been a

Blackwood bid, can lead you in the right direction:

2♣1 ♥ K6
pass 3♣ pass 3♠ ♦ 10 6 4
pass 4♠ pass 4NT ♣ KQ875
pass 5♣ pass 6♠ EAST (You)
all pass
N ♠ 843
W E ♥ Q J 10 8 7
1) Strong (a rock crusher) and
S ♦ A753
artificial
♣ 3
Partner leads the ♦9 to your ace and declarer's jack. Where is your
second trick coming from? If partner has the ♥A, you had better
return a heart; if partner has the ♣A, you can return a club and
even get a ruff. Dreamer. How can partner have an ace? Declarer
has used Blackwood, discovered his partner doesn't have an ace,
and has bid slam anyway. Declarer must have three aces. Your
only chance is to return a diamond and hope partner ruffs.
Declarer's hand: ♠ AKJ1062 ♥ A ♦ KQJ82 ♣ A

Partner's hand: ♠ 5 ♥ 95432 ♦ 9 ♣ J109642
Try this one from the West vantage point:
BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH NORTH (Dummy)

1♦ pass 1♥ ♥ AK86
pass 3♥ all pass ♦ K Q J 10
♣ K95
WEST (You)
♠ K853 N
♥ 74 W E
♦ A432 S
♣ Q82
You lead the ♠3 and partner's ♠Q falls to declarer's ace. Already you
know of 5HCP in declarer's hand, the ♠AJ. Declarer continues with
the ♥AK, partner turning up with ♥Qx. Next comes the ♦K from
dummy, partner playing the ♦5. What do you make of all of this?
Declarer is known to have five hearts headed by the J10 and the
♠AJ. Declarer doesn't need much more to bid 4♥. Certainly partner
has the ♣A. Counting tricks can also be helpful. Declarer is known
to have five heart tricks, three diamonds, a spade and a likely spade
ruff in dummy for nine or ten tricks. In order to defeat this con-
tract, partner not only needs the ♣A, a card he is known to hold,
but the ♣J10 as well! Might as well go for it: cash the ♠K and shift
to the ♣Q after winning the ♦A.
Declarer's hand: ♠ AJ4 ♥ J10532 ♦ 98 ♣ 643

Partner's hand: ♠ Q1076 ♥ Q9 ♦ 765 ♣ AJ107
Are you a genius, or what?
The lead of an honor card usually tells third hand where the miss-
ing honors are in that suit. Third hand can use this information to
pinpoint the location of other missing honors.
♠ Q 10 2 West North East South

♥ J7 1♦ pass 1NT
♦ KQJ8 pass 3NT all pass
♣ AKQJ
EAST (You) Opening lead: ♥10 (shows 0 or 2
N ♠ KJ84 higher, one of which must be the
W E ♥ Q53 jack. When the jack is visible the
S ♦ A97 higher missing honors are all
♣ 943 marked in declarer’s hand.)
Dummy plays the ♥J, you cover with the ♥Q, and declarer wins the
♥K. At trick two declarer leads a diamond to dummy, partner play-
ing the ♦2.
You should organize your thinking like this: partner's lead tells me
that declarer has the ♥AK for 7 HCP. No way South can have more
than 10 HCP, so partner must have the ♠A. Forget returning part-
ner's suit, it is a waste of time. Declarer will run home with four
clubs, three diamonds, and two hearts. Switch to a low spade and
take four spade tricks.
Declarer's hand: ♠ 965 ♥ AK4 ♦ 1043 ♣ 10852

Partner's hand: ♠ A73 ♥ 109862 ♦ 652 ♣ 76
When partner bids

There's more than one way of skinning a cat (counting declarer's
points) in this game. You can also use your partner's bidding to tell
you what declarer has!
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER WEST

NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 42
1♥ pass 2♥ 2♠ ♥ Q93
all pass ♦ KQ5
♣ Q 10 4 3 2
WEST (You)
♠ AQ8 N
♥ J 10 8 7 6 W E
♦ J9 S
♣ AJ6
You lead the ♥J, covered by the queen and taken by partner's king.
Partner continues with the ace and another heart, declarer ruffing
the third round. You should be thinking that partner, a known
weak hand, has already shown up with the ♥AK and cannot realisti-
cally have any other ace or king.
Declarer crosses to dummy with a diamond and leads a spade to the

jack and your queen. If your analysis is right, declarer has the ♦A,
the ♣K, and likely a spade suit headed by the KJ10. If you are right,
you can see five defensive tricks, but where is the sixth defensive
trick coming from? Don't forget the trump suit! Cash the ♣A to
This type of play in the trump see whether partner starts a high-low to show a doubleton. If he
suit, called an uppercut, is dis- does, continue a club and give him a club ruff on getting in with
cussed in more detail in Chapter the ♠A. If partner plays his lowest club, give up on the club ruff,
6: Tricks with Trumps. and go for the ‘uppercut’ instead. Lead a fourth heart and hope
partner can ruff with the ♠9, promoting your ♠8 to the setting trick.
Declarer's hand: ♠ KJ10763 ♥ 42 ♦ A104 ♣ K5

Partner's hand: ♠ 95 ♥ AK5 ♦ 87632 ♣ 987
Even when partner's bidding shows strength, the opponents may

wind up playing the hand.
NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER WEST

♥ Q65 pass pass 1NT1
2♠
♦ J432 all pass
♣ A Q 10 7
WEST (You) 1) 15-17 HCP
♠ Q94 N
♥ KJ92 W E
♦ 987 S
♣ 432
You would like to compete, but given your methods, you can't bid a
natural 2NT over 2♠ so you pass. You begin with the ♦9 ducked in
dummy and won by partner's queen, declarer furnishing the ten.
Partner continues with the ♦A which declarer ruffs.
Even now you should be counting points. Partner has between 15

and 17, so assume 16 and go from there. If partner has 16 (you've
already seen 9), the good guys have 22 HCP and the bad guys 18.
Looks good, but nine of partner's points are only going to take one
trick. Back to business. Dummy has 9 HCP, so figure declarer for 9
as well. Remember, your calculations can never be off by more
than 1 point.
Declarer leads the ♣J to the queen, partner playing the ♣5, and
then a spade to the jack and queen. You're in! Given the vulnera-
bility and the weakness of declarer's hand pointwise, declarer must
be credited with six spades. If declarer's spades are headed by the
AKJ, partner must have both the ♥A and the ♣K. Is that possible?
Not really. Now a negative inference: with two small spades and a
16-count, partner would have reopened with a takeout double. Partner’s play of the ♦A is a subtle
Since partner didn't, play partner for a spade honor and not two suit-preference signal: partner
small spades. If partner has a spade honor, partner can't have both had a choice of cards to play, so
the ♥A and the ♣K. If partner has the ♣K and declarer the ♥A, you his selection of one rather than
are not going to defeat this contract, so play partner for the ♥A and the other can be used to send a
declarer for the ♣K. Besides, partner's second diamond play, the ace message.
instead of the king, told you of heart, rather than club strength.
Your marked play at this point is the ♥J, a surrounding play, in Surrounding plays are dis-
case declarer has the ♥10. It is now time to look at the entire hand cussed in detail in Chapter 8.
so you can bask in your brilliance:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 62
♥ Q65
♦ J432
♣ A Q 10 7
WEST (You) EAST
♠ Q94 N ♠ K5
♥ KJ92 W E ♥ A43
♦ 987 S ♦ AKQ65
♣ 432 ♣ 865
SOUTH
♠ A J 10 8 7 3
♥ 10 8 7
♦ 10
♣ KJ9
After your heart switch, your side collects three quick heart tricks
and you wind up on lead. Lead your last heart allowing partner to
trump with the ♠K. Your ♠9 now becomes the setting trick.
When partner makes a non-vulnerable preempt and turns up with a

strong suit, don't look for much else on the side — you will be dis-
appointed:
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER WEST NORTH (Dummy)

pass pass 3♠ 4♥ ♥ 53
all pass ♦ K Q 10 8 4
♣ A 10 5
WEST (You)
♠ 2 N
♥ A 10 6 W E
♦ AJ62 S
♣ Q8432
You are close to doubling, but you have seen your partner's pre-
empts at favorable vulnerability before. In any case you lead your
spade and partner's jack drives out declarer's ace. At trick two
declarer exits with the ♥J. Any thoughts?
Partner has six or seven spades headed by the KQJ. With a six-card
suit, partner might have opted to open 2♠, so play partner for
seven. Declarer surely has the ♥KQJ, and the ♠A you know about,
so the only key honor unaccounted for is the ♣K. Partner could
just barely have it, but declarer is more likely to have it given that
vulnerable 4♥ overcall. But if declarer has it, is there any chance of
defeating this contract? Yes. If partner has a singleton diamond. If
you win the ♥A and bang down the ace and a diamond. On a good
day partner will ruff, cash a spade, and play another spade. Don't
look now but your ♥10 has just turned into the second undertrick.
Doubling 4♥ was right all along!
Declarer's hand: ♠ A10 ♥ KQJ984 ♦ 753 ♣ K9

Partner's hand: ♠ KQJ9854 ♥ 72 ♦ 9 ♣ J76
Notrump ranges
in competition
Ranges change in competitive auctions. These are the most com-

mon notrump bids in a competitive auction.

1♥ 1♠ 1NT
South shows 8-10 with one or two spade stoppers.

1♥ 1♠ 2NT
Some play this shows 13-15, balanced, game forcing. Some play
this shows 11-12, balanced, invitational. (Ask.)

1♥ 2♣ 2NT
Most everyone plays this as 10-12, not forcing.


1♥ 1♠ pass 1NT, 2NT, or
3NT
The 1NT response to an overcall typically shows 9 to a bad 12. A

bad 12 usually means a singleton in partner's suit. The 2NT
response shows 12 to a bad 15 and is invitational. The 3NT
response shows 15+.

1♠ 2♦ pass 2NT or 3NT
After a two-level overcall, a response of 2NT shows 10-12; a 3NT

response shows 12+. Again, the overlap occurs when you have a fit-
ting honor in partner's suit. Bid ‘em up with those fitting honors!

3♦ 3NT
Would you believe 16-22? Well, that is the range.

2♠ 2NT or 3NT
The 2NT overcall shows the strength of a strong notrump, typically

15 to a bad 18. The 3NT overcall, if a balanced hand, shows
upwards of 18 HCP. However, if South has a long running suit, for-
get the points: South is basing her overcall on tricks.

1♥ dbl pass 1NT, 2NT, or
3NT
The 1NT response has a wide range: 5-9 HCP. The 2NT response
shows 10 to a bad 13. The 3NT response shows 13-16. These
ranges are based to a certain extent on how light North can be to
make a takeout double. If North can double with as few as 11 HCP
(4-1-4-4 pattern), then responder has to exercise a little caution
when jumping to game!
Practice Hands
Hand 1 NORTH (Dummy) EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER NORTH
♠ KQ West North East South

♥ Q876 1♦ pass 1♥
♦ QJ65 pass 2♥ pass 4♥
♣ A52 all pass
WEST (You) EAST
♠ 10 9 8 6 4 N ♠ 532 Opening lead: ♠10
♥ A 10 W E ♥ 42
♦ K3 S ♦ A874
♣ 10 9 6 4 ♣ QJ73 It is likely that South has at least
SOUTH five hearts — unless the raise to
♠ AJ7 2♥ has promised four-card sup-
♥ KJ953 port, in which case South could
♦ 10 9 2 have only four hearts (ask about
♣ K8 stuff like that).
Dummy's queen takes the first trick, partner playing the deuce, and The missing important cards are
a low heart goes to the king and your ace. The play in spades tells the ♦A and the ♣K and declarer
you that declarer has at least the ace and possibly the jack. The could well have both, but then
play in hearts suggests that declarer has the ♥KJ. If declarer has the defeating the contract is impossi-
♦A and partner the ♣K, the most you can get is a trick in each ble. However, declarer would be
minor. However, if partner has the ♦A and declarer at least three strong enough to leap to game
diamonds, a diamond ruff is in your future. Switch to the ♦K at with just one of those cards.
trick three. It is far and away your best shot to defeat this contract.

♥ 632 1NT1
♦ A75 pass 3NT all pass
♣ KQJ9
WEST EAST (You) 1) 15-17 HCP
♠ A6 N ♠ K Q 10 5
♥ J 10 9 8 ♥ 754 Opening lead: ♥J (denies a high-
W E
er honor)
♦ 863 S ♦ K 10 2
♣ 10 8 4 2 ♣ 765
SOUTH
♠ 9732
♥ AKQ
♦ QJ94
♣ A3
Declarer wins the ♥Q and exits with the ♦Q, to partner's three and
your king. What do you know?
You know declarer has the ♥AKQ for three tricks and 9 HCP.
Declarer would have knocked out the ♣A right away if he didn't
have it, so play declarer for the ♣A. That little inference brings
declarer up to 13 HCP and seven tricks. The play in diamonds
strongly suggests the ♦QJ in declarer's hand; partner's ♦3 is a count
card, probably showing three, leaving declarer with ♦QJxx. If all
this is true, declarer has already shown up with 16 HCP and ten
tricks. Partner must have the ♠A. Shift to a low spade in order not
to block the suit in case partner has ♠Ax, and collect four tricks
before it is too late.
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER NORTH Hand 3 NORTH (Dummy)

1♣ pass 1♠ ♥ J86
pass 1NT pass 4♠ ♦ K65
all pass ♣ AK975
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 84 N ♠ J 10 9
♥ AK2 W E ♥ Q953
♦ 10 8 7 4 3 S ♦ QJ92
♣ 432 ♣ QJ
SOUTH
♠ AK7653
♥ 10 7 4
♦ A
♣ 10 8 6
Partner starts with the ace, king, and a heart to your queen after
you encourage a continuation. You are off to a great start with
three quick tricks, but where is the fourth coming from?
What do you know? You know declarer has at least six spades plus
opening-bid or near-opening-bid values to justify the leap to game
facing a minimum opener. The missing honors are the ♠AK and the
♦A. It's hard to imagine that any sane declarer doesn't have them
all. Furthermore, you know declarer has at most four minor-suit
cards so no trick can possibly be coming from the minors with the
opponents holding the ace-king of both suits.
When there are no tricks coming from the side suits, look to the
trump suit to defeat the contract (the gist of the next chapter).
Think ruff-sluff. If you lead a fourth round of hearts and partner
uppercuts that ♠Q off dummy, your spade holding will produce the
setting trick.
Hand 4 NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER EAST
♠ Q72 West North East South

♥ QJ2 pass 1NT1
♦ K Q J 10 5 pass 3NT all pass
♣ 75
WEST (You) EAST
1) 15-17 HCP
♠ J 10 9 8 N ♠ 654
♥ A63 W E ♥ 9854
♦ 43 S ♦ 986
♣ A Q 10 2 ♣ K43
SOUTH
♠ AK3
♥ K 10 7
♦ A72
♣ J986
Your ♠J floats around to declarer's king, partner playing the ♠4. At

trick two declarer leads a low heart towards dummy. What do you
know? You know declarer has the ♦A (4 HCP), because without that
card, driving it out would be the first order of business. What about
the ♠A? Can partner have the ♠A43? Count points. Between you
and dummy there are 22 HCP. If declarer has 15, the very least she
can have, partner has at most 3 HCP. Cancel partner’s having the
♠A. Let's go further. Can partner have the ♥K? Yes, but then
declarer has the ♣KJ. If you play a low heart, and partner wins and
shifts to a club, you can still only take two clubs (unless declarer has
♣KJ doubleton) and two hearts without setting up a ninth trick for
declarer.
Since you can't realistically defeat the contract if partner has the
♥K, why not play partner for the ♣K instead? Win the ♥A (don't let
declarer steal her ninth trick right out from under your nose!), and
shift to a low club. A good partner will produce the ♣K, return a
club, and you can watch another contract bite the dust.
Sometimes, the suit you want partner to lead so badly is the very
suit you should be leading yourself!
To Answers
Test Yourself
Estimate declarer’s point range and distribution on each auction.
1) North South 2) North South 3) North South

1♥ 1♠ 1♥ 1♠ 1♣ 1♥
2♥ 4♥ 3♥ 4♥ 2NT 3♦
pass pass 3NT pass

2♣ 2♦ 2♥1 4♥ 1♣ 1♠
2NT 3NT pass 2♥ 2♠
pass 1) Weak
3NT pass

pass 1♠ pass 1♦ 1♣ 1♥
2♦ pass 1♠ 2♠ 1♠ 2♥
2NT pass 2NT pass

1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ 1♣ 1♥
3NT pass 3♦ 3♠ 1NT 4♥
4♠ pass pass

1♦ 2NT 1♣ 1♥ 1♦ 1♠
3NT pass 1♠ 2NT 3♠ 4♠
3NT pass pass

1
1♥ 2♣ 1♥ 1♠ 1NT 4NT
2♦ 3♣ 2♣ 3♠ pass pass
pass pass 1) 15-17 HCP

1♥ 1♠ 1♥ 1♠ 2NT 3♣
3♣ 3♠ 4♥ pass 3♠ 4♠
3NT pass pass

1♠ 2♣ 1♠ 1NT 1♦ 1NT
2♦ 3♣ 2♦ 2NT 2NT 3NT
3NT pass pass pass
To questions

1) 11-14 At least six hearts.
2) 15-18 At least six hearts; 18 HCP would be the exception.
3) 18-19 Fewer than three hearts, and very unlikely to have four
diamonds.
4) 22-24 Balanced.
5) 6-9 Six hearts — unlikely to have four spades.
6) 19-21 Five clubs, four hearts, fewer than three spades. With
17-18, opener rebids 2NT over 2♠.
7) 10-11 Five or six diamonds. A passed hand response at the
two-level, which can be passed, promises a five-card
suit, minimum.
8) 10-12 Exactly four spades. If responder has exactly 10 HCP, an
exception, she should have good intermediates plus a
fitting diamond honor. Assume 11-12.
9) 16-18 Responder signed off: opener must have serious extras.
10) 15-17 Solid diamonds; usually a seven-bagger. It is a trick-
taking bid, not a point-count bid. It can be made with a
singleton or void in partner's suit.
11) 15-17 At least five spades. With a stronger hand, opener
makes a slam try over 3♠. (Some play the 3♦ rebid does
not show extras. Ask.)
12) 11-14 At least six hearts.
13) 13-15 Flat, typically no-four-card major. Some play this as 10-
12. Ask.
14) 10-12 With 10 responder should have either a good five-card
suit, a fitting honor in opener's first suit, or great inter-
mediates. With 10 HCP you can also make a 1NT rebid.
Assume 11-12.
15) 8+ All you know is that responder was strong enough to
try for game, but not strong enough to make a slam try.
16) 9-11 With six or seven clubs.
17) 9-11 With at least six spades. With only 9 HCP responder
figures to have a side four-card suit or a seven-bagger.
18) 15-16 With 17 opener bids on; with 15 opener passes; with 16
opener usually bids on unless he’s exactly 4-3-3-3.
19) 18-20 Fewer than three spades. Opener's most likely distribu-
tion is 1-5-3-4.
20) 16-19 At least six hearts, maybe more. The more hearts, the
fewer high card points needed.
21) 20-21 Four spades and fewer than four hearts. Check your
opponents’ range: not everyone plays 20-21.
To questions
22) 15-18 Responder’s 3♣ rebid is not forcing, therefore opener
needs extras ( or a club fit) to go on.
23) 9-10 Usually 10. If the 1NT response is forcing, 10-11.
24) 8-10 No four-card major. In this sequence, responder's long
suit is usually clubs. Beware of a club lead!
• Notrump bids have ranges. If the bidder has a 3-point

range, assume the middle count until it proves otherwise.
• When a limited hand passes an invitational sequence,
assume it is at the bottom of the range; if the invitation is
accepted, assume it is at the top or near top of the range.
• When an unlimited hand accepts an invitational bid, all
you know is that the hand is not a bare minimum and not
strong enough to make a slam try.
• When opener declares a suit contract, you should have
some idea (within three or four) how many HCP declarer
has. Add dummy's HCP to declarer's estimated HCP to
determine how many HCP you and partner have. Start by
taking declarer's middle count unless you need declarer to
be minimum to defeat the contract.
• Use partner's bidding to help determine declarer's point
count. If you know within a point or two how strong part-
ner is, you know the same about declarer's hand.
• After you determine partner's point count, assume those
points that you haven't already seen are where you need
them in order to defeat the contract.
• If declarer is known to be weak and turns up with beau-
coup high-card strength early in the play, assume partner
has what's left.
• When partner leads an honor card, you usually know how
many points (and tricks) declarer has in that suit.
• Partner's signal can give you information about declarer's
high-card strength in that suit.
• If all else fails, look to the trump suit for the setting trick;
perhaps an uppercut or an overruff possibility exists.
• Keep track of declarer's strength as the hand progresses. It's
how you know who has what near the end of a hand.
Tricks
With
Trumps
A wise man will make more opportunities
than he finds
FRANCIS BACON
6 WHAT
YOU’RE GOING
TO LEARN
IN THIS
CHAPTER:
• How to use the defensive
trump holdings to make extra
tricks
• The importance of timing
when giving and getting ruffs
• How to make tricks by refusing
to overruff
• How to execute an uppercut
• How to use a ruff-sluff to force
declarer
When a hand is played at a suit contract, it is harder for the defend-
ers to figure out what declarer is going to do, and how close he is to Getting your ruff 154
Giving partner a ruff 156
making his contract. This is because declarer can use trumps to ruff
Overruffing positions 163
losers, establish side suits, and ruff the defenders’ winners, none of The uppercut 165
which he can do in notrump contracts. The good news is that the The forcing defense 168
defenders can make use of the trump suit too. In the first place, The dreaded ruff-sluff 171
defensive winners in the trump suit aren’t going to go away: the ace Ruffing air 175
Holding the master trump 176
of trumps is always a trick, for example. In the second place, there
Practice Hands 179
are a host of stratagems that the defenders can employ to squeeze Test Yourself 181
extra tricks out of their trump holdings. We’re going to look at Solutions 184
some of them in this chapter Key ideas 188
♦ 153
154 ♦ EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES ADVANCED BRIDGE DEFENSE ♦ CHAPTER SIX
Getting your ruff

A relatively simple way to get a ruff is to lead a short suit. It’s
important, of course, that declarer cannot draw trumps, and that
partner can get in to return your suit. This strategy works well
when partner has the ace of your suit, or when he has an outside
ace and you have a trump entry.
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH NORTH (Dummy)
1♥ ♥ 10 6 3
1♠ 2♣ 3♠ 4♣ ♦ AK75
4♠ 5♥ all pass ♣ KQJ4
WEST (You) EAST
♠ AJ9854 N ♠ K 10 6 3
♥ K72 W E ♥ 5
♦ 10 4 3 S ♦ QJ96
♣ 2 ♣ 9873
SOUTH
♠ Q
♥ AQJ984
♦ 82
♣ A 10 6 5
Holding trump control (♥Kxx), you lead your singleton club which
is taken in dummy with the jack, partner playing the ♣9 (more
about that in a moment). Fearing a club ruff and willing to give up
on a trump finesse, declarer plays the ace and a heart which you
pounce upon with your king, partner discarding the ♠10, showing a
high spade honor, typically the ace or king. Your play now is
marked: lead a low spade to partner's king; ruff the club return and
get on with the next hand.
That ♣9. What was that all about? Partner has made a good play.
When an obvious singleton is led and third hand has nothing to
speak of in the suit, third hand gives suit preference telling partner
where her outside entry lies. In this case the ♣9, East's highest, is
an effort to show an entry in the higher ranking-suit, spades. In
case you were sleeping at trick one, partner gave you another wake-
up call at trick three with that discard of the ♠10 reconfirming the
original message. You don't always get two bites at the same apple.
CHAPTER SIX o TRICKS WITH TRUMPS o 155
NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER EAST
m 62 West North East South

n J 10 6 4 pass 1n
o Q96 1m 2p 3m 4p
p AKJ3 pass 4n all pass
WEST (You) EAST
m AJ9854 N m Q 10 7 3
n A7 W E n 3
o 8543 S o A 10 7 2
p 2 p 9854
SOUTH
m K
n KQ9852
o KJ
p Q 10 7 6
Again you lead a club which everyone knows is a singleton. When
dummy takes the trick with the king, you had better watch part- After trick one, the king is always
ner's card closely to see where her outside entry lies. In this case, led from ace-king. In addition,
partner's entry is in the lower-ranking side suit, diamonds, so part- when leading a suit partner has
ner plays her lowest club. When declarer floats the nJ to your ace, supported, the king is also led
you can make things really easy for partner. Cash the mA (denying from ace-king. Finally, in case
the king), and shift to the o8, showing weakness in diamonds. partner has forgotten, declarer's
Partner will surely win the oA and give you a club ruff. king appears when you lead your
ace.
Besides giving suit preference when partner leads an obvious single-
ton, third hand has other responsibilities. At times third hand has
to take charge of the defense early on to secure a ruff of her own.
NORTH (Dummy) EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER EAST
m J742 West North East South
n KQJ63 1o 1m
o 52 2o 4m all pass
p AQ
WEST EAST (You)
m 6 N m A8
n 9742 W E n 5
o Q J 10 7 S o AK964
p K J 10 7 p 98543
SOUTH
m K Q 10 9 5 3
n A 10 8
o 83
p 62
Notice that in all these examples,

When partner leads the ♦Q, overtake and shift to your singleton
you have trump control, so that
heart keeping partner's known ♦J for a later re-entry. Declarer can
you are certain of getting the lead
do no better than win in dummy and fake a spade finesse by lead-
early on. When you’re trying to
ing the jack. You've been around too long to fall for that one. Win
get a ruff in the opponents’ long,
the ♠A; underlead your ♦A to partner's jack, and get your heart ruff.
strong side suit, trump control is
One in the soup!
the name of the game.
Giving partner a ruff

Nothing makes partner happier than getting a ruff — unless it is
getting two ruffs!
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ J87
2NT ♥ A842
pass 3♣ pass 3♥ ♦ 4
pass 4♥ all pass ♣ K8732
WEST EAST (You)
Opening lead: ♠5 ♠ 5 N ♠ A96432
♥ 963 W E ♥ J5
♦ 10 8 7 3 2 S ♦ A96
♣ 10 6 5 4 ♣ Q9
SOUTH
♠ K Q 10
♥ K Q 10 7
♦ KQJ5
♣ AJ
Partner has led an obvious singleton (if it is from three to an honor,
declarer has opened 2NT with a singleton!), so hasten to win the ♠A
and give partner a ruff. But don't hasten so much that partner
doesn't know how to get you back in for a second ruff! The spade
you play, a suit preference return, tells partner where your outside
entry lies. Of course you don't always have an outside entry, but for
the moment, let's assume you do. Your outside entry is in dia-
monds, the higher-ranking of the two remaining side suits, so
return the highest spade you can afford, the ♠9, to let partner in on
that little secret. Partner ruffs, returns a diamond to your ace, and
ruffs a second spade. Down one. If your entry were in clubs (the
♣A instead of the ♦A), you would return your lowest spade asking
partner to return the lower-ranking side suit.
What if you don't have an outside ace for a sure re-entry, but have
an outside king? Sometimes you have to make do.
CHAPTER SIX ♦ TRICKS WITH TRUMPS ♦ 157
♠ KJ64 West North East South

♥ KQJ42 1NT
♦ 10 9 8 pass 2♣ pass 2♥
♣ 7 pass 4♥ all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 532 ♠ 10 8 7 Opening lead: ♦3
N
♥ 10 8 6 W E ♥ 5
♦ 3 S ♦ AJ7542
♣ AJ8632 ♣ K95
SOUTH
♠ AQ9
♥ A973
♦ KQ6
♣ Q 10 4
You seem to have found a partner who always has a singleton to Again, you can tell the lead is a
lead. Even though you do not have an outside ace for a re-entry, singleton from the bidding.
you do have a king. Win the ♦A and return the ♦2, a suit prefer-
ence play for clubs. Partner ruffs and underleads his ♣A to your ♣K
to get another diamond ruff. Down one again.
Well, you are probably thinking, in these lovely examples that

Kantar makes up I always have the ace of the suit partner leads and
an outside king or ace too. In real life I seldom have the ace of part-
ner' s suit, or if I do, I never seem to have an outside ace or king.
What should I do then? Hold the fort. If you have the ace of part-
ner's singleton suit, and no outside entry, signal for the side suit
that you think is the safer for partner to return — the lesser of evils.
NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER EAST

♥ K65 2♠ 3♥
♦ AKQ pass 4♥ all pass
♣ 543
WEST EAST (You) Next time North has that hand he
♠ 2 ♠ A Q 10 9 7 5 might cuebid 3♠ looking for a
N 3NT rebid from South, thus arriv-
♥ 10 9 4 2 W E ♥ 3 ing at a makable game contract.
♦ 10 7 4 3 S ♦ 652
♣ KJ62 ♣ 10 9 8
SOUTH Opening lead: ♠2
♠ KJ
♥ AQJ87
♦ J98
♣ AQ7
After you win the opening lead, an obvious singleton, you have
nothing you want partner to return. However, you know you don't
want partner to shift to a club, so return the ♠10 asking for a dia-
mond shift. Once partner sees you want a diamond shift, she will
reason you have zilch in clubs. Of course, South realizes this too,
but there is nothing South can do about those two club losers.
Now try one from the West seat:

♠ 643
1♣ pass 1♥ ♥ AKJ
pass 2♥ pass 4♥ ♦ 64
all pass ♣ A K Q 10 9
WEST (You)
♠ A5 N
♥ 5432 W E
♦ K985 S
♣ 832
You decide desperate measures are needed and go straight away for
a spade ruff by leading the ♠A. Your lead is greeted by the ♠8 from
partner and the ♠10 from declarer. You continue with a spade to
partner's king and declarer's ♠9. At trick three partner returns the
♠2, declarer plays the ♠Q, and you ruff. What do you play now?
Can partner really be asking for a club switch? You better believe it.
This is the entire hand:

NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 643
♥ AKJ
♦ 64
♣ A K Q 10 9
WEST (You) EAST
♠ A5 N ♠ KJ872
♥ 5432 W E ♥ 86
♦ K985 S ♦ J 10
♣ 832 ♣ J764
SOUTH
♠ Q 10 9
♥ Q 10 9 7
♦ AQ732
♣ 5
You may not agree with the bidding, but your job is to follow part-
ner's defense unless you have an overriding reason not to (like cash-
ing the setting trick partner may not know you have, etc.). If you
return a club (or a trump), you will eventually take a trick with your
♦K. Even if declarer establishes the clubs for three discards, it's not
enough. Declarer still needs the diamond finesse.
Then there are hands where you can give partner an immediate ruff
while still holding the ace of trumps as a further outside entry.
Suddenly there are new considerations: how many trumps does
partner have? If partner has more than two trumps, you may be
able to give partner two ruffs, but if partner has only two trumps,
you can only give partner one ruff. After partner ruffs and declarer
plays a trump, partner will not be ruffing anything until the next
hand.
By delaying the ruff (when partner can only get one ruff anyway),
you might be able to arrange getting a ruff of your own, or possibly
set up a side-suit trick before giving partner a beloved ruff. Of
course, this means watching partner squirm a bit when the ruff isn’t
immediately forthcoming.
NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER NORTH
♠ K Q J 10 West North East South

♥ Q J 10 1♦ 1♠ 2♥
♦ A K 10 5 3 pass 4♥ all pass
♣ 7
WEST EAST (You) Opening lead: ♠2
♠ 2 N ♠ A98654
♥ 62 W E ♥ A5
♦ QJ764 S ♦ 2
♣ J9652 ♣ Q 10 4 3
SOUTH
♠ 73
♥ K98743
♦ 98
♣ AK8
You play your ♠A and when declarer doesn't ruff, you know partner
has led a singleton. Restrain yourself from giving partner an imme-
diate ruff. See that singleton diamond in your hand? See that ace
of trumps in your hand? Those are signals that are supposed to
alert you to an alternate defense. Shift to your singleton at trick
two; win the first round of hearts, return the ♠9, suit preference for
diamonds, and ruff partner's diamond return. Don't look now, but
that's four tricks. It takes two ruffs to defeat this contract.
And you don't necessarily need a singleton to make it right to delay

giving partner a ruff; a doubleton might do quite nicely, thank you.
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER WEST
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 9754
pass pass pass 1♠ ♥ A4
2♠1 3♠ all pass ♦ Q82
♣ K874
1) Michaels: 5 hearts with an
WEST EAST (You)
unknown five- or six-card minor.
♠ J2 N ♠ A6
♥ Q J 10 7 6 W E ♥ 853
♦ K J 10 9 3 S ♦ 74
♣ J ♣ A96532
SOUTH
♠ K Q 10 8 3
♥ K92
♦ A65
♣ Q 10
Partner leads the ♣J which has the aura of a singleton. You win the
ace and declarer falsecards correctly with the queen, a card she is
known to hold.
If you decide to play partner for 2-5-5-1 distribution, your best

defense is to shift to a high diamond at trick two. Declarer has no
winning options. If declarer wins the ace, crosses to dummy with a
heart and leads a trump, you fly ace and give your partner a club
ruff; after partner cashes the ♦K you get a diamond ruff. Nor does it
help declarer to duck your diamond return. Partner wins and
returns a diamond to dummy's queen. You win the first spade, give
partner a club ruff, get a diamond ruff, etc. Down one.
A trusting partner has to realize that when you don't give an imme-
diate ruff, it's not because you have misread the lead (perish the
thought), it is because you are trying to develop an outside trick
first. That outside trick doesn't necessarily have to be in the form of
a return ruff; it may involve setting up a winner in another suit.
♠ KQ65 West North East South

♥ QJ8 1♣ pass 1♠
♦ 6 pass 3♠ pass 4♠
♣ K Q J 10 8 all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 93 N ♠ A8
♥ K743 W E ♥ 10 9 5
♦ K97432 S ♦ QJ8
♣ 6 ♣ A7532
SOUTH
♠ J 10 7 4 2
♥ A62
♦ A 10 5
♣ 94
Partner leads the ♣6. When a good player leads dummy's first-bid
suit, chances are that it is a singleton lead as opposed to a double-
ton. You win the ace and declarer plays the inevitable ♣9, trying to
sow the seeds of doubt in your mind.
If partner has specifically ♠Jxx, you can give partner a club ruff and
then when you get in with the ♠A give partner a second club ruff,
partner overruffing declarer. However, that's a long shot. Partner
may not have three spades and partner may not even have the ♠J.
A better shot is to play partner for the ♥K and shift to a heart at

trick two intending to give partner a club ruff when in with the
trump ace. This defense nets you four tricks: the ♣A, the ♠A, the
♥K and a club ruff.
If you give partner a club ruff at trick two, partner's ♥K vanishes on

dummy's clubs. Follow the play: you give partner an immediate
club ruff and partner exits with a diamond to declarer's ace.
Declarer leads a spade to your ace, and if you make a belated heart
shift, declarer rises with the ace, draws trumps, and discards both
hearts on dummy's clubs.
Then there are hands where you have a void and therefore can't
lead the suit. The trick is to get partner to lead it.

4♠ dbl 5♠ 6♥ ♥ AQ94
all pass ♦ K987
♣ AQ92
WEST (You) EAST
♠ A Q J 10 8 7 2 N ♠ K943
♥ 87 W E ♥ 2
♦ J632 S ♦ Q 10 5 4
♣ — ♣ J875
SOUTH
♠ 5
♥ K J 10 6 5 3
♦ A
♣ K 10 6 4 3
Partner likely has the ♠K and you have one spade trick, max. Lead
the ♠2, surely suit preference on the bidding! Partner wins the ♠K
and gives you a club ruff. Any time you lead an ‘impossible’ card
from known length, it should be considered a suit preference lead.
Furthermore, whenever you underlead an ace in a supported suit,

there is a strong inference you have a desire for some switch, as the
ace is the normal lead in a supported suit. And let's not forget
those hands where you can determine from their bidding that part-
ner has a side-suit void.
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER SOUTH NORTH (Dummy)

West North East South ♠ A 10 6
1♠ ♥ K5
pass 2♣ pass 3♣ ♦ 10 9 5
pass 3♠ pass 4♠ ♣ A J 10 8 7
♠ 82 N ♠ J93
♥ 10 8 7 6 4 3 W E ♥ Q9
Opening lead: ♦4 ♦ KJ842 S ♦ AQ6
♣ — ♣ 96543
SOUTH
♠ KQ754
♥ AJ2
♦ 73
♣ KQ2
It doesn't take a genius to work out that your partner is void in

clubs. The easiest defense is to play the ♦Q at trick one (if partner
doesn't have the ♦K, you are unlikely to defeat this contract), and
return the ♣3, suit preference for diamonds. Partner ruffs, leads a
diamond, and voila, you give partner a second club ruff.
Say you play the ♦A at trick one and return the ♣3 asking partner
for a diamond return after ruffing. Now partner has to underlead
the ♦K to get you in again for a second club ruff. Only you know
whether your partner is up to such a play. When you are the better
player, which of course you always are, do not expect partner to
come up with difficult plays. It's not gonna happen.
Overruffing positions
Anytime partner is in a position to overruff declarer or dummy,
chances are your side is in pretty good shape. Even if declarer ruffs
high enough to prevent an overruff, that too can cost him a trick.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ A74
♥ J54 2♥ 2♠
♦ Q 10 pass 3♠ pass 4♠
♣ QJ965 all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ J 10 9 N ♠ 8
♥ K7 W E ♥ A Q 10 8 6 3
♦ J7654 S ♦ 983
♣ A73 ♣ 842
SOUTH
♠ KQ6532
♥ 92
♦ AK2
♣ K 10
I might suggest that while read-
Your weak two-bid gets partner off to the right lead on this hand,
ing this section and the following
the ♥K. You signal with the ♥8, and partner happily plays a second
one on the uppercut you
heart to your ten. Now watch what happens if you play a third
remove a suit from a deck of
round of hearts. Declarer is ruffing, of course, but if declarer ruffs
cards and follow the promotion
low, partner overruffs; if declarer ruffs with an honor, partner’s
of the lower spot cards in the
trump holding promotes to the setting trick.
trump suit as described.
At times partner may lead a suit that allows you to overruff declarer
or dummy, yet, it may be in your best interest not to overruff.
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER EAST NORTH (Dummy)
2♥ 2♠ ♥ J54
3♥ 3♠ all pass ♦ AQ
♣ QJ965
WEST (You) EAST
♠ K953 N ♠ 8
♥ K7 W E ♥ A Q 10 8 6 3
♦ J765 S ♦ 9843
♣ A73 ♣ 42
SOUTH
♠ A Q J 10 2
♥ 92
♦ K 10 2
♣ K 10 8
You lead the ♥K and continue the suit. Partner wins the second
heart, plays a third, declarer ruffing with the ♠Q. If you overruff,
the ♣A is your only other defensive trick as declarer can easily draw
your remaining three trumps with the ♠AJ10. But if you discard,
your ♠9 promotes to a second defensive trump trick and you defeat
the contract one trick.
There is yet another consideration when giving partner an overruff:

declarer may decline to ruff, discarding a loser instead. Now
dummy's trumps may protect declarer from further overruffs.
West North East South ♠ J73
1♥ ♥ Q73
pass 2♣ 2♠ 3♥ ♦ KQ
pass 4♥ all pass ♣ KQJ32
WEST EAST (You)
♠ A2 N ♠ K Q 10 9 8 5
♥ J94 W E ♥ 6
♦ 10 9 6 5 S ♦ 872
♣ 10 8 6 5 ♣ A97
SOUTH
♠ 64
♥ A K 10 8 5 2
♦ AJ43
♣ 4
Partner leads the ace and a spade and it seems right to play a third
high spade, but it isn't! Declarer, fearing an overruff promotion if
she ruffs high or a simple overruff if she ruffs low, discards a club
instead. Now you are fixed. Both dummy and declarer are out of
spades, and dummy has a high enough trump card, the queen, to
protect declarer from any possible overruffs. If you play a fourth
spade, declarer will discard a diamond and no matter what partner
does, declarer has the rest... easily.
The mistake came at trick three. Instead of playing a high spade,

cash the ♣A first and then lead a high spade. Now let's see declarer
make this hand!
The uppercut
Once you get the knack of not overruffing a declarer who has a
known strong trump suit (your trump holding will typically be
J8xx, Q8x(x), K8x(x), A8x(x) Q9x(x) K9x(x), A9x(x), K10x(x) or
A10x(x), it's only a skip and a jump to understand the uppercut,
another play that can destroy declarer's trump holding. The upper-
cut is a form of trump promotion — in reverse. In this scenario you
lead some suit in which both partner and declarer are void and
partner ruffs high forcing out a trump honor. This, in turn, pro-
motes one of your lower trump cards to eventual top rank.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠5
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠Q962 S ♠84
SOUTH
♠ A K J 10 7 3
In this position if partner leads a side suit in which both you and
declarer are void, and declarer ruffs with the ten or jack, you gain a
trick by not overruffing. Now consider this scenario: you lead a suit
in which both your partner and declarer are void and partner
trumps with the ♠8 driving out the ♠10. Once again, with the ten
removed, you have two trump tricks just as you did when you did
not overruff the ten. This maneuver is called an uppercut.
Now look at this one:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠4
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠K853 S ♠ 10 6
SOUTH
♠AQJ972
Say partner leads a suit which neither you nor declarer have and
declarer ruffs with the ♠9. If you overruff, that is your last trump
trick; if you discard, your ♠8 promotes to a second trick. Let's turn
it around again. You lead a suit that neither your partner nor
declarer has; partner ruffs with the ♠10 and declarer overruffs with
the jack or queen. Your ♠8 becomes an eventual second trump
trick.
Another example:
2♠1
pass pass dbl ♥ 964
pass 3♣ pass 3♥ ♦ Q4
pass 4♥ all pass ♣ K Q 10 8 7
WEST EAST (You)
1) Weak ♠ AKJ753 N ♠ 62
♥ J72 W E ♥ 10 3
♦ 63 S ♦ J 10 9 8 7 2
♣ 52 ♣ A43
SOUTH
♠ 10 9
♥ AKQ85
♦ AK5
♣ J96
Partner starts with the two top spades, and you echo to show a dou-
bleton. A third round of spades forces you to ruff dummy’s ♠Q. But
if you pusillanimously trump with the ♥3, South overruffs, draws
trumps, and concedes the ♣A for ten easy tricks. However, if you
courageously ruff in with the ten, you perform an uppercut. South
is forced to overruff with an honor, and partner’s ♥J has now been
promoted to trick-taking status. That along with the ♣A spells a
one-trick set.
These examples showed a defender uppercutting declarer’s trump

holding, but it’s also as possible to uppercut the dummy.

♥ Q64 2♠ 1
dbl
♦ Q54 pass 3♣ pass 3♥
♣ K Q 10 8 7 pass 4♥ all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 62 N ♠ A K 10 7 5 3 1) Weak
♥ 10 3 W E ♥ J98
♦ J 10 9 8 7 2 S ♦ 63
♣ A43 ♣ 52
SOUTH
♠ QJ9
♥ AK752
♦ AK
♣ J96
Partner leads the ♠6 and the bidding tells you your best chance is to
play partner for a minor-suit ace along with a trump spot that can
knock out dummy's queen, perhaps promoting a trump trick for
your jack. You put your plan into action and play three rounds of
spades. Partner makes you look like a genius by producing the ♥10,
overruffed with the queen. Your ♥J98 has blossomed into a sure
trump trick and partner's ♣A is the setting trick.
You ain't seen nuttin’ yet. Can you believe promoting a six-spot in
the trump suit to the setting trick?
♠ — West North East South

♥ Q876 3♠
♦ AKQ3 pass 4♠ all pass
♣ AK432
WEST (You) EAST
♠ A62 N ♠ 987
♥ AK943 W E ♥ J 10
♦ 982 S ♦ 10 7 6
♣ 97 ♣ Q J 10 6 5
SOUTH
♠ K Q J 10 5 4 3
♥ 52
♦ J54
♣ 8
You lead a high heart and admire North's gutsy 4♠ raise with a void.
Obviously, North didn't know you had the ♠6!
You play a second high heart then a third heart, partner ruffing
with the ♠7, declarer overruffing with the ♠10. When declarer con-
tinues with the ♠Q, you win the ace and play another heart, this
time partner ruffs with her last trump, the ♠9, driving out yet
another spade honor from the South hand. South, having lost
three tricks, remains with the ♠Q543, the shredded remains of a
once glorious trump suit. You remain with the ♠62; down one.
The forcing defense

We have seen how holding the ace of trumps gives you latitude
when trying to maneuver a ruff for yourself or for your partner.
When you have trump length, typically four, and are attempting to
force declarer to trump, the ace of trumps becomes an even more
important card and the defender who holds it must be careful to
use it at exactly the right moment.
BOTH VUL. DEALER EAST NORTH (Dummy)
1♠ 2♥ ♥ Q92
pass 4♥ all pass ♦ A95
♣ A K 10 8
WEST EAST (You)
♠ J62 N ♠ A K 10 7 5
♥ 6 W E ♥ A843
♦ J 10 8 7 2 S ♦ 63
♣ 9743 ♣ 52
SOUTH
♠ Q9
♥ K J 10 7 5
♦ KQ4
♣ QJ6
Partner leads the ♠2 and you continue with the king, ace and a
third spade forcing declarer to ruff. When declarer exits with the
♥K and partner follows, you know that both you and declarer have
exactly four trumps. Your objective is to make declarer trump a
spade so you can wind up with more hearts than declarer — always
a good sign.
However, as long as dummy has a heart, you cannot force declarer

to trump a spade; dummy will trump and declarer will remain with
the same number of trumps as you — a bad sign. What you have to
do (when both declarer and dummy are void in the ‘force suit’,
spades) is take your ace of trumps when dummy is playing its last
trump. In other words, take the third round of hearts with your ace
and play a fourth spade driving out declarer's last trump. Not only
do you remain with the only trump left in the game, you have a
winning spade as well. Down two.
Yes, declarer can save a trick. After you duck two rounds of hearts,
declarer can play club and diamond winners allowing you to
trump. Declarer goes down one instead of two.
This is an example with the same theme, only a little more com-
plex; you shouldn’t have any trouble with it.

♥ Q 10 5 2 1♠ dbl
♦ QJ9 pass 2♠ pass 3♥
♣ A K 10 8 pass 4♥ all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 642 N ♠ AKQ75
♥ 6 W E ♥ A843
♦ 10 8 7 5 3 S ♦ 62
♣ 9743 ♣ 52
SOUTH
♠ J93
♥ KJ97
♦ AK4
♣ QJ6
This time you are defending against a 4-4 trump fit; on the previ-
ous hand it was a 5-3 trump fit. On the previous hand, once you
forced declarer to trump early you were defending against a 4-3
trump fit. When defending against a 4-4 trump fit, if either declar-
er or dummy trumps something you are once again defending
against a 4-3 trump fit; with Axxx of trumps, you can go into your
same act.
Partner leads the ♠2 and you play three rounds of spades forcing
dummy to ruff. Voila, they are playing a 4-3 trump fit and you
have four trumps headed by the ace. You know what you must do.
When declarer begins to draw trumps: take the third round of

trumps, the one that exhausts dummy, and play a fourth spade
removing declarer's last trump; down two. If declarer does not play
a third round of trumps, you will eventually ruff a minor-suit win-
ner for down one.
When declarer and dummy are both void in the force suit but
dummy only has two trumps, win the second round of trumps,
again the one that exhausts dummy. Piece of cake.
1♠ ♥ 643
pass 2♣ pass 2♠ ♦ AQ94
pass 3♦ pass 4♣ ♣ AQ72
pass 4♠ all pass WEST (You) EAST
♠ K632 N ♠ 54
♥ K Q 10 2 W E ♥ AJ97
♦ 53 S ♦ J 10 8 6
♣ J95 ♣ 10 8 4
SOUTH
♠ A Q 10 8 7
♥ 85
♦ K72
♣ K63
Having a keen ear for the bidding, you lead a high heart eventually
forcing declarer to ruff the third round. Say declarer crosses to
dummy with a minor-suit winner and runs the ♠J; duck! Don't even
think of winning this trick. Your play with four trumps is to wait
until dummy's last trump is played. Say declarer continues by tak-
ing a second spade finesse. This time you pounce upon the trick
with your king and play a fourth heart forcing declarer to ruff
again, reducing declarer to one trump while you remain with two.
Declarer bites the dust again... but only if you take the second round
of spades.
One last reminder about taking dummy's last trump. This play is
only necessary when dummy and declarer are both void in the force
suit. If declarer is void and dummy isn't, you don't have to wait
until dummy is exhausted of trumps to continue the force; you can
do it earlier.
The dreaded ruff-sluff

No defensive play in bridge has a worse rep than giving the oppo-
nents a ruff and a sluff (letting declarer trump in one hand while
discarding a loser the other). But what if neither declarer nor
dummy has a meaningful side-suit loser to discard? Now giving
declarer a ruff and sluff may promote an extra trump trick(s) for
you or your partner. The following examples illustrate how extra
trump tricks can be promoted. But first, this repeat warning: giving
a ruff and a sluff can be dangerous to your health if declarer or
dummy has a certain loser that can be discarded while ruffing in
the other hand. Forewarned is forearmed.
One common application of the ruff and sluff occurs when a

defender leads a suit through declarer allowing partner to trump
higher than dummy or forcing declarer to ruff so high that partner's
trump holding promotes.
NORTH (Dummy)
♥ 10 4 2
pass pass 1♠ dbl
♦ Q54
pass 2♣ 2♠ 4♥
♣ K J 10 8
all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 6 N ♠ A K Q 10 7 5
Opening lead: ♠6
♥ J63 W E ♥ 8
♦ 10 8 7 6 3 2 S ♦ J9
♣ 743 ♣ Q652
SOUTH
♠ J92
♥ AKQ975
♦ AK
♣ A9
You begin by cashing three spades, partner discarding a low dia-

mond and a low club. Declarer figures to have eight or, more likely,
nine major-suit cards. Partner's negative discards have indicated
that declarer has the ♦AK and the ♣A. Therefore, declarer cannot
have a side-suit loser. When you arrive at such a conclusion, think
ruff-sluff. Lead a fourth spade hoping to promote a possible ♥Jxx in
partner's hand. If declarer discards, partner's ♥J becomes the setting
trick. If declarer ruffs high, partner's ♥J still becomes the setting
trick.
Sometimes one of these ruff-sluff trump promotion plays will be

combined with partner declining to overruff. Say these were the
hearts on the previous hand:
NORTH (Dummy)
♥74
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♥J832 S ♥Q
SOUTH
♥ A K 10 9 6 5
When you lead a fourth spade declarer ruffs with the ♥10. If part-
ner discards, partner winds up with two trump tricks; if partner
overtrumps, one trump trick is the limit. While we're at it, notice
that if partner leads something that allows you to uppercut with
the ♥Q driving out a high honor, partner wins the same two heart
tricks with the ♥J832.
Sometimes giving the opponents a ruff and a sluff gives partner a

chance for an uppercut, promoting a trump trick for you.
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER EAST NORTH (Dummy)
pass 1♥ ♥ 876
1♠1 2♦ pass 2♥ ♦ AKQ85
pass 4♥ all pass ♣ KQ
WEST (You) EAST
1) Most experts would overcall ♠ AKQJ N ♠ 10 5 3
1♠ with such a strong suit, even ♥ 10 4 2 W E ♥ K
though it is only a four-carder. ♦ 63 S ♦ 10 9 7 2
Certainly West wants a spade lead
♣ J982 ♣ 10 7 5 4 3
if North becomes declarer. There
is a second advantage: it is close SOUTH
to impossible for the opponents ♠ 864
to arrive at 3NT now, which may ♥ AQJ953
be the only game they can make,
♦ J4
as is the case here.
♣ A6
Most West players would cash three spades and shift to a club hop-
ing partner has the ace. After that soft defense declarer has easy
sailing, particularly when the ♥K appears the first time the suit is
led from dummy.
A sharper West defender realizes that South is a heavy favorite to

own the ♣A and that a far better chance to defeat this contract is to
play partner to have a heart honor, any heart honor. If so, playing
a fourth spade allows partner to uppercut declarer with that pre-
sumed honor, promoting your ♥10 to the setting trick.
Another time a ruff and a sluff can be used to the defender's advan-
tage is when declarer is playing a known 4-3 trump fit and one
defender has four trumps, preferably headed by an honor. In this
case, trumping in either hand can hurt declarer.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 972 NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER EAST
♥ J 10 7
♦ AQJ85 pass 1♣
♣ K5 1♠ 2♦ pass 2♥
WEST (You) EAST pass 2♠ pass 3♦
♠ AKQJ N ♠ 10 5 3 pass 3♥ pass 4♥
♥ 82 W E ♥ K543 all pass
♦ 10 4 3 S ♦ 97
♣ QJ93 ♣ 10 8 7 4
SOUTH
♠ 864
♥ AQ96
♦ K62
♣ A62
You did it again with one of your four-card overcalls; you scared
them away from 3NT into a 4-3 heart fit. Now you have a chance
to beat them!
You start with three rounds of spades, but where, oh where is the
fourth trick coming from? Think about declarer's hand. Declarer
has three spades and four hearts and has given partner a diamond
preference after opening 1♣. Clearly South has a balanced hand.
What about point count? There are 16 HCP missing and declarer
cannot have as many as 15 (would have opened 1NT). Ergo partner
has something like a king over there. If the king is in diamonds, it
won't go away, but if it is in hearts, it may because it is finessable.
But it won't be finessable if you play a fourth spade. If declarer ruffs
in the closed hand, partner's fourth trump becomes a long trump
winner. If declarer ruffs in dummy, partner pitches a diamond.
When declarer leads the ♥J and ♥10 partner plays low, eventually
taking the setting trick with the ♥K.
If a ruff and a sluff can turn a 4-3 trump fit into a 4-2 trump fit, it
can also turn a 4-4 trump fit into a 4-3 trump fit. Then if one
defender has Axxx of trumps plus a forcing card, the declarer is in
trouble and the defenders are in business.
1♣ ♥ J876
1♠ dbl1 3♠2 pass ♦ AKJ8
pass dbl 4♥ all pass ♣ K53
WEST (You) EAST
1) Negative
2) Preemptive — very preemp- ♠ AKQ64 N ♠ 10 5 3 2
tive! ♥ A542 W E ♥ 3
♦ 10 4 S ♦ 9753
♣ J4 ♣ 10 9 8 7
SOUTH
♠ J8
♥ K Q 10 9
♦ Q62
♣ AQ62
You begin with two rounds of spades and it is quite clear that nei-
ther dummy nor declarer remain with any more spades. However,
your trump holding suggests giving the opponents a ruff and a
sluff. In fact, it guarantees defeating the contract!
You know from the bidding that the defenders are playing a 4-4 fit.
When you play a third spade, declarer has to ruff in one hand or
the other. Once that happens, the opponents are playing a 4-3 and
you have Axxx of trumps. You are in charge. If declarer tries to
draw trumps, you know to win the third round and play another
spade; down two. If declarer draws only two rounds of trumps and
plays minor-suit winners, you ruff at the appropriate time; down
one. If you don't play a third spade at trick three, you can't pro-
mote a second trump trick for yourself.
Ruffing air
A defensive no-no (most of the time) is ‘ruffing air’. What does that
mean? An example is the best teacher:
NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER EAST
♠ 10 8 7 West North East South

♥ A9874 pass 1♠
♦ Q9 pass 2♠ pass 4♠
♣ J 10 4 all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 62 N ♠ J95
♥ J 10 5 W E ♥ KQ63
♦ J8643 S ♦ 10
♣ AK8 ♣ Q9765
SOUTH
♠ AKQ43
♥ 2
♦ AK752
♣ 32
Partner leads the king, ace and a third club, declarer ruffing.
Declarer leads a diamond to the queen and a diamond from
dummy. If you ruff, you are ruffing air. You are ruffing a loser with
a winner! How do you know you are ruffing a loser? If declarer’s
diamonds were all high, declarer would be drawing trumps, not
playing diamonds. But why is your ♠5 a winner?
The easiest way to explain this is to notice the difference between

ruffing that diamond and not ruffing.
Say you ruff and return a high heart to the ace. Declarer, with only
one diamond loser remaining, can afford to draw two rounds of
trumps and then trump her diamond loser. You can't overtrump
because you don't have any trumps left. It's one of the rules of the
game. So declarer winds up losing two clubs and your ♠5.
Now let's see what happens when you don't trump. Declarer wins
the ♦A and ruffs a diamond. You overtrump and exit with a high
heart to dummy's ace. Declarer re-enters her hand with a trump
and tries to ruff her last diamond with the ♠10. No good. You
overtrump to defeat the contract one trick.
You were able to overtrump dummy twice with the ♠9 and the ♠J
because you hadn't shortened yourself by ruffing ‘air’ with the ♠5.
But what about ruffing air when you can't overtrump dummy?
That's a horse of a different color. Look at this example:

West North East South ♠ J 10 9
1♦ pass 1♠ ♥ A4
pass 2♠ pass 4♠ ♦ AKJ6
all pass ♣ 8532
WEST EAST (You)
♠ AQ3 N ♠ 72
♥ Q97532 W E ♥ 10
♦ 10 8 S ♦ Q7532
♣ J 10 ♣ Q9764
SOUTH
♠ K8654
♥ KJ86
♦ 94
♣ AK
Partner leads the ♣J to declarer's ace. Declarer starts by leading a
heart to the ace and a low heart off dummy. Ruff! True, you are
ruffing air, but look at your trump holding and look at dummy's.
You can't overruff dummy. Ruff, and return a trump. Partner clears
trumps and declarer winds up one trick short. If you don't ruff air
in this case, declarer wins the ♥K, ruffs a heart, returns to her hand
via a club, ruffs her last heart, and winds up making an overtrick!
Holding the master trump

Consider this diagram (spades are trumps):
NORTH (Dummy)
♠K632
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠QJ9 S ♠ 10 8
SOUTH
♠A754
Early in the play declarer cashes the ♠AK, leaving you with the ♠Q
and partner fresh out. At this moment your spade is the highest
outstanding trump and is called the master trump.
When you hold the master trump and wind up taking a side-suit
trick, it is almost always right to cash the master trump, taking a
trump from both declarer and dummy with you.

♥ 532 1NT
♦ AK84 pass 2♣ pass 2♠
♣ 94 pass 4♠ all pass
WEST (You) EAST
♠ QJ9 N ♠ 10 8
♥ A76 W E ♥ J 10 9 8
♦ J 10 S ♦ Q9732
♣ J8732 ♣ Q 10
SOUTH
♠ A754
♥ KQ4
♦ 65
♣ AK65
You lead the ♦J and the play develops like this: dummy wins the
opening lead and declarer continues (incorrectly) by playing the
♠AK and then a heart from dummy to the jack, king, and ace.
Partner's play of the ♥J shows a sequence headed by the jack. At
this point you hold the master trump. Take it, taking a trump from
both declarer and dummy, leaving them with one trump each.
Declarer is now one trick short of her contract. Declarer has nine
tricks: four spades (the ♠AK, plus a small spade in each hand which
can be used separately), the AK of both minors and one heart trick.
Had you not cashed the master trump, declarer could make at least
five tricks in spades, ruffing twice in one hand and at least once in
the other.
Declarer made a common error by not developing a heart trick

before cashing the ♠AK.
Say declarer begins by playing the ♠AK at tricks two and three fol-
lowed by a high diamond and a diamond ruff. Should you over-
ruff? No! You have the master trump plus an outside entry. Discard
a heart and wait until you get in with the ♥A. Now you can take
two trumps for one with your master trump. If you overtrump, you
get only one trump for your money.
Is it ever right not to cash the master trump? You don't think
there’s a rule without an exception, do you? The following hand
demonstrates when not to cash the master trump.
NORTH (Dummy)
♥ J954
1♠
♦ K Q 10 8 7
pass 1NT pass 3♠
♣ J54
all pass
WEST (You) EAST
♠ QJ54 ♠ 32
♥ 763 N ♥ KQ82
W E
♦ J6 ♦ 543
S
♣ AK87 ♣ Q 10 3 2
SOUTH
♠ A K 10 9 8 7
♥ A 10
♦ A92
♣ 96
Somehow the opponents always seem to stop short when trumps

aren't breaking. You begin with three rounds of clubs, declarer ruff-
ing. Declarer continues with the ♠AK and ♠10 to your ♠J, partner
discarding the ♥8. You are on lead with the ♠J and you have the
master trump, the ♠Q, but you should not take it. Why?
Because dummy has a side suit that is likely to run. As long as you
retain your master trump, declarer cannot use dummy's diamonds.
Follow partner's encouraging heart signal and exit a heart to the
queen and ace. When declarer begins to play diamonds, ruff the
third round, and collect the setting trick in hearts. Had you cashed
the master trump and then shifted to a heart, you would not get a
heart trick; the heart loser would go off on a winning diamond.
Practice Hands
Hand 1 NORTH (Dummy) EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER EAST
♥ Q 10 2
pass 1♥
♦ AQ5
1♠ 2♣ 2♠ 3♣
♣ K 10 8 7
pass 3♥ pass 4♥
WEST EAST (You)
all pass
♠ AKQ6 N ♠ J752
♥ 6 W E ♥ A843
♦ J 10 8 7 S ♦ 943
♣ 9643 ♣ 52
SOUTH
♠ 10 9
♥ KJ975
♦ K62
♣ AQJ
Partner leads the ♠Q, and continues with the ♠K and ♠A when you
signal to show an even number. Declarer ruffs and plays on hearts.
You have to win the third round of hearts in order to force South to
ruff when you play your last spade. Your ♥8 is the setting trick.
♠ KQ42 West North East South

♥ J76 1♦
♦ — 1♥ 2♣ pass 3♦
♣ AKJ876 pass 3♠ pass 5♦
♠ 9 N ♠ 10 8 7 5 3
♥ AKQ984 W E ♥ 52
♦ J53 S ♦ 10 8
♣ Q42 ♣ 10 9 5 3
SOUTH
♠ AJ6
♥ 10 3
♦ AKQ97642
♣ —
You play two high hearts and partner plays high-low. Now what?
Don't even think of switching to your singleton spade! Declarer
must have the ♠A for all that jumping around as well as solid dia-
monds. So what chance do you have? One small one. If partner
has the ♦10 you can beat this contract. Play a low heart. If partner
comes up with the ♦10, your ♦J will be the setting trick. Would I let
you down? Of course partner comes up with the ♦10.
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER EAST Hand 3 NORTH (Dummy)

1♦ 1♠ ♥ AQJ6
pass 2♦ 3♦ pass ♦ Q75
pass 3♠ all pass ♣ AQ
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 65 N ♠ A8
♥ 97432 W E ♥ 5
♦ 3 S ♦ A K J 10 6 4
♣ K J 10 7 3 ♣ 9854
SOUTH
♠ K Q J 10 3
♥ K 10 8
♦ 982
♣ 62
Surprise: partner leads a diamond. You win the ♦10 and continue
with the ♦A. Now that you know partner has a singleton, you can
do some planning. Shift to your singleton heart, and upon win-
ning the ♠A lead a diamond for partner to ruff. Partner returns a
heart for you to ruff. Down one. Masterful.

pass 2♥ dbl ♥ J54
pass 3♣ pass 3♠ ♦ KQ5
pass 4♠ all pass ♣ QJ96
WEST (You) EAST
♠ K 10 3 N ♠ 85
♥ Q7 W E ♥ A K 10 8 6 3
♦ J764 S ♦ 983
♣ 8753 ♣ 42
SOUTH
♠ AQJ72
♥ 92
♦ A 10 2
♣ A K 10
You lead the ♥Q, which holds, and continue when partner encour-
ages. Partner leads a third heart, which declarer ruffs with the ♠Q.
Don’t fall for it: you must not overruff! Later, you’ll be rewarded
with two spade tricks, not one. Play it out.
Test Yourself
1) NORTH (Dummy) West North East South
♠ AQ62
1♦ 1♥ pass
♥ J5
pass dbl 2♥ 3♣
♦ AQJ53
pass 3♥ pass 4♣
♣ KQ
all pass
EAST (You)
N ♠ 854
W E ♥ A K 10 8 6 3
S
♦ 98
♣ AJ
Partner leads the ♥4. You win the ♥K and cash the ♥A, partner Solution on page 184
playing the ♥7, declarer the ♥2 and ♥9. What do you do next?
2) NORTH (Dummy) EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER EAST
♠ KQ West North East South

♥ K J 10 5 1♣ dbl
♦ KQJ5 pass 2♣ pass 2♥
♣ J62 pass 4♥ all pass
EAST (You)
N ♠ J 10 9 8
W E ♥ Q93
S ♦ 98
♣ AKQ4
Partner leads the ♣3, and three rounds of clubs live. What now? Solution on page 184
3) NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH

♥ KQJ 1♦
♦ J743 3♣ 3♦ pass 5♦
♣ Q42 all pass
EAST (You)
N
W E
♠ Q 10 9 7
S ♥ 10 5
♦ K Q 10
♣ 10 8 7 5
Partner leads the ♣K (king from AK at the five- or six-level). Solution on page 185
Declarer ruffs and plays ace and a diamond, partner discarding a
club on the second diamond. You are in with the ♦Q. What now?

4) NORTH (Dummy)
West North East South ♠ K876
♥ 9763
1♠
♦ Q9
2♥ 3♥ pass 3♠
♣ AKJ
pass 4♠ all pass
WEST (You)
♠ J 10 9 N
♥ K Q J 10 2 W E
♦ A75 S
♣ 75
Solution on page 185 You lead the ♥K; partner overtakes and returns a heart, declarer fol-
lowing. What is your plan?
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER WEST 5) NORTH (Dummy)
pass pass pass 1♥ ♥ 10 8 5
1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 4♥ ♦ Q75
all pass ♣ A K 10 8
WEST (You)
♠ KJ962 N
♥ A642 W E
♦ 10 6 S
♣ 64
Solution on page 186 Your ♠6 goes to partner’s ace, and he returns your suit. Declarer
ruffs the third round with the ♥9 and plays the ♥K. What’s your
plan?

pass 1NT 2♥ 4♠ ♥ KJ8
all pass ♦ A J 10
♣ A 10 3
EAST (You)
♠ —
N
W E ♥ A97652
S ♦ K84
♣ J652
Solution on page 186 Partner leads the ♥4, and dummy puts in the ♥J. How do you plan
to defend?

7) NORTH (Dummy) West North East South
♠ Q742
pass pass pass 1♠
♥ KQJ
pass 3♠ pass 4♠
♦ 10 7
all pass
♣ Q976
EAST (You)
N ♠ 83
W E ♥ A964
S ♦ J984
♣ A82
Partner leads the ♣10 and dummy plays low. What is your plan? Solution on page 187
8) NORTH NEITHER VUL. DEALER EAST

♥ 6 pass 1♥
♦ Q42 1♠ 2♣ pass 2♥
♣ A K Q 10 8 7 pass 3♣ pass 4♥
WEST EAST all pass
♠ AKJ753 N ♠ Q2
♥ A52 W E ♥ 987
♦ 63 S ♦ J 10 9 8 7
♣ 52 ♣ J43
SOUTH
♠ 10 9
♥ K Q J 10 4 3
♦ AK5
♣ 94
This one is a little different. Looking at all four hands, can you see Solution on page 187
any way for the defenders to beat 4♥, if South plays properly?
To questions
West North East South Test Yourself — Solutions
1♦ 1♥ pass
1) NORTH (Dummy)
pass dbl 2♥ 3♣
♠ AQ62
pass 3♥ pass 4♣
♥ J5
all pass
♦ AQJ53
♣ KQ
WEST EAST (You)
Trick 1: ♥4 ♥5 ♥K ♥2 ♠ 10 9 7 3 ♠ 854
N
Trick 2: ♥A ♥9 ♥7 ♥J ♥ Q74 W E ♥ A K 10 8 6 3
Trick 3: ? ♦ 10 7 6 4 S ♦ 98
♣ 10 3 ♣ AJ
SOUTH
♠ KJ
♥ 92
♦ K2
♣ 9876542
Partner started with ♥Q74 and didn't raise. Partner must be near
flat broke on the outside, so look to the trump suit. Play three
rounds of hearts voiding partner, win the first club and play a
fourth heart. Partner may be able to uppercut dummy and promote
your ♣J to the setting trick. Partner needs the ♣10x or the ♣9xx.
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER EAST 2) NORTH (Dummy)
West North East South ♠ KQ
1♣ dbl ♥ K J 10 5
pass 2♣ pass 2♥ ♦ KQJ5
pass 4♥ all pass ♣ J62
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 763 N ♠ J 10 9 8
Trick 1: ♣3 ♣2 ♣Q ♣5 ♥ 84 ♥ Q93
W E
Trick 2: ♣9 ♣6 ♣K ♣8 ♦ 10 7 6 4 3 S ♦ 98
Trick 3: ♣7 ♣J ♣A ♣10 ♣ 973 ♣ AKQ4
Trick 4: ? SOUTH
♠ A542
♥ A762
♦ A2
♣ 10 8 5
You know that declarer has the missing aces for his takeout double.
Declarer knows you have all the missing points for your opening
bid. In other words, declarer knows you have the ♥Q! No matter.
If you play a fourth club and partner can force a heart honor from
dummy, your ♥9 becomes the setting trick. It is your best chance.
To questions
3) NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH

♥ KQJ 1♦
♦ J743 3♣ 3♦ pass 5♦
♣ Q42 all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 62 N ♠ Q 10 9 7 Trick 1: ♣K ♣2 ♣8 ♦2
♥ 9763 W E ♥ 10 5 Trick 2: ♦A ♦5 ♦3 ♦10
♦ 5 S ♦ K Q 10 Trick 3: ♦6 ♣3 ♦J ♦Q
♣ AKJ963 ♣ 10 8 7 5 Trick 4: ?
SOUTH
♠ AK53
♥ A842
♦ A9862 Declarer misplayed the hand
♣ — badly. After cashing the ♦ A,
declarer should go about his busi-
ness cashing heart and spade
Declarer is known to hold five diamonds and no clubs, therefore he winners, discarding a spade from
dummy on the fourth heart. All
is 4-4 in the majors and he holds all the missing honors. In order
you can take will be your two
to ensure one more trick, cash the master trump and exit a club or a trump tricks, as declarer will be
heart. With one trump remaining in each hand, declarer can nei- able to ruff two spades in
ther ruff two spades in dummy (after discarding one on the ♥A) nor dummy.
ruff two clubs in the closed hand. Down one.
4) NORTH (Dummy)
♠ K876
♥ 9763 1♠
♦ Q9 2♥ 3♥ pass 3♠
♣ AKJ pass 4♠ all pass
WEST (You) EAST
♠ J 10 9 N ♠ 5
Trick 1: ♥K ♥3 ♥A ♥5
♥ K Q J 10 2 W E ♥ A4
Trick 2: ♥4 ♥8 ♥10 ♥6
♦ A75 S ♦ 86432
Trick 3: ?
♣ 75 ♣ 10 9 6 4 3
SOUTH
♠ AQ432
♥ 85
♦ K J 10
♣ Q82
Declarer must have the 12 missing high card points: the ♠AQ, ♦K
and ♣Q. So where does that leave you? It leaves you needing to
find partner with the ♠5! Cash the ♦A and lead a low heart. If part-
ner has that little gem and plays it, it forces an honor from South
and promotes your trump holding to the setting trick. Far out.
To questions
pass pass pass 1♥ ♥ 10 8 5
1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 4♥ ♦ Q75
all pass ♣ A K 10 8
WEST (You) EAST
Trick 1: ♠6 ♠3 ♠A ♠7
♠ KJ962 N ♠ A 10 5
Trick 2: ♠10 ♠Q ♠K ♠4
♥ A642 W E ♥ 3
Trick 3: ♠J ♠8 ♠5 ♥9
♦ 10 6 S ♦ J932
Trick 4: ♥K ?
♣ 64 ♣ J7532
SOUTH
♠ Q7
♥ KQJ97
♦ AK84
♣ Q9
Don’t win this trick! You want to force declarer, but you can’t while
dummy still has a trump. You must win the third round of trumps
and play a spade, leaving you with the last trump after he ruffs. If
he abandons trumps, you ruff the third round of either minor.
6) NORTH (Dummy)
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER WEST ♠ J873
West North East South ♥ KJ8
pass 1NT 2♥ 4♠ ♦ A J 10
all pass ♣ A 10 3
WEST EAST (You)
♠ A62 ♠ —
Trick 1: ♥4 ♥J ? ♥ 4 N ♥ A97652
W E
♦ Q6532 S ♦ K84
♣ 9874 ♣ J652
SOUTH
♠ K Q 10 9 5 4
♥ Q 10 3
♦ 97
♣ KQ
Take the ♥A and return the ♥9, suit preference for diamonds, hop-
ing that the ♥4 was singleton. Partner ruffs, and returns a diamond.
Declarer can’t avoid a diamond loser now, as well as the two tricks
already lost and the ♠A. If partner plays back anything else at trick
three, the diamond loser goes on the ♣A. The diamond switch
removes dummy’s entry while the club suit is still blocked. Declarer
is going two down. When partner gets in with the ♠A, she’ll put
you back in with a diamond and ruff another heart.
To questions
7) NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER WEST
♠ Q742 West North East South

♥ KQJ pass pass pass 1♠
♦ 10 7 pass 3♠ pass 4♠
♣ Q976 all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ A6 N ♠ 83 Trick 1: ♣10 ♣6 ?
♥ 8753 W E ♥ A964
♦ Q6532 S ♦ J984
♣ 10 3 ♣ A82
SOUTH
♠ K J 10 9 5
♥ 10 2
♦ AK
♣ KJ54
This is a hand where you don’t need to work out whether the ♣10
is singleton or doubleton — it doesn’t matter, since you have the
♥A. Win the ♣A and return the ♣8, suit preference showing part-
ner where your entry lies. If the club lead is a singleton, partner
gets two quick ruffs. If it is a doubleton, partner needs a quick
trump entry.
8) NORTH NEITHER VUL. DEALER EAST

♥ 6 pass 1♥
♦ Q42 1♠ 2♣ pass 2♥
♣ A K Q 10 8 7 pass 3♣ pass 4♥
WEST EAST all pass
♠ AKJ753 N ♠ Q2
♥ A52 W E ♥ 987
♦ 63 S ♦ J 10 9 8 7
♣ 52 ♣ J43
SOUTH
♠ 10 9
♥ K Q J 10 4 3
♦ AK5
♣ 96
West leads three rounds of spades; East ruffs with the ♥7, forcing
declarer to overruff. South leads a high trump; West wins the ♥A
and plays yet another spade. East ruffs in with his last heart, the ♥9,
forcing South to overruff again with an honor. Don’t look now, but
the ♥5 just became the setting trick. Wow — a double uppercut!
• If partner is leading from a likely doubleton and you have

the ace in that suit with no outside entry, signal encourage-
ment; don't play the ace. If you have a sure outside entry,
win the ace and return the suit giving suit preference.
• If you think partner has led a singleton and you have the
ace, win the trick and return the suit giving suit preference.
• If partner leads a singleton and you have that ace plus the
ace of trumps, but you can only give partner one ruff, you
have two options available before giving partner a ruff:
1) Shift to your own short suit. When you get in with
the ace of trumps, give partner a ruff and get one in
return.
2) Build up an outside trick first, partner's ruff can come
later. Timing in these two cases can be critical.
• Refusing an overruff of a known strong trump holding can
generate extra trump tricks when holding intermediate
spot cards.
• Uppercutting declarer or dummy often promotes a trump
trick for partner.
• When you are playing the forcing game and both declarer
and dummy are void in the force suit, take your trump
winner when the short hand's last trump is played.
• Don't ruff air if you can later overruff dummy in that suit.
• When holding the master trump, cash it unless it can be
used to prevent declarer from running a long suit.
• When holding the master trump plus an outside entry, and
there is no danger of losing any side-suit tricks, do not
overruff declarer or dummy. Wait until you get in with
your outside trick and then cash the master trump, taking
a trump from each of their hands.
• A ruff-sluff is a wonderful play when declarer has no side-
suit losers, an ugly play otherwise.
• Giving a ruff and a sluff while voiding yourself or your
partner at the same time, allows for later uppercut or over-
ruff possibilities — particularly if either you or partner has
a trump entry.
Doubling
for the
Lead
Double, double, toil and trouble.
SHAKESPEARE, ‘MACBETH’
7 WHAT
YOU’RE GOING
TO LEARN
Bidding methods in the modern game of contract bridge are con- IN THIS
stantly evolving, and nowhere is this more obvious than in the pro- CHAPTER:
liferation of the various uses for ‘double’ that have entered the • When and how to use doubles
arena. For years players were content with just two doubles — the to suggest a lead
takeout double (asking partner to bid), and the penalty double (ask- • LIghtner slam doubles
• Special doubles to use against
ing partner to shut up). But that’s history. Theoreticians have
3NT contracts
come up with the negative double, the responsive double, the sup-
port double, the balancing double, the competitive double, the Doubles of slams 190
game-try double, and even the ‘snapdragon’ double. Help! Doubles of artificial bids 191
Doubles of 3NT 196
Miscellaneous doubles 202
And guess what? This chapter is about yet another double, the
Practice Hands 204
lead-directing double. This is a big-time double, because hun- Test Yourself 207
dreds, possibly thousands, of points can be riding on the opening Solutions 210
lead after you or your partner make a lead-directing double. Key Ideas 212
♣ 189
190 ♣ EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES ADVANCED BRIDGE DEFENSE ♣ CHAPTER SEVEN
A major advantage of using lead- A lead-directing double has two outstanding characteristics: (1) it is
directing doubles in the sequ- a penalty double so partner is expected to pass; (2) it strongly sug-
ences discussed in this chapter (as gests a particular lead. Partner had better be listening!
well as some not discussed), is the
negative inference factor. Most lead-directing doubles fall into these categories:
When partner does not double an
1. Doubles of voluntarily-bid suit slams
artificial bid or cuebid, you can
2. Doubles of artificial bids (Stayman, Jacoby, Blackwood) and
rule out that suit as an opening
cuebids (usually at the four level or higher)
lead choice if it’s a close call.
3. Doubles of 3NT
4. Miscellaneous lead-directing doubles
See page 202 for a discussion of

Doubles of voluntarily-
doubles of 6NT. bid suit slams
Notice that word ‘voluntarily’. The opponents may bid a slam as a
sacrifice; doubling a sacrifice does not call for any particular lead, it
is a penalty double pure and simple.
Doubling a voluntarily-bid slam asks for a particular lead. Of

course, if you can beat the slam regardless of what lead your dou-
bles calls for, double anyway. However, most slams require a specif-
ic lead to ensure defeat. There are two main situations:
1. Doubling a slam, with neither defender having bid.

2. Doubling a slam, with one or both defenders having bid.

(You)
1♠
pass 2♥ pass 3♦
pass 4♠ pass 6♠
pass pass dbl all pass
When you double a slam without having previously bid, you are
telling partner in no uncertain terms not to lead an unbid suit, the
expected lead, and not to lead a trump. In this example clubs
would be the expected lead and your double says don’t lead that suit
and don’t lead a trump.
Basically partner is reduced to leading one of the suits they have

bid, a heart or a diamond. You could be void in one of those suits
or you could have the AK of one of those suits. Partner has to look
CHAPTER SEVEN ♣ DOUBLING FOR THE LEAD ♣ 191
at her hand and decide. If it’s a close call, partner leads dummy’s For the record the lead-directing
first-bid suit. double of a voluntarily-bid suit
slam is called a Lightner
If you (or partner) have bid a suit and then double a slam, the rules Double, after bridge legend
are a bit different. The double forbids the lead of any suit the part- Theodore Lightner, who devised
nership has bid, as well as, of course, a trump. Doubles of suit all of this in 1929 — an idea that
slams call for unexpected leads, usually dummy’s first-bid suit. has stood the test of time.
(You)
1♠
pass 2♣ 2♥ 3♠
pass 4♠ pass 4NT
pass 5♥ pass 6♠
What lead are you asking for this time? Well, it can’t be a heart, the
suit you have bid, or a spade, a trump. Already partner has a 50-50
shot of getting it right. You probably want a club lead as it doesn’t
seem possible that you could hold the ♦AK — South would not be
bidding a slam with no diamond control.
The most common application of a Lightner Double takes place

when a preemptive bidder doubles a slam contract. This double
usually shows a side-suit void. The opening leader has to figure out
where it is. For example, if you open 4♥ holding
♠ 63 ♥ AKJ9843 ♦ — ♣ J1032
and the opponents arrive at 6♠, partner on lead, lash them with a
double. Your double forbids a heart or a spade lead and alerts your
partner to the likelihood of a minor-suit void.
Doubles of artificial bids

An artificial bid doesn’t necessarily show length in the suit being
bid, it has an altogether different meaning. The most common
example is the Stayman response of 2♣ to a 1NT opening bid (or 3♣
to a 2NT opening bid). A double of an artificial bid is both a penal-
ty double and a lead-directing double. What does that mean? It
means that the double has to be made with high honors as well as
length in the suit at the lower levels. After you double an artificial
bid, the opponents usually move on to some other contract. If your
partner is on lead, he usually leads the suit you doubled. Therefore,
you have to be able to stand the lead against other contracts.

(You)
1NT
pass 2♣ ?
Say you hold either of these hands:
(a) ♠ A2 ♥ 654 ♦ 642 ♣ KQJ104

(b) ♠ A2 ♥ K4 ♦ J43 ♣ J97643
With hand (a) double; you can stand a club lead against any con-
tract. With hand (b) pass; you can’t stand a club lead against a suit
contract. Besides, you might run into a “redouble” if the South
hand is long and strong in clubs.
Jacoby Transfer responses to notrump openings are all the rage

these days. They are a valuable tool because they allow the hand to
be played from the notrump bidder’s side of the table, a decided
advantage; however, they are vulnerable to lead-directing doubles.

(You)
1NT
pass 2♥1 ?
1) Transfer
Say you hold:
(a) ♠ 32 ♥ AQJ87 ♦ K43 ♣ J98

(b) ♠ J87 ♥ Q97643 ♦ QJ3 ♣ 2
With hand (a), double 2♥; you can stand a heart lead against a
spade or a notrump contract. Also, your double may allow your
side to compete in hearts. With hand (b), pass 2♥. Your heart suit
is too weak to direct a lead against a likely spade contract.
Doubling a two-level Stayman or Jacoby response typically shows a

five-card suit headed by three or more honor cards, or a six-card
suit headed by two of the top three or three of the top five honors.
It can be compared to the strength of a suit necessary for a vulnera-
ble overcall. (Playing matchpoints it is not a bad idea to double a
Stayman response with something like ♣KQJ10 of the suit. Even
though everyone expects you to have a five- or six-card suit and
things may backfire, it is well worth the risk to get the lead at that
form of scoring.)
When the opponents go

through Blackwood
Another great opportunity to make a lead-directing double arises
when the opponents go through Blackwood giving you an opportu-
nity to double a Blackwood response (partner on lead, of course).

(You)
1♠
pass 3♠ pass 4NT
pass 5♥ ? 5NT
pass 6♣ ? 6♠
all pass
Say you hold one of these hands:

(a) ♠ 65 ♥ J54 ♦ J43 ♣ KQ764
(b) ♠ 65 ♥ KJ108 ♦ 976 ♣ J432
(c) ♠ 65 ♥ 9542 ♦ KQ94 ♣ 853
With hand (a), double 6♣; with hand (b), double 5♥; with hand (c),
pass everything. Partner will work out to lead a club if you double
6♣, a heart if you double 5♥, and if you pass throughout he will
assume that if you have anything at all, it must be in diamonds.
Doubling the fourth suit
This one is a little touchy. Consider this sequence:

(You)
1♦
pass 1♠ pass 2♣
pass 2♥ ? 2NT
pass 3NT all pass
Does responder have hearts? Sometimes. But North may hold:
♠ AK764 ♥ 86 ♦ A72 ♣ J108
and have no intelligent forcing rebid available over 2♣. 2♥, the
fourth suit, is the answer — at least it’s forcing. Be on the alert to
double fourth-suit auctions holding five or six cards in the suit
headed by two or three top honors.
Doubling a splinter jump
Another artificial bid now appearing with startling frequency is the

splinter jump:

(You)
1♥
pass 4♣ ?
There are other ways to play this

double, too. Some play it not as This leap to 4♣, as most play, shows a singleton (or void) in clubs
lead-directing, but suggesting a with heart support plus slam interest. A double of 4♣ says, ‘Partner,
sacrifice at appropriate vulnerabil- my strength is in clubs, so from my point of view, even though
ity. Others, regarding it as unlike- dummy is going to have a singleton or void in clubs, that is still the
ly that you will want the lead of safest lead’.
dummy’s short suit, play it to ask
for the lead of the lower-ranking Say you hold:
of the remaining two side suits. (a) ♠ 876 ♥ 54 ♦ 976 ♣ AQ1076
(b) ♠ QJ5 ♥ 54 ♦ KQ10 ♣ QJ986
With hand (a), double 4♣; you can’t stand any other lead. With
hand (b), pass 4♣. The normal lead in this sequence is either a
spade or a diamond and you can stand either. Don’t throw your
partner off the scent by doubling 4♣.
Sometimes an opponent makes a four-level splinter jump in a suit

your partner has bid:

(You)
1♦
2♣ 4♣ ?
North has a singleton club, a strong hand, and five or six diamonds.
If you want a club lead against a diamond contract, double.
The double of a splinter jump in partner’s suit at the three-level car-

ries a different message; it is not lead-directing, it says the oppo-
nents have stolen your bid!

(You)
1♣
1♠ 3♠ ?
Say you have:
♠ K1087 ♥ A843 ♦ Q103 ♣ 92
Double 3♠ telling partner you have enough to compete to 3♠.
Doubling an artificial opening

bid or an artificial response to
an opening bid
The most common artificial opening bid is 2♣, used as a forcing
opening bid by players who play Weak Two-bids. In response to
2♣, the response of 2♦ is also artificial, either a waiting response or
perhaps some other artificial control-showing or denying response.
In any case, lead-directing doubles are available.
West North East South Some players assign more com-

(You) plex conventional meanings to
doubles of 2♣ and 2♦ , using
2♣ dbl
them to show two-suited hands
This double shows a hand with long, strong, clubs.

(You)
2♣
pass 2♦ dbl
And this shows a hand with long, strong, diamonds.
Similarly, if the opponents are playing a method such as Precision

Club, where 1♣ is the forcing opening bid and 1♦ is the negative
response, lead-directing doubles of these two bids are in effect.
However, most play the double of a strong 1♣ or of a negative 1♦
response to show some two-suited hand.
Doubling a cuebid
Doubles of most cuebids, in particular those at the four-level or

higher, are lead-directing. Just make sure you are not the one that
is going to be on lead when you double a cuebid. There are no
‘reminder’ lead-directing doubles.

(You)
1♠ pass 3♠
pass 4♣ ? 4♦
?
Do not double 4♣ with strong clubs; you are going to be on lead
against a spade contract. However, if partner has a suitable dia-
mond holding such as KQx(x) or KJ10(x), partner is expected to
double 4♦ to help you out on opening lead.
Doubles of 3NT contracts

We start with the most difficult of all, the lead-directing double of
3NT. These are the five sticklers and they all presume that the part-
ner of the player who is on opening lead has doubled.
a) No suits have been bid by either side.

b) Neither defender has bid, but dummy has bid one or two
suits.
c) A defender opens or overcalls at the one-level and then
doubles.
d) One defender bids a suit and partner doubles.
e) Each defender bids a different suit.
No suits have been bid by either side

(You)
1NT
pass 3NT dbl all pass
Your double announces a solid suit, and asks partner to lead it.
Partner would love to, of course, if she only knew which one it was!
Given that your double shows a solid suit, partner should lead a
suit with no honors. If West has two suits without honor cards, the
shorter one is usually the winner. Say partner is gazing at:
♠ 4 ♥ 107632 ♦ Q543 ♣ J76
Your suit could be spades, hearts, or even clubs (♣AKQ109), but the
smart money is riding on the singleton spade lead.
Neither defender has bid, but

dummy has bid one or two suits

(You)
1♦
pass 1♥ pass 1NT
pass 2NT pass 3NT
Your double calls for a heart lead, dummy’s first bid suit. Even with
a heart void, partner should lead one! Partner better have a good
reason handy if a heart isn’t led.
You might have:
♠ 54 ♥ AKJ10 ♦ 54 ♣ Q9743

(You)
1♣ pass 1♥
pass 1♠ pass 2♦
pass 2NT pass 3NT
dbl all pass
The double still asks for a heart lead, dummy’s first-bid suit.
However, there is something to be said for allowing West the option
of leading a diamond.
Say you, East, are looking at either of these hands:
(a) ♠ K8743 ♥ 104 ♦ J1042 ♣ 109

(b) ♠ 9874 ♥ KQ1094 ♦ 52 ♣ 98
With hand (a), lead the ♥10. With hand (b), common sense tells
you that partner is asking for a diamond. This is one sequence you
might wish to discuss. One other point: with strong diamonds,
partner might have doubled 2♦. Since that didn’t happen, chances
are partner wants dummy’s first, not second, bid suit.
In the remaining sequences, you, partner, or both you and partner

have bid before the ‘dreaded’ double.
A defender opens or overcalls

a major suit at the one-level

(You)
1♠ 1NT
Consider these two East hands before jumping to any conclusions

as to the lead-directing implications of your double.
(a) ♠ KQJ104 ♥ 3 ♦ KJ874 ♣ A9

(b) ♠ KJ874 ♥ 3 ♦ KQJ104 ♣ A9
With hand (a), you are almost certain to set the contract with a
spade lead. With hand (b), you may or may not set the contract
with a spade lead, but you are a heavy favorite to do so with a dia-
mond lead.
Before discussing what lead this double asks for, let it be known
that partner is likely to lead a spade if you pass. After all, as most
play, a major-suit opening bid shows a five-card suit, minimum, as
does a one-level major-suit overcall. A spade is the expected lead,
double or no double.
Assuming partner is likely to lead a spade, why use the double to

ask for a spade lead, the suit partner is going to lead anyway? My
(minority) feeling is that this double should be used to alert partner
that you have a powerful, hidden, lower-ranking suit — a suit you
were not able to mention at the two-level — hand (b).
Whichever way you decide to play this double, make sure your
partner is playing the same way!

(You)
1♦
pass 1♥ 1♠ 1NT
pass 2NT pass 3NT
pass pass ?
This minority reasoning can also be applied after a one-level major

suit overcall. Say you are looking at either of these hands:
(a) ♠ KQJ107 ♥ 94 ♦ A1076 ♣ 92

(b) ♠ Q10764 ♥ 5 ♦ A10 ♣ KQJ102
With hand (a) you want a spade lead. With hand (b) you want a
club lead. If you play ‘standard’ methods, you will double with (a)
to ensure getting a spade lead, and pass with (b). If you believe oth-
erwise as I do, you will pass with (a) expecting a spade lead, and
double with (b) to tell your partner not to lead a spade.
A defender opens 1♣ or 1♦
However, after you open 1♣ or 1♦, a minor suit, and later double
3NT, your double should call for the lead of the suit you have bid.
Why? Because after a minor-suit opening bid followed by a
notrump overcall, partner is apt to think you have opened a short
club or a short diamond or perhaps have opened the bidding with a
weak four-card suit and will look elsewhere for tricks.

(You)
1♣ 1♥
pass 2♦ pass 2NT
Your hand:
♠ A10 ♥ A75 ♦ QJ3 ♣ QJ1095
With that club suit and your certain outside entries, you want a
club lead; ‘double’ is the way to get it.
Overcalls at the two- or three-level normally show one-suited

hands. Therefore, you seldom have any surprise hidden suits when
you make one of these overcalls. Consequently a double of 3NT
following a two- or three-level overcall asks partner to lead your

suit. The opponents have overstepped themselves and it’s time to
make them pay.
(You)
1♥
pass 2♣ 2♦ pass
pass 2♠ pass 2NT
West should lead a diamond because you have overcalled at the

two-level.
Partner bids a suit and you double 3NT

(You)
1♦
1♥ 1♠ pass 1NT
pass 2NT pass 3NT
What tortuous meaning does your double have this time? Some
play that it asks partner to lead a heart, the suit he has bid, period.
I don’t like it.
My feeling is that if you want a heart lead so badly, you would

have bid 2♥. When you don’t support partner’s suit at the two-
level when you could have, your double asks for dummy’s first-bid
suit.
Contrast the previous sequence with this one:

(You)
1♣
1♦ 3♣ pass 3NT
In this sequence you did not have a chance to support partner’s suit
at the two-level, so the double asks partner to lead her suit, dia-
monds.
You and partner each overcall at the

one-level, and dummy has bid a suit
(You)
1♣
1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 1NT
pass 2NT pass 3NT
Again, there is some disagreement here. Some think this double

calls for a spade lead, others think a diamond; still others (moi
included) think it calls for a heart lead!
The reason I don’t think it calls for a diamond lead is this: the
snapdragon double has now entered the scene. What is it? A
snapdragon double would find you doubling 1♥ in this sequence to
show length in the unbid suit, spades, plus diamond support. In
other words, if you were looking at:
♠ A10876 ♥ J943 ♦ K65 ♣ 5
you would double 1♥ getting two messages across with one bid. If
you and your partner play snapdragon doubles, it is clear that your
double of 3NT in the above example cannot be asking for a dia-
mond lead. So partner’s choice is now between a spade and a heart.
As a spade is the expected lead, I think the double should ask for a
heart lead. Maybe you have:
♠ J10943 ♥ AK108 ♦ 103 ♣ 96
Anyway, that’s my feeling if you play snapdragon doubles. If you

don’t, the double calls for a diamond lead as a spade is the expected
lead.
You and partner each make an

overcall, and dummy is silent
(You)
1♦
1♥ pass 2♣ 2NT
The expected lead is a club so the double should ask for a heart
lead.
Miscellaneous lead-
directing doubles
Doubling 6NT
A double of 6NT asks for dummy’s first-bid suit. Therefore, if you
have the AK of the suit you have bid, or the AK of some other suit,
don’t double 6NT unless you can stand the lead of dummy’s first-
bid suit, because that’s what you’re gonna get.
Doubling a 1NT response

in the balancing seat
(You)
1♠ pass 1NT
pass pass dbl pass
?
Your double is not for takeout. It is penalty-oriented describing a
hand with strong spades. You might have:
♠ AQ1054 ♥ 5 ♦ AQ105 ♣ K52
How should partner react to this double? She should be reluctant

to pull the double to some random suit because you have not
promised support for the unbid suits. You could have a side-suit sin-
gleton! Unless partner has a weak distributional hand with a six-
card suit, partner does best to pass, pray, and lead a spade.
What if you actually want to make a takeout double of 1NT with

short spades? What if you have:
♠ 5 ♥ A874 ♦ K543 ♣ Q843
You have to reason like this: North’s 1NT response typically denies
three spades. If North has one or two spades, your partner has five
or six spades! Partner may not even have a four-card suit to bid.
Why look for trouble? Pass.
The situation is a little different if the opening bid is in a minor:

(You)
1♣ pass 1NT
pass pass ?
A 1NT response to a 1♣ opening typically shows 8-10 HCP, so there

is less reason to compete. However, you can still compete by: You cannot, of course, reopen
1) Doubling to show a good hand with clubs. with a natural 2♦ playing this
2) Bidding 2♣ as a light takeout double with club shortness. method. No big loss — you
3) Bidding 2♦ as a light takeout double for the majors. could have overcalled 1♦ already.
4) Bidding 2♥ or 2♠ — natural, but weaker than an original
overcall.
Let’s look at four possible reopening hands you might hold:

(a) ♠ AJ10 ♥ 43 ♦ KJ4 ♣ KQ1087
(b) ♠ KJ65 ♥ A1054 ♦ 10543 ♣ 2
(c) ♠ A1043 ♥ QJ54 ♦ A ♣ 10542
(d) ♠ K98432 ♥ 3 ♦ QJ4 ♣ 965
With (a), double — penalty-oriented. With (b), bid 2♣ — a light
takeout double of clubs. With (c), bid 2♦ — a light major-suit take-
out. With (d), bid 2♠, natural.

(You)
1♦ pass 1NT
pass pass ?
Here, South can have as few as 6 HCP, so it is safer to compete.

Furthermore, since South seldom has a four-card major, his long
suit figures to be clubs. Beware of bidding clubs!
Your reopening possibilities are the same:

1) Doubling to show an opening hand with good diamonds.
2) Bidding 2♣ as a light takeout double with short diamonds.
3) Bidding 2♦ as a light takeout double for the majors.
4) Bidding 2♥ or 2♠ — natural, but weaker than an original
overcall.
Let’s look at four possible reopening hands you might hold:

(a) ♠ AK ♥ 943 ♦ AQ108 ♣ J1093
(b) ♠ AJ43 ♥ K1087 ♦ Q875 ♣ 3
(c) ♠ K4 ♥ K4 ♦ 943 ♣ K97543
(d) ♠ 432 ♥ A108643 ♦ 3 ♣ Q108
With (a), double — penalty-oriented. With (b), bid 2♦ — a light
major-suit takeout double. With (c), pass — a reopening bid of 2♣
is played as a light takeout double of diamonds (South has clubs).
With (d), bid 2♥, natural.
Talk this stuff over with your partner: not everyone plays this way.
Practice Hands
West North East South ♠ A J 10 7
1♣ pass 1♠ ♥ Q5
pass 3♠ pass 4NT ♦ K2
pass 5♥ dbl 5NT ♣ A J 10 8 4
pass 6♦ pass 6♠ WEST (You) EAST
all pass ♠ 65 N ♠ 4
♥ 10 7 6 3 2 W E ♥ KJ98
Opening lead: ♥3 ♦ Q J 10 8 S ♦ 9543
♣ 93 ♣ K762
SOUTH
♠ KQ9832
♥ A4
♦ A76
♣ Q5
Partner has seized the opportunity to make a lead-directing double

of the artificial 5♥ response to Blackwood. You would normally
lead a diamond, but you comply by leading a heart.
The ball is now in South’s court. South knows from the double that
East must have the ♥K, so South must plan a strip and endplay to
overcome this killing lead. South plays low from dummy at trick
one, wins the ace, draws trumps and strips the diamonds, finally
exiting with a heart to the queen and king. What can East do? If
East exits a club, South has no club loser; if East exits with a red
card, conceding a ruff and a sluff, South ruffs in dummy and dis-
cards a club from the closed hand.
However, even though South can still make the hand with a heart
lead, South has to play it well. If South plays the ♥Q at trick one,
for example, the hand can no longer be made. After the stripping
process, West can win the heart exit and fire a club through dummy
promoting the ♣K to the setting trick.
Also, a finessaholic sitting South might take the club finesse after
the heart lead instead of playing for the strip and endplay, even
though the latter is a near 100% line requiring only that East has
the ♥K.
Hand 2 NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER SOUTH

♥ A86 1♣
♦ AJ5 pass 1♠ pass 1NT
♣ 753 pass 3NT dbl all pass
WEST (You) EAST
♠ 10 3 N ♠ KQJ95 Opening lead: ♠10
♥ J 10 9 7 2 W E ♥ 53
♦ K843 S ♦ 962
♣ 92 ♣ A64
SOUTH
♠ 84
♥ KQ4
♦ Q 10 7
♣ K Q J 10 8
Left to your own devices you surely would have led the ♥J.
However, partner’s lead-directing double of 3NT asks for dummy’s
first-bid suit, spades. After you plunk the ♠10 on the table, South is
a goner. South can do no better than to win the second or third
round of spades with dummy’s ace and go after clubs. No good.
East is waiting with the ♣A plus the setting tricks in spades. With
the normal heart lead, South has no trouble at all making three
notrump by simply knocking out the ♣A.
Hand 3 NORTH (Dummy) EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER SOUTH
♠ J 10 6 5 West North East South

♥ AQ92 1NT
♦ QJ pass 2♣ dbl 2♠
♣ 10 7 5 pass 4♠ all pass
WEST (You) EAST
♠ 72 N ♠ Q98 Opening lead: ♣K
♥ 10 6 5 4 W E ♥ J7
♦ 10 9 8 5 3 2 S ♦ 64
♣ K ♣ AQJ842
SOUTH
♠ AK43
♥ K83
♦ AK7
♣ 963
Once again partner has tipped you off to the winning lead by dou-
bling an artificial bid. It is safe to say you would have led some-
thing else if there had been no double. Now that you have made
the lead partner wanted, the rest is up to partner. For starters, part-
ner must overtake your king in case it is a singleton. After surviving
that hurdle and cashing three rounds of clubs, partner can do a lit-
tle point counting. Partner has 10 HCP; dummy also has 10 HCP
for a total of 20. If declarer has 15 HCP, you can have no more
than 5 HCP and partner has already seen 3, the ♣K. That leaves
you with 2 HCP, at most. But partner can see all four queens, so
you can’t have a queen, and partner can see all four jacks so you
can’t have a jack either! Conclusion: you have no more high card
points. Still, there is no law saying you can’t hold the ♠7!
If partner plays a fourth club and you uppercut dummy with the ♠7
driving out the ♠10, partner’s ♠Q98 is now a natural trump trick.
Down one. Without the fourth club play, declarer takes a simple
spade finesse and racks up the game.

1NT ♥ Q96
pass 2NT pass 3NT ♦ A643
pass pass dbl all pass ♣ K82
WEST (You) EAST
♠ 43 N ♠ AKQJ8
♥ J874 W E ♥ 10 3 2
♦ 98 S ♦ 10 7 5 2
♣ Q J 10 9 7 ♣ 3
SOUTH
♠ 10 9 6
♥ AK5
♦ KQJ
♣ A654
This time partner’s double announces a solid suit, so don’t even

think about leading the ♣Q; partner’s suit can’t be clubs! It doesn’t
figure to be hearts, either, with you holding ♥Jxxx. You have now
narrowed down your choices to a top diamond or a top spade.
Although it is isn’t a 100% clear (what ever is?) a spade lead is the
better shot. One clue is that the opponents did not use Stayman so
dummy is unlikely to have four spades, increasing the chances that
partner has spade length. If you found the spade lead, you are the
hero, at least for the moment.
Test Yourself
1) You are West, holding:
♠ 6 3 ♥ Q J 9 5 ♦ K 10 7 3 ♣ 6 5 2
1♦
pass 1♠ pass 2NT
What do you lead? Solution on page 210
2) You are West, holding
♠ 6 3 ♥ Q J 9 5 ♦ K 10 7 3 ♣ 6 5 2
1♠ pass 1NT
♠ 6 3 ♥ Q J 9 5 ♦ K 10 7 3 ♣ 6 5 2
1NT
pass 2NT pass 3NT
♠ 3 ♥ J 10 9 3 ♦ J 10 9 3 ♣ J 10 9 3
1♦ pass 1♠
pass 3♠ pass 4NT
pass 5♥ pass 5NT
pass 6♦ pass 6♠
all pass
5) You are West, and the bidding has proceeded:

1
1NT pass 2♦2
?
1) 15-17 HCP
What should you bid on each of the following hands:

Solutions on page 210 a) ♠74 ♥A63 ♦J86532 ♣K4
b) ♠ 7 4 ♥ A 6 3 ♦ K Q 10 9 3 ♣ 5 4 2
c) ♠ 7 4 ♥ A 6 3 ♦ K Q 10 9 5 4 3 2 ♣ —
6) You are West, and the auction has been:

2NT
What should you lead from each of the following hands:

Solutions on page 210 a) ♠ J 4 2 ♥ J 10 9 8 7 6 ♦ A 7 2 ♣ 2
b) ♠ 3 2 ♥ 3 2 ♦ Q J 10 4 ♣ J 7 5 4 3
♠ A K Q J 10 8 7 ♥ 5 3 2 ♦ — ♣ J 4 2

2♣ pass 2♦
4♠ 4NT pass 5♣
pass 6♥ pass pass
?
Solution on page 210 What’s your call now?
♠ A K 8 ♥ J 10 9 8 5 3 ♦ 8 6 ♣ K 2

1♦
1♥ 4♣ pass 6♣
?
Solution on page 210 What is your call now?

♠ 9 8 ♥ Q J 10 9 ♦ 8 6 5 4 ♣ J 4 2

1♠
pass 2♦ pass 4♦
pass 4♠ pass 4NT
pass 5♦ pass 6♠
pass pass dbl 1pass
10) This is a hand that I once defended in an important tourna-

ment. Can you find the winning lead? I was West, holding:
♠ J 9 8 7 6 4 2 ♥ 10 3 ♦ J 6 5 ♣ 2
3♣
pass 4NT 5♦ 5♥1
pass 6♣ dbl all pass
1) Showing an ace
What would you lead? Solution on page 210

To questions

1) ♠6 If neither you nor your partner have bid, lead dummy’s
first-bid suit.
2) ♠6 Partner’s double indicates a “trap pass” with spade
length and strength. Do as you are told and lead a
spade.
3) ♠6 This double says partner has a solid suit, and your best
shot at hitting it looks like spades. After all, they didn’t
bother with Stayman.
4) ♣J Partner had two shots at doubling the heart and the dia-
mond responses to Blackwood, and didn’t. Might as
well try a club.
Problem 5
a) pass Don’t bid or double on a suit this weak.
b) dbl You want a diamond lead, especially against notrump.
c) 4♦ Yes, you could double, but holding such a long suit it’s
more effective to preempt.
Problem 6
a) ♣2 Again, partner supposedly has a solid or near-solid suit,
and this looks like the best candidate.
b) ??? Do you have a coin handy to toss? Partner has herds of
either spades or hearts, and you have no way of telling
which. You can’t even lead your stronger doubleton!
7) dbl When you, the preemptive bidder, double a final con-
tract, it is typically because of a side-suit void. Partner is
forbidden from leading your suit or a trump. With luck,
partner will have a bushelful of diamonds and will put
one on the track.
8) dbl If you pass you will get a heart lead — not good. If you
double, you forbid a heart lead (and a trump). Unlike
the previous example you have not preempted, so your
double does not necessarily show a void suit. Your dou-
ble might include the ♠AK or it might indicate a strong
diamond holding. Partner has to work that out. At
least you have a better chance to set this contract if part-
ner doesn’t lead a heart.
9) any ♦ The bidding suggests that partner has a diamond void
with an outside ace.
10) Well, did you lead a spade for partner to ruff? I did, but
this was the whole hand:
To questions
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ AK3
♥ KJ987
♦ A
♣ Q983
WEST EAST
♠ J987642 N ♠ Q5
♥ 10 3 W E ♥ AQ42
♦ J65 S ♦ K Q 10 9 7 4
♣ 2 ♣ 4
SOUTH
♠ 10
♥ 65
♦ 832
♣ A K J 10 7 6 5
As you can see, the spade lead didn’t turn out very well. Partner
knew that dummy was going to hit with the ♥K, and suspected that
a diamond lead was wrong, as indeed it was. However, I wasn’t
clever enough to work out to lead a heart. Perhaps if he’d tapped
his chest instead of doubling... just kidding.
• The most common lead-directing doubles are doubles of

3NT contracts, slam contracts, and artificial bids such as
Stayman, transfers, splinters, high-level cuebids, the fourth
suit, or Blackwood responses.
• If either you or partner has bid a suit and the opponents
arrive voluntarily in a suit slam, a double expressly forbids
partner from leading any suit your side has bid or a trump.
• If neither defender has bid and the opponents voluntarily
bid a suit slam, a double forbids the lead of any unbid suit
or a trump. It usually calls for dummy’s first-bid suit.
• When partner preempts and later doubles a slam contract,
assume he has a void and try to find it on opening lead!
• If you can defeat a slam contract only if partner leads the
suit you have bid, don’t double! The double forbids part-
ner to lead your suit.
• If no suits have been bid, a double of 3NT shows a solid
suit and asks partner to lead it. Amen.
Card
Tricks
The art of playing cards is making the wrong move at
the right time
THE CINCINNATI KID (movie)
8
This chapter is a bit technical, but once you begin to recognize the
positions in the diagrams, it can save you, time, trouble and many
WHAT
YOU’RE GOING
TO LEARN
IN THIS
CHAPTER:
• How to select the right card to
unnecessary errors at the table. Again, a key to understanding lead from a specific suit combi-
defensive play, and in particular managing certain card combina- nation, depending on what is
in dummy
tions, is to be aware before you lead a suit how many tricks you need
• How to conceal your holdings
in that suit, what your partner needs in that suit to take that many from declarer
tricks, and the right card to lead in the suit once you have made • How to use your spot cards to
those determinations. Keep in mind that the number of tricks you create losing options for
need in a suit may alter the card you lead in that suit. declarer
Leading unsupported
Remember, too, that we are talking about attacking suits after the
honors 214
dummy comes down, not on opening lead. Rules for which card to Escaping an endplay 215
lead can change dramatically once dummy appears. A simple Surrounding plays 216
example: on opening lead, the king is led from the KQxx versus a Telling them nothing 220
suit contract. However, if the suit wasn’t led, and dummy appeared Stealing their underwear 225
Falsecards 227
with the singleton ace, you wouldn’t lead the king, you would lead
Practice Hands 230
low. Another example: say you have Axxxx of a suit. On opening Test Yourself 232
lead versus a suit contract, if you decide to lead this suit, you start Solutions 235
with the ace. But if you lead another suit, and later decide to lead Key Ideas 237
from your Axxxx suit, if dummy has, say, KJx, you usually shift to a
♠ 213
214 ♠ EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES ADVANCED BRIDGE DEFENSE ♠ CHAPTER EIGHT
low card hoping partner has the queen and declarer misguesses.
This chapter also touches on various techniques for telling partner

what declarer already knows about your hand. For example, if part-
ner shows out of a suit, declarer knows what you have in the suit.
Whatever declarer knows, partner must be told! It’s a rule! Finally,
this chapter also includes several time-tested ruses, ruses that are
practically guaranteed to manufacture tricks out of thin air.
Leading unsupported honors

Let’s start with something simple.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ J9742
♥ 6
♦ A Q 10 9
1♠
♣ 976
pass 4♠ all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 8 ♠ Q3
N
♥ K9532 W E ♥ A Q 10 8
♦ J43 S ♦ 8765
♣ A J 10 8 ♣ Q53
SOUTH
♠ A K 10 6 5
♥ J74
♦ K2
♣ K42
Partner leads the ♥3 to your ace as you inspect the dummy for
clues. When you see a dummy with an imposing side suit (in this
case, diamonds), you can anticipate that declarer is going to use
that suit to discard losers — club losers (heart losers can be ruffed in
dummy). Clearly it is right to shift to a club, but which one? The
normal (opening) lead from Qxx is low. However, after seeing the
dummy, it can be a different ball game!
Looking at this dummy, there is a strong likelihood that your side

needs three club tricks quickly before one or two of declarer’s club
losers go off on diamonds. In order to take three fast club tricks,
you must project the ♣AJ10 in partner’s hand and lead the queen.
CHAPTER EIGHT ♠ CARD TRICKS ♠ 215
(Partner can’t have the ♣AK — the suit would have been led.) On
the other hand, defending a contract of 5♠, needing but two club
tricks to defeat the contract, you should shift to a low club hoping
declarer has the ♣KJ and misguesses.
Escaping an endplay
Being forced to lead a suit you don’t want to lead is a situation no
defender likes to be in. Sometimes, though, it can’t be avoided.
We’ve encountered some positions earlier in the book where you
could safely concede a ruff-sluff, because you knew it wouldn’t actu-
ally help declarer. If that’s the case, you’re OK. But what if it isn’t?
Now you have to break a touchy suit and do it in a way that still
gives declarer a problem.
NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER EAST

♥ A 10 9 6 pass 1♦
♦ AJ84 pass 1♥ pass 2NT
♣ K5 pass 4♦ pass 6♦
♠ K Q J 10 N ♠ 8653
♥ Q72 W E ♥ J83
Opening lead: ♠K
♦ 52 S ♦ 63
♣ J 10 9 3 ♣ 8764
SOUTH
♠ A4
♥ K54
♦ K Q 10 9 7
♣ AQ2
Once again you are going to have to make an imaginative play with
the Qxx. Follow the play. Declarer wins the ♠A, draws trumps in
two rounds, plays three rounds of clubs discarding a spade from
dummy, and exits with a spade to your ten.
If you are counting, you know that declarer still has three hearts,
including the king to justify the 2NT rebid. If declarer had ♥KJx,
she would have claimed, so you must play declarer for ♥Kxx. Even
so, this is not a happy position. A ruff and a sluff won’t work.
Declarer will ruff in dummy and discard her losing heart. You must
come up with something better than that!
If you lead a low heart, declarer will have little choice but to play
for ‘split honors’. She will play the ten from dummy, take partner’s
jack with the king, and lead a heart to the nine finessing you out of
your queen. A better shot is to lead the ♥Q. Now at least declarer
has to decide whether you started with ♥QJx(x) or the queen with-
out the jack. If declarer plays you for the jack and wins the king
and then leads low to the ten, partner’s jack will be the setting trick.
In any case, it is your only chance. In this same situation, lead the
jack from ♥Jxx.
Surrounding plays
NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER EAST Just what is a ‘surrounding’ play? The following hand explains all.
NORTH (Dummy)
1♥ 1NT ♠ 10 6 2
pass 3NT all pass ♥ A72
♦ 643
♣ AKJ2
WEST EAST (You)
♠ K75 N ♠ AJ94
♥ 4 W E ♥ Q98653
♦ 9752 S ♦ A8
♣ 10 7 6 5 3 ♣ 9
SOUTH
♠ Q83
♥ K J 10
♦ K Q J 10
♣ Q84
Partner leads a low heart, an obvious singleton. Declarer captures

your queen and exits with the ♦K to your ace. The only hope is to
grab four quickies in spades, and partner needs the king. Even so,
you must attack with the jack, a surrounding play! Notice that
you have dummy’s ♠10 ‘surrounded’ with the ♠J9, but you need the
king or ace as well to be able to spend the jack.
Notice the difference. If you lead a low spade and declarer plays
low, partner’s king takes the trick. But when partner returns a spade
to your ace, declarer remains with the queen. Not good. Now try it
the other way, the surrounding way, by leading the jack. If declarer
plays low, the jack wins and you can lead low to partner’s king;
partner leads back to your ace, snapping up declarer’s queen and

your ♠9 is the fourth defensive spade trick. If declarer covers the
jack, partner wins the king and returns the suit. You are now hov-
ering over dummy’s ♠10 with the ♠A9x and declarer has no chance
to take a trick. Put that surrounding play in your memory bank.
Let’s look at some other positions where a surrounding play can be

made. North will be dummy and you will be East.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 6 3
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠A94 S ♠KJ82
SOUTH
♠Q75
This is an example of an ‘imperfect’ surrounding play. You would

like to have the KJ92, but they dealt you the KJ82. No matter, you
still lead the jack, but this time your partner needs the nine as well
as the ace.
If you haven’t noticed already, bridge is a diabolical game, very dia-

bolical. Look at the following diagram:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 6 3
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠A754 S ♠KJ82
SOUTH
♠Q9
This time, if you lead the jack, you’re eventually going to set up
dummy’s ten and become one of South’s favorite opponents. So if
you suspect declarer has a doubleton spade, forget you ever heard of
surrounding plays, and lead low.
Surrounding plays don’t always require that the 10, 10x, or 10xx be
on your right with you having the KJ9(8) or AJ9(x) hovering over it.
They also work when the nine is on your right and you have the
Q108(x), or K108(x) lurking over it. This time you attack with the
ten.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠963
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠K74 S ♠ Q 10 8 2
SOUTH
♠AJ5
By attacking with the ten, you limit declarer to one trick. If decl-
arer covers, partner wins and returns the suit. You remain with the
♠Q8x over dummy’s guarded nine and declarer is helpless. Had you
started by leading a low spade, declarer could play low forcing part-
ner to win with the king. Then declarer remains with the ♠AJ over
your queen ultimately taking two tricks.
Here’s a wild one — having an eight surrounded!
NORTH (Dummy)
♠A83
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠Q42 S ♠J976
SOUTH
♠ K 10 5
This one is rare, but it does wow the kibitzers. In order to limit
declarer to two tricks, you have to start with the nine. The best
declarer can do is to cover with the ten. Partner covers with the
queen and dummy wins the ace. Now you have to be patient and
wait for partner to return the suit through dummy’s 8x with you
hovering over it with the J7. Had you started with a low spade,
declarer could play low; partner’s queen forces out the ace, but
declarer remains with the K10 over your jack. Declarer takes three
tricks.
Surrounding plays can also be made when dummy is to your left,

but you have to use a little imagination because you can’t see the
card you are surrounding, since it is in declarer’s hand, to your
right. You have to assume it’s there!
NORTH (Dummy)
♠Q82
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠AJ94 S ♠K75
SOUTH
♠ 10 6 3
This is the first example we looked at earlier, but turned around. If

you decide you need a bundle of tricks from spades, you have to
play your partner for the king, but partner may not have the ♠10.
What you have to do is attack with the jack in case declarer has
♠10x or ♠10xx.
Sometimes you may have to imagine that the declarer has the 9x(x)
when you have K108(x) or Q108(x) and dummy the AJx(x) to your
left. You have to make a big play and lead the ten!
NORTH (Dummy)
♠AJ5
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ Q 10 8 2 S ♠K74
SOUTH
♠963
Say you decide to attack spades and are pretty sure partner has the
king; better attack with the ten to maintain your position in case
declarer has the nine. Attacking with the ten limits declarer to one
trick; attacking with the more normal fourth-best allows declarer to
take two tricks. The idea, of course, is to recognize these positions
when they are not laid out in front of you in a book, but at the
table!
Telling them nothing

Besides trying to work out what the declarer has, defenders have to
be careful not to tell declarer too much about what they have!
What follows are several techniques that every experienced defend-
er must employ.
Discarding from a suit where

your length is known
NORTH (Dummy)
♠Q72
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ A K 10 9 5 3 S ♠84
SOUTH
♠J6
You lead the king, ace, and a spade against 3♦. Partner ruffs and
declarer overruffs. So much for spades. Not so fast. Declarer knows
you started with six spades. If you have to discard later in the
hand, it is almost always right to discard a spade. Why give declar-
er any extra information? Why make it easier to count your hand?
Playing cards you are known to hold

NORTH (Dummy)
♣653
WEST (You) N EAST

W E
♣ K 10 8 2 ♣AQJ7
S
SOUTH
♣94
This time you lead the ♣2 in an unbid suit against a diamond con-
tract. Partner wins the ace, continues with the queen, and then
plays a third club, declarer ruffing. I hope you don’t still have the
♣K in your hand! The moment partner wins the ♣A, you are
marked with the ♣K. As long as it can’t cost your side a trick,
unload it as soon as possible. If you keep it, you are being overly
friendly giving declarer GDI (gratuitous distributional information).
NORTH (Dummy)
♠6532
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠Q984 S ♠AK7
SOUTH
♠ J 10
You lead the ♠4 against a diamond contract. Partner wins the king,
cashes the ace, and continues the suit, declarer ruffing. When
declarer ruffs the third spade, play the queen, not the nine!
Declarer knows you have the queen from partner’s play of the king
and ace. If you follow with the nine, once again being overly
friendly, declarer knows you remain with the queen; however, if
Whenever declarer ruffs any suit,
you play the queen, declarer doesn’t know who has the nine.
partner knows exactly what you
Playing the queen doesn’t cost a trick — your nine is still the high-
have in the suit; you won’t be
est remaining spade. Is stuff like this really important? You better
fooling partner by playing a high-
believe it. Declarer’s play of the hand may be based partially or
er card than necessary.
entirely upon knowing who has the odd spade.
Turning two unequal honors into equal honors
NORTH (Dummy)
♠AJ3
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ Q 10 2 S ♠874
SOUTH
♠K965
What does that title mean in English?
South plays the hand at suit or notrump and leads a spade to the
jack which holds. At this point your queen and ten are equals
because the jack has been played. Furthermore, South knows you
have the queen but doesn’t know you have the ten. When the ace
is played from dummy, jettison the queen, the equal card you are
known to hold. If South believes, South will lead a spade to the
nine... and your ten! If you play the ten under the king, you doom
your queen to an early death, because South knows you have it!
You can’t always play the card you are known to hold; it may cost.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠AQ53
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠K84 S ♠ 10 9 7
SOUTH
♠J62
South takes the spade finesse and cashes the ♠A. Don’t throw the
♠K, even though you’re known to hold it! You don’t have the ♠J, and
unless you know that partner does, you may be giving up a trick by
dumping the ♠K.
Here, you do know it’s safe:

NORTH (Dummy)
♠AQ53
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠K84 S ♠J976
SOUTH
♠ 10 2
Playing 3♦, declarer leads up to the ♠Q and then plays the ♠A, fol-
lowing with the ♠10. This time you can afford to play the king, a
card you are known to hold, because partner must have the ♠J.
What declarer in her right mind plays spades this way holding
J10x? With this holding, declarer would start with the jack.
Defenders are constantly required to make negative inferences like
this; it comes with the territory.
It doesn’t hurt to scare declarer out of his wits from time to time.
How? By playing a card you are known to hold.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠AQ54
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠KJ98 S ♠ 10 7 3 2
SOUTH
♠6
South, still stuck in 3♦, takes an early spade finesse and then cashes
the ace, discarding a loser. When you see South discard, you know
all your spades are equals. You also know that South knows you
have the ♠K. As long as you keep that ♠K, South can ruff spades
with low trumps, knowing you can’t overruff. However, if you play
the ♠K under the ace, South can never be sure she can ruff spades
low. She might panic and ruff higher than necessary, eventually
promoting a trump trick for you or partner. In any case, there is no
reason on earth to hold on to that ♠K.
If, at times, you can induce declarer to ruff with a higher trump
than necessary, you might also be able to induce dummy to ruff
with a higher trump than necessary.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 5
N
WEST (You) EAST (You)
W E
♠732 S ♠KJ94
SOUTH
♠AQ86
South (still playing 3♦!) leads a spade from dummy to the ♠Q then
cashes the ♠A. If, after two rounds of spades, you still have the ♠K
in your hand, I don’t know you. That ♠K should be flying out on Do not be a friendly defender.
the table under the ♠A. For starters, it is a card you are known to Play the cards you are known to
hold; furthermore, it is the equal of your other spades. As long as hold if it can’t cost a trick.
you keep that ♠K, South can ruff spades low in dummy.
When cashing winners in a suit in which partner is void, if partner

plays after declarer, cash your lower or lowest winner first, not your
higher or highest.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 8 7 5
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠A S ♠KQ963
SOUTH
♠J42
Partner leads the ♠A against 2♥ and then switches, suggesting a sin-
gleton. Early in the hand you get the lead and decide to cash your
two high spades. But don’t cash the king and queen, cash the
queen and king! This is not just nit-picking. If you cash the king
first, partner will think declarer has the queen and will plan on
making only one discard. However, if you cash the queen first,
partner will know about both the king and the jack, and can plan
on making two discards. It can matter. In this game, everything
can matter.
Playing your highest remaining

card when you don’t have to
NORTH (Dummy)
♠K3
N
WEST (Partner) EAST (You)
W E
♠A4 S ♠QJ9762
SOUTH
♠ 10 8 5
Partner leads the ♠A in your bid suit against 4♦ (you finally pushed
them up a bit), then plays the ♠4 to the ♠K. Later, declarer ruffs the
♠10 in the dummy. When partner shows out of spades, declarer
knows the spade count; you know the spade count, maybe dummy
knows the spade count, but partner may not! When you are fourth
to play and you know declarer is playing her last card in the suit
being led, play your highest remaining card. Partner will reason that
either you or declarer is now void. The bidding will tell which.
Back to the diagram. When you play the highest outstanding spade
the third time the suit is led, partner figures that either you started
with six spades or declarer did. If partner can’t figure out from the
bidding which of you started with six spades, all the signals in the
world aren’t going to help you.
Discarding your highest equal honor

NORTH (Dummy)
♠653
WEST N EAST (You)

W E
♠A4 S ♠ J 10 9 8 2
SOUTH
♠KQ7
You have bid spades, so partner leads the ♠A against 3♦, and contin-
ues with a spade which declarer wins with the king. At this point,
you remain with the ♠J109; you know that South has the ♠Q, but
your partner may not. Given the opportunity, discard the ♠J —
promising the lower equals but denying anything higher. Now
everyone knows where the ♠Q is.
Stealing their underwear

Are your memory banks starting to feel full? Never mind, I’m sure
we can squeeze in a few more neat positions:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠963
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠ 10 8 4 S ♠KQ72
SOUTH
♠AJ5
If you need more than one spade trick, lead low. That nine in
dummy is a huge card, because it gives declarer an option. Without
it, he would probably play the jack. But with the nine he might
well play low, hoping you have underled the ten. Not this time:
partner wins the ten and declarer only makes one spade trick.
Here’s another swindle:

NORTH (Dummy)
♠ 10 6 3
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠J82 S ♠AQ94
SOUTH
♠K75
This time, try leading the queen! South may think you have led
from ♠QJ9. If so, he does best to play low. Now continue with the
♠4: South will almost certainly duck again, placing the ace with
your partner. Surprise! Partner wins the jack and you gobble up
South’s king with your ace. South will not be a happy camper.
This one gives you an opportunity for another swindle play.
NORTH (Dummy)
♥ 10 6 3
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♥A84 S ♥QJ92
SOUTH
♥K75
If you need four heart tricks, your best shot is to attack with the
queen hoping declarer has ♥Kxx and partner, ♥AJ9x. You may
wonder how that is going to help as declarer can cover the queen
and promote the ten to a third-round winner. True, but declarer
isn’t playing with mirrors.
If you actually started with the ♥QJ9(x), declarer is much better

placed if he plays low under the queen, retaining control. Now, if
you continue the suit, declarer is sure to take one trick. If you don’t
continue the suit, declarer has warded off a heart attack. That’s
supposed to be a joke.
This is another delicious piece of larceny:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠432
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠J97 S ♠AK65
SOUTH
♠ Q 10 8
As long as you think that declarer has more than two spades, you
can safely lead low from your ♠AK. Typically, South will try the
ten, and you’ll end up with three tricks in spades (four in notrump).
These swindle plays work from both sides of the table, just like sur-
rounding plays. If you are in the West seat, holding ♠AK65 looking
at dummy’s ♠Q108, and you haven’t touched the suit yet, think
about leading a low spade. Declarer usually plays the ten, and if
partner has the jack, you are the hero.
Falsecards
Remember this play we looked at a while ago?
NORTH (Dummy)
♠AJ3
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ Q 10 2 S ♠874
SOUTH
♠K965
When declarer plays a spade to the jack and then cashes the ace,
you should play the queen under it, trying to look like someone
with a doubleton queen. This is an example of a mandatory false- Falsecard: A card other than his
card — a position where you must make a falsecard to give declarer lowest played by a defender in
a losing option. order to deceive declarer
Here’s another example:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠AJ53
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠K2 S ♠ 10 9 4
SOUTH
♠Q876
This is South’s trump suit, and South starts with a low spade to the
jack, which holds. If both defenders have followed low, declarer
has no choice now but to play the ♠A, and hope West has a double-
ton king.
But suppose you cunningly drop the ♠9 under the jack. Suddenly
declarer has another line available: he can play you to have started
with ♠109 doubleton and return to his hand and lead the ♠Q. As
the cards lie, he’ll now lose a spade trick he didn’t have to! Your
play of the ♠9 gave declarer a losing option. Any time you have
109x, and suspect partner has a doubleton king or queen, play the 9
or 10 when you are fourth to play.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠AK53
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠Q2 S ♠ 10 9 4
SOUTH
♠J876
Spades are trumps and South leads a low spade to the king. If you
play low, South has no option other than to play the ace and hope
to drop the doubleton queen. However, if you drop the nine (or
ten) under the king, you give South a ‘losing option’. South may
think you have ♠109 doubleton or even the singleton ♠9. In either
case it is better to return to the South hand and swing the ♠J. But in
this case, it costs South a trick.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠3
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ J 10 2 S ♠A4
SOUTH
♠KQ98765
Spades are trumps and declarer, who has preempted in spades,
begins by leading a low spade to the king. If you play low, South
has no choice but to win the king and exit with a low spade hoping
your partner has ♠Ax. However, if you play the ♠10 (or ♠J), declarer
now has a losing option. Declarer may decide to play you for the
♠J10 doubleton and plunk down the ♠Q. Not this time. Partner
takes the ace and you make another trick with your remaining
honor.
Here’s one I’ve had a lot of luck with:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠KJ874
N
WEST EAST (Me)
W E
♠Q52 S ♠ 10 9 3
SOUTH
♠A6
At notrump declarer starts with the ace, planning to continue by

leading low to the jack. As the cards lie, declarer is entitled to five
spade tricks. But it works wonders to play the nine (or ten) under
the ace. Suddenly declarer thinks you might have ♠Q9 or ♠109
doubleton. In either case declarer can ensure four tricks by leading
to the king. Surprise! Declarer does get those four tricks, but he
had five coming all along if he finessed!
There is no end to the torment you can cause declarer once you
become familiar with certain combinations.
NORTH (Dummy)
♠J92
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠763 S ♠ Q 10
SOUTH
♠AK854
Say spades are trumps and declarer plays the ♠A. If you play the
ten, declarer will have no option other than laying down the ace
and capturing your queen. However, if you play the queen, declarer
will certainly place partner with ♠10xxx and lead a low spade to the
nine. Ha ha.
The play works the same way when this is the position:
NORTH (Dummy)
♠J92
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠763 S ♠ K 10
SOUTH
♠AQ854
This time South leads a low spade from dummy. What are you
going to do? Would I be asking you if the ten was the best play?
Of course not. Play the king and watch what happens. Declarer
thinks you have a singleton king and partner has ♠10xxx, so confi-
dently continues by leading low to the nine. Another ha ha. And
what happens if you play the ten? Not much. Declarer plays the
queen and then the ace and you get nothing.
Practice Hands
♠
2
♥ J32
pass 1♥ ♦ AQ432
pass 2♦ pass 2♠ ♣ KQ92
pass 3♥ pass 4NT WEST (You) EAST
pass 5♦ pass 6♥ ♠ A 10 9 N ♠ 76543
all pass ♥ 10 9 5 W E ♥ K4
♦ 10 6 5 S ♦ J987
Playing Key Card Blackwood ♣ 8765 ♣ 43
North-South can stay out of near- SOUTH
hopeless slams such as this, but ♠ KQJ8
that’s another book. ♥ AQ876
♦ K
♣ A J 10
You lead the ♣8 to dummy’s queen and declarer leads a low heart to
the queen. Hello! Are you there? Did you remember to play the
♥9 (or ♥10)? If not, declarer has no option but to lead the ♥A and
nab partner’s ♥K. Had you played the ♥9 (or ♥10) you would have
given declarer pause. If she plays you for the ♥109 doubleton, and
returns to dummy to play the ♥J, you have just defeated a slam.
EAST-WEST VUL. DEALER SOUTH Hand 2 NORTH (Dummy)

4♠ ♥ A 10 6 2
all pass ♦ KQJ9
♣ 963
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 6 N ♠ 93
♥ Q8754 W E ♥ KJ93
♦ 8732 S ♦ A54
♣ A Q 10 ♣ J852
SOUTH
♠ K Q J 10 8 7 4 2
♥ —
♦ 10 6
♣ K74
Partner leads a top diamond and you win the ace. What a depress-
ing dummy! It looks like you need three quick club tricks, so table
the ♣J, playing partner for the ♣AQ10. Oh happy day... I’ve been
good to you again.
Hand 3 NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER EAST

♥ A72 1♥ 1NT
♦ K 10 9 7 pass 3NT all pass
♣ K 10 9
WEST (You) EAST
♠ Q75 N ♠ K 10 8 4
♥ 43 W E ♥ K9865
♦ 543 S ♦ A8
♣ 76532 ♣ Q4
SOUTH
♠ AJ3
♥ Q J 10
♦ QJ62
♣ AJ8
Partner leads the ♥4 and declarer ducks to your king. It appears
your best chance is to attack spades while you still have the ♦A.
You need three spade tricks. Remember your surrounding plays?
Lead the ♠10. You are hoping partner has the ♠Qxx, and if she
does, you can’t afford to lead a low spade: declarer may play low
forcing partner to win the queen, retaining the ♠AJ over your king.
But if you switch to the ♠10, declarer has no recourse; declarer
loses three spades, one heart and one diamond.
♠ A5
♥ AKJ9 4♠
♦ KQ82 all pass
♣ 10 8 3
WEST EAST (You)
♠ 6 N ♠ 93
♥ Q87543 W E ♥ 10 6 2
♦ J 10 9 S ♦ A743
♣ A65 ♣ KJ92
SOUTH
♠ K Q J 10 8 7 4 2
♥ —
♦ 65
♣ Q74
Partner leads the ♦J to the queen and your ace. It doesn’t take an
Einstein to figure out that clubs is where the money is. Holding the
♣KJ9 with the ♣10 to your right, the proper card to lead is the jack
in case declarer has the queen and partner the ace. After this
switch, there is no more to the story.
Test Yourself
1♥ ♥ K96
pass 2♣ pass 2♥ ♦ 5
pass 3♥ pass 4♥ ♣ A Q 10 8 7 5
all pass EAST (You)
N ♠ AK3
W E ♥ 10 2
S ♦ K9632
♣ K94
Solution on page 235 Partner leads the ♦Q, which declarer wins in the closed hand with
the ace. He plays off the ace and queen of hearts, partner following
with the ♥7 and ♥8. Now South leads the ♣J, partner plays the ♣3
and dummy the ♣5. Plan your defense.
NEITHER VUL. DEALER WEST
♠ A62
pass 1♣ pass 1♥
♥ 9
pass 2♣ pass 2NT
♦ A 10 3
pass 3NT all pass
♣ Q J 10 8 7 5
EAST (You)
♠ Q873
N
W E
♥ K 10 7 2
S ♦ 94
♣ A96
Solution on page 235 The lead is the ♦6 which dummy’s ten wins, South playing the ♦5.
A low club is led to the ♣K, partner following, and a second club is
led to the ♣Q, partner discarding the ♦Q. How are you going to
defend?
♠ K J 10 2 West North East South

♥ K 10 3 pass pass 1NT
♦ 10 5 4 pass 2♣ pass 2♥
♣ K52 pass 3NT all pass
EAST (You)
♠ 8653
N
W E ♥ 9752
S ♦ KJ92
♣ A
Partner leads the ♣J, dummy plays low and you win the ace, decl- Solution on page 236
arer playing the ♣3. Plan your defense from here.
4) NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER NORTH

♥ 954 1♣ pass 1♠
♦ A 10 3♦ pass pass 3NT
♣ Q J 10 8 7 5 all pass
EAST (You)
♠ Q873
N
W E ♥ K 10 8 2
S ♦ 9
♣ A964
The lead is the ♦6 which dummy’s ten wins, South contributing the Solution on page 236
♦5. Next comes the ♣Q, which you duck as partner discards the
♦Q. When a low club is led from dummy you win the ♣A, declarer
plays the ♣K, and partner discards the ♦2. Now what?
5) NORTH (Dummy)
♠J54
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ 10 9 2 S ♠Q5
SOUTH
♠AK876
Spades are trumps. Is there a way that the defense might score a Solution on page 237
spade trick?
6) NORTH (Dummy)
♠—
N
WEST (You) EAST
W E
♠ J 10 2 S ♠K5
SOUTH
♠AQ987643
Solution on page 237 South opens 4♠, the closing bid. Your side takes the first two tricks,
and South wins the third trick in a side suit and plays the ♠A. Can
the defense do anything to garner two trump tricks?
7) NORTH (Dummy)
♠J94
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠532 S ♠ Q 10
SOUTH
♠AK876
Solution on page 237 Spades are trumps and declarer leads the ♠A. See any way of taking
a spade trick?
8) NORTH (Dummy)
♠J94
N
WEST EAST (You)
W E
♠532 S ♠ K 10
SOUTH
♠AQ876
Solution on page 237 Spades are trumps, and a low spade is led from dummy. Have any
clever ideas?
To questions


♥ K96 1♥
♦ 5 pass 2♣ pass 2♥
♣ A Q 10 8 7 5 pass 3♥ pass 4♥
♠ J984 N ♠ AK3
♥ 87 W E ♥ 10 2 Trick 1: ♦Q ♦5 ♦9 ♦A
♦ Q J 10 8 4 S ♦ K9632 Trick 2: ♥A ♥7 ♥6 ♥2
♣ 32 ♣ K94 Trick 3: ♥Q ♥8 ♥9 ♥10
SOUTH Trick 4: ♣J ♣3 ♣5 ?
♠ Q 10 6
♥ AQJ543
♦ A7
♣ J6
Win the ♣K and shift to a low spade! You need three spade tricks to
defeat this contract. If partner has the ♠Q, it doesn’t matter which
spade you lead, but if declarer has the ♠Q, particularly with the
♠10, you might swindle him out of his spade trick. If declarer makes
the normal play of the ten, down he goes.
2) NORTH (Dummy) NEITHER VUL. DEALER WEST

♥ 9 pass 1♣ pass 1♥
♦ A 10 3 pass 2♣ pass 2NT
♣ Q J 10 8 7 5 pass 3NT all pass
WEST EAST (You)
♠ J 10 N ♠ Q873
♥ AJ63 W E ♥ K 10 7 2 Trick 1: ♦6 ♦10 ♦9 ♦5
♦ QJ8652 S ♦ 94 Trick 2: ♣5 ♣6 ♣K ♣2
♣ 2 ♣ A96 Trick 3: ♣3 ♦Q ♣Q ?
SOUTH
♠ K954
♥ Q854
♦ K7
♣ K43
Partner’s ♦Q tells you that declarer has the ♦K, or three diamond
tricks in all. You can see that there are five club tricks once your ace
is removed, and the ♠A in dummy means declarer has nine sure
To questions
tricks outside of hearts. You must attack hearts and you need four
tricks from the suit. You must project ♥AJ6x, ♥AQ6x or better in
partner’s hand and then lead the ten to silence the nine! Declarer
cannot avoid the loss of four heart tricks with this diabolical switch.
3) NORTH (Dummy)
♠ K J 10 2
♥ K 10 3
BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH ♦ 10 5 4
West North East South ♣ K52
pass pass 1NT WEST EAST (You)
pass 2♣ pass 2♥ ♠ 974 N ♠ 8653
pass 3NT all pass ♥ 84 W E ♥ 9752
♦ A83 S ♦ KJ92
♣ J 10 9 8 7 ♣ A
Trick 1: ♣J ♣2 ♣A ♣3 SOUTH
Trick 2: ? ♠ AQ
♥ AQJ6
♦ Q76
♣ Q643
Obviously a diamond shift has to be right; anyone who has learned

as much as you from this chapter will surely play the ♦J now! Any
time partner has three or four diamonds to the ace this surrounding
play garners you four tricks.
NEITHER VUL. DEALER NORTH 4) NORTH (Dummy)
1♣ pass 1♠ ♥ 954
3♦ pass pass 3NT ♦ A 10
all pass ♣ Q J 10 8 7 5
WEST EAST (You)
♠ J 10 N ♠ Q873
Trick 1: ♦6 ♦10 ♦9 ♦5 ♥ A763 W E ♥ K 10 8 2
Trick 2: ♣2 ♦Q ♣Q ♣6 ♦ QJ86432 S ♦ 9
Trick 3: ♣5 ♣A ♣K ♦2 ♣ — ♣ A964
Trick 4: ? SOUTH
♠ K9542
♥ QJ
♦ K75
♣ K32
This is almost a trick question! This time you need four heart tricks
so you have to play partner for ♥AQx, ♥AJx or Axxx. In all three
To questions
cases it is correct to switch to a low heart, particularly when partner
has ♥Axxx and declarer ♥QJ. If you switch to the ten, (the normal
play when declarer has three hearts), you set up a trick for declarer
with the ♥9. Only a scoundrel would include this problem.
5) Assuming declarer starts with the ♠A or ♠K, you have a chance if

you play the ♠9 or ♠10. If declarer plays you for ♠109 doubleton
and crosses to dummy to lead the jack, you wind up with a spade
trick. If you play low the first time, you have no chance of winning
a trick if declarer needs five spade tricks; declarer is forced to play
another high spade.
6) When declarer cashes the ♠A, drop the ♠J or ♠10, or else South
will have no choice but to play someone for ♠Kx and lead low.
However, if you play an honor, declarer may try to pin the sup-
posed ♠J10 doubleton by playing the ♠Q next. That won’t work.
7) You have a chance if you drop the ♠Q. If declarer believes, and
most declarers will, a spade will be led to the ♠9... and your ♠10!
8) Here again, you should play the ♠K. It costs nothing, but if
South believes you, he’ll finesse the ♠9 coming back. Very tricky!
• The card you lead on opening lead may not be the same
card you lead from that very same combination after you
see the dummy.
• When dummy has an unguarded 10 (to your right) and

you have the KJ9 or AJ9, it is usually right to attack with
the jack. When dummy has an unguarded 9 (to your right)
and you have the Q108 or K108, it is usually right to attack
with the 10. These ‘surrounding plays’ can also be made
by the player leading through dummy; that player must
project the unguarded nine or ten in declarer’s hand.
• Try to give partner any information about your hand that

declarer already has.
• Playing the card(s) you are known to hold when it can’t

cost you a trick is the mark of an experienced defender.
• Be on the lookout for opportunities to create losing options

for declarer by playing unnecessarily high cards in situa-
tions where it cannot cost you; situations you must learn
to recognize. Amen.
Index
Allen, Steve, 92 Minor-suit openings, 64-70

Backus, Jim, 92 Notrump openings, 62-64
Burns, George, 92 Responder becomes declar-
Card combinations, 213-237 er, 67
Escaping an endplay, 215 Revising your count, 57
Falsecards, 227-229 When partner bids, 70-71
Leading unsupported hon- From the opening lead, 73-75
ors, 214 Key ideas, 88
Key ideas, 237 Counting high card points,
Surrounding plays, 216-219 129-152
Swindles, 225-226 Key ideas, 152
Concealing information from Notrump sequences, 130-135,
declarer, 220-225 145-146
Discarding from a suit where Notrump ranges in com-
your length is known, petition, 145
220 Opener rebids notrump,
Discarding your highest equal 130
honor, 224 Responder bids notrump,
Playing cards you are known 133
to hold, 220-224 Responder rebids notrump,
Playing your highest remain- 134
ing card, 224 Other techniques, 138-141
Counting distribution, 55-88 Suit sequences, 135-138
From a count signal, 76-78 Point ranges, 135
From the bidding, 56-72 Where responder becomes
After a preempt, 71-72 declarer, 137
Major-suit openings, 56-62 When partner bids, 142-145
Counting tricks, 89-128 Revising your count, 57

Clues from the bidding, 90 Slam sequences, 140
Clues from the dummy, 91-92 Supported majors, 47
Declarer's trump tricks, 112- Trick count, 90
116 When partner bids, 70-71
Discarding honors from Where responder becomes
equals, 105 declarer, 67, 137
Dummy's long suit can be From the play, 40-45
established by ruffing, From the opening lead, 39
117-118 Key ideas, 54
In declarer's suits, 109-111 Negative inferences, 38, 190
In dummy's strong suit, 'Jack denies' lead convention,
105-109 93, 101, 141
Key ideas, 128 Jacoby, Jim, 116
Lead and play to trick one, Lead-directing doubles,
93-105 46, 189-211
Leader's play with remaining 3NT, 196-202
equals, 104 defender opens a minor,
When partner leads a 199
singleton, 103 defenders have not bid, but
Falsecards, 229 dummy has bid 1 or 2
Forcing defense, 20, 168-170 suits, 197
Forcing 1NT response, 133 defenders each bid a suit;
Fourth-suit forcing, 132, 193 dummy is silent, 201
Inferences, 37-54 defenders each bid a suit at
From the bidding, 45-47 the 1-level, and dummy
About partner's hand, 46 has bid a suit, 201
After a preempt, 71-72 defenders open or overcalls
After dummy comes down, a major at the 1-level,
47 198
Major-suit openings, 56-62 no suits have been bid, 196
Minor-suit openings, 64-70 partner bids a suit and you
Notrump openings, 62-64 double, 200
Opener rebids notrump, Artificial bids, 191-193
130 Artificial openings or
Point ranges in suit responses, 195
sequences, 135 Blackwood responses, 193
Responder bids notrump, Cuebids, 196
133 Fourth suit, 193
Responder rebids notrump, Splinters, 194
134 Key ideas, 212
Miscellaneous, 202-203 Other considerations, 19-25

balancing double of a 1NT Declarer's second suit,
response, 202 19-21
doubling 6NT, 202 Active defense, 19
Suit slams, 190-191 Forcing defense, 20
Lightner doubles, see Doubles Leading a trump, 21
of suit slams Dummy is the long trump
Lightner, Theodore, 191 hand, 22
Master trump, 176-178 Killing the dummy, 23-25
Meadows, Jane, 92 Giving partner a ruff in the
Opening lead long suit, 23
Counting distribution from, Killing the late entry, 25
73-75 Leading the long suit, 24
Inferences from, 39, 93 Play with remaining equals,
'Jack denies' convention, 93, 104
101, 141 Practice Hands, 26, 48, 79, 119,
Leader's play with remaining 147, 179, 204, 230
equals, 104 Ruff-sluff, 171-174
Leading unsupported honors, Ruffing air, 175-176
214 Rule of Eleven, 99
Leads other than fourth-best, Stayman, alternative responses
75 to, 81
Suit preference, 162 Suit preference lead, 162
Trump lead, 21 Suit preference signal, 154,
Overruff positions, 163-165 156-163
Refusing to overruff, 164 Surrounding play, 143, 216-219
Ruffing air, 175 Test Yourself, 29, 50, 82, 122,
Planning the defense against 150, 181, 207, 232
suit contracts, 11-35 Trump tricks, 153-188
Identifying the dummy, 13-18 Getting a ruff, 154
Type 1. Ruffing potential Giving partner a ruff, 156-63
only, 13 Key ideas, 188
Type 2. Dummy has a Master trump, 176-178
strong side suit, 14 TV show, 92
Type 3. Dummy is bal- Unblock, requesting an, 43
anced, 16 Uppercut, 142, 148, 165-168
Key ideas, 35
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Eddie Kantar’s various bridge books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies in ten
ALL LEVELS
languages, not least because of his unique style and the humor that he introduces into
the learning process. Advanced Bridge Defense is intended to cover some of the more com-
plex concepts of defense for the modern novice player, and will undoubtedly be a stan-
dard reference work and teaching tool for many years to come. The topics covered here
(including defensive strategy, inferences, various ways of counting the hand, develop-
ing extra trump tricks, falsecarding, and lead-directing doubles) are handled so thor-
oughly that even more advanced players will benefit from studying this book.
Designed to be used by students learning on their own or by bridge teachers, this book
contains a host of features that help the reader to grasp the material: clearly laid-out
concepts, margin notes, practice hands, chapter-end quizzes, key-point summaries at
regular intervals, and an index. This book covers more advanced topics than its com-
panion, Eddie Kantar teaches Modern Bridge Defense.
Praise for Eddie Kantar teaches Modern Bridge Defense and Eddie Kantar
teaches Advanced Bridge Defense:
‘Defensive play has never been explained better’
BOBBY GOLDMAN , four-time World Champion
‘Kantar tackles the hardest part of the game and wins hands down’
ZIA MAHMOOD, World Life Master
‘These two books are to defensive play what Watson’s ‘Play of the Hand’ is to declarer play’
PAUL SOLOWAY, three-time World Champion
and ACBL all-time leading master point holder
Eddie Kantar is a professional bridge player, writer, and teacher, and has been induct-
ed into the Bridge Hall of Fame. He has been World Champion twice, and has won thir-
teen North American Championship titles. Among his many books are Defensive Bridge
Play Complete, Introduction to Defender’s Play, Bridge for Dummies and Roman Key
Card Blackwood. He writes regularly for numerous bridge magazines around the world,
and is a frequent host on bridge cruises. He lives in Santa Monica, CA.
Master Point Press

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EDDIE KANTAR TEACHES

Advanced Bridge Defense

Advanced Bridge Defense

MASTER POINT PRESS

All rights reserved. It is illegal to reproduce any portion of this

Master Point Press

Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data

Kantar, Edwin B., 1932-

1. Contract bridge — Defensive play. I. Title.

GV1282.42.K36 1999 795.41’53 C98-932700-0

Editor Ray Lee

Printed and bound in Canada

The emphasis in this book will be on defensive logic. Trump pro-

Having spent a lifetime teaching intermediate players, I can say

Chapter 1 Planning the Defense at Suit Contracts 11

Chapter 2 Learning to Think 37

Chapter 3 Counting Distribution 55

Chapter 4 Counting Tricks 89

Chapter 6 Tricks with Trumps 153

Chapter 7 Doubling for the Lead 189

Chapter 8 Card Tricks 213

particularly the second over the first, indicating shortness in the

The answers to these questions help determine your lead. Although

Opening leads can be categorized as: attacking, passive (including

1) Discarding them on dummy's strong side suit.

WEST (You) N EAST

This is a typical card combination where South, left to his own

Identifying the dummy

Type 1. Dummy has ruffing potential but little else

NORTH (Dummy) West North East South

Type 2. Dummy has a threatening side suit

The length and strength of dummy's side suit are so overwhelming

But suppose the hand had been a little different:

Let’s take a look at a possible layout:

If there is a strong usable side suit in dummy, play an attacking

Type 3. Dummy is balanced

A balanced dummy is one that has no shortness, and no side suit

A trump lead from two, three, or four small is usually passive

NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER NORTH

♠ K843 West North East South

1) Playing an active defense

NORTH (Dummy) NORTH-SOUTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH

♠ Q 10 6 4 West North East South

1) Playing an active defense

2) Playing a forcing defense

With your four trumps and no strength in declarer's second suit,

If declarer doesn't play a third round of spades, reverting to dia-

Another possible defense against a two-suiter, particularly when you

NORTH (Dummy) BOTH VUL. DEALER SOUTH

♠ 2 West North East South

Standing on your head

WEST (Opener) EAST (Responder) West East

In this sequence, East is going to be the dummy. Since declarer

♠— ♥93 ♦AQJ932 ♣KJ954

West North East South

Once the opening lead is made, your hand is coming down as

We now enter a new realm of defensive play — reducing the long

Killing the dummy

1) Giving partner an early ruff in the long suit.