A DEFENCE AGAINST SUIT CONTRACTS

Defence Against Suit Contracts –  Quiz

1. LEADS

What do you lead from the following holdings?

1. A K 9 5 3
2. K Q 6 4
3. K 9 7 6 4
4. 8 7 5
5. A 9 8 6 4

1. SIGNALS TO PARNER’S LEAD

What do you play on partner’s lead of the Ace (promising the king)?

Dummy shows up with Q 9 3:

1. 8 2
2. 6 5 2

Dummy shows up with 3 small ones (7 5 4):

1. Q 8 2
2. 8 2
3. 9 8 2
4. Q 2
5. Q J 3 2

1. DISCARDS

Declarer is pulling trump (spades) and you are now out of trump and must make a discard in another suit. You hold the following hand:

♠–––

♥A9754

♦9542

♣K9

1. What heart from hand above do you discard?
2. What diamond from hand above do you discard?
3. What club from hand above do you discard?

1. SUIT PREFERENCE SIGNAL

There are two times when a suit preference signal is highly helpful.

a) If you on lead, know that partner will be ruffing the next trick, and you want to tell partner what suit to return (after she has ruffed).

Defending against a Heart contract. You play the ♦A and the ♦K, partner signalling High-Low (partner will ruff the next diamond).

1. What diamond do you lead at trick 3 if your hand is:

♠A93

♥42

♦AK932

♣432

1. What diamond do you lead at trick 3 if your hand is

♠932

♥42

♦AK932

♣A32

b) If partner wins the opening lead with the Ace but dummy shows up with a singleton. Partner will not continue the suit and must switch.

Defending against a 4♥contract, partner leads the ♦A and Dummy comes up with a singleton.

1. What diamond do you play at trick 1 (on partner’s lead of the Ace) when you hold:

♠A932

♥42

♦9872

♣432

1. What diamond do you play at trick 1 (on partner’s lead of the Ace) when you hold:

♠932

♥42

♦9872

♣A432

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Answers

1. Lead the Ace (top of two touching honours).
2. Lead the King (top of two touching honours).
3. Lead the 6 (fourth best from longest and strongest).
4. Lead the 7 (MUD – middle up down so that partner does not think you are leading a doubleton).
5. Do not lead from that suit!!! Against a suit contract, we do not underlead our Aces as this may give declarer a cheap trick. Lead from a different suit. If you choose to lead from that suit, then lead the Ace.
6. Play the 8 (encouraging partner to continue).
7. Play the 2 (discouraging partner to continue – Partner?  If I play the 2, I highly recommend you lead something else but your King at trick two 😊).
8. Play the 8 (encouraging partner to continue).
9. Play the 2 (discouraging partner). Partner may see answer 7 above.
10. Play the 2.
11. Play the 2 (see 12 below, about why you don’t want to play Q here).
12. Play the Queen! When partner leads the Ace (from Ace – King holding), the play of the Queen has a special meaning. It says to Partner – I have also the Jack if you would now rather lead low to my Jack instead of playing your King at trick 2. Sometimes Partner on lead wants you to return a different suit and play from your side for it. This allows this play.
13. Play the 9 (Telling Partner we have something good in Hearts).
14. Play the 2 (discouraging having anything good in Diamonds).
15. Do not discard from that suit! It shortens you too much. 😊
16. Lead the 9, asking partner to return a Spade (higher of two remaining suits) after they have ruffed.
17. Lead the 2, asking partner to return a Club (lower of two remaining suits) after they have ruffed.
18. Play the 9 of diamonds, essentially asking partner to switch to the highest of two remaining suits (Spades).
19. Play the 2 of diamonds, essentially asking partner to switch to the lowest of two remaining suits (Clubs).

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