Defence (1): The Basics

Standard leads 

• Introduction: thinking about defence
• Choosing the card to lead
• Leading from honour sequences. The special lead of the king at no trumps
• Leading fourth highest. The Rule of Eleven
• Leading from poor suits

Choosing the suit to lead

• Leading when there are clues to help. Active and Passive leads
• Leading when there are few clues
• Quiz

Play by third player 

• Partner leads a low card
• Partner leads an honour card
• Introduction to signals. The attitude signal
• Returning partner’s lead: which card to lead back

Signals and discards 

• Count signals when declarer plays a suit
• Using count signals when the defence need to hold up
• Ducking in defence with two stoppers
• Knocking out dummy’s entry. The Merrimac Coup
• Discards. The meaning of discards
• Working out what is safe to discard

Opening leader’s next play 

• When to duck the second round of a suit
• When to switch to another suit
• Showing partner where your entry lies: introduction to Suit Preference Signals

Leading at suit contracts 

• Honour leads in a suit contract. Three special leads
• Active or Passive?
• When to lead trumps. When in doubt … the fallacy.
• When not to lead trumps