ACBL22 – Defense: In Front of and Ward Trumbull
Behind the Dummy Jun 5, 2011
Page 1 of 4
LHO Lead to Broken Strength in Dummy
When you are defending against a suit contract, the Left Hand Opponent (LHO) should tend to lead into broken strength in the dummy. “Broken Strength” means that the dummy does not have a sequence of honors. That is, there are missing honors between those showing.
BROKEN SEQUENCE UNBROKEN
example 1 - A Q 10 example 1 - A K x x
example 2 - K J 9 example 2 - K Q J x
If LHO has one-or-more of the missing honors, it’s best not to lead the suit. That lead might force the declarer to take a finesse in that suit that he/she didn’t want to take, and the finesse will work. However, it is a gutsy play later in the hand because the declarer might be afraid to take that finesse. For instance in BS example 2, underleading the ace is a good lead. Declarer will rarely play the king.
LHO should try to lead his/her highest card in the suit when it is lead to help partner locate unseen honors. However, if you do lead from an honor, lead small to let your partner know. That is BosTon.
RHO Lead to Weakness in Dummy
When you are defending against a suit contract, the Right Hand Opponent (RHO) should tend to lead into weakness in the dummy. “Weakness” means that the dummy has few if any honors in the suit. Example:
DUMMY S H D C
-------------------------
A K J Q
Q 10 x J
x x x x
x
ACBL22 – Defense: In Front of and Jun 5, 2011
the Behind Dummy Page 2 of 4
RHO Lead to Weakness in Dummy (continued)
RHO should probably lead into the weak diamond suit. A lead to the
spade ace/queen may finesse partner out of the king. A lead to the heart king/ten could locate a missing ace or queen. A lead to the club queen/jack may set up the suit for the declarer if only one honor is missing. When leading to weakness, the options are:
1. Lead top of a sequence
2. Lead top of nothing
3. Lead small from an honor (that’s BosTon)
Cashing Ace/Kings Based on the Dummy
If the dummy’s cards indicate there is a suit on which declarer can dump his/her losers, it behooves the defenders to cash their high cards while they can.
Example: Dummy The contract is five spades.
S H D C
------------------
A x K Q RHO
Q x Q x ---------------
J J x S - K x x
x H - A x x x
x D - x x x
C - x x x
The opening diamond lead goes to declarer’s ace. RHO can now see that declarer has 9 tricks (4 spades & 5 diamonds), and he/she has only played the diamond ace.
He then finesses for the spade king.
1. Take the king.
2. Cash the ace of hearts and watch for partner’s signal.
3. If it’s high (encouraging), continue with hearts.
If it’s low (discouraging), lead a club and hope partner has
the ace.
ACBL22 – Defense: In Front of and Jun 5, 2011
the Behind Dummy Page 3 of 4
Hold Up on Ace/Kings If Dummy Is No Help
Example:
S H D C The contract is four spades.
--------------------
8 x A K RHO
6 x x x -------------
5 x x x S - K 9 7
x H - A J x
D - J x x x
C - Q x x
The opening diamond lead goes to declarer’s king. He next crosses to the club king and then discards a club on the ace of diamonds. Dummy is now dead. Finally he leads the spade five to his queen, finessing your king.
1. If you get in with your spade king or club queen,
2. DO NOT LEAD HEARTS.
3. There is no place in dummy to slough declarer’s hearts.
4. Lead a diamond because declarer is out of diamonds.
5. Then declarer will have to break the heart suit to your
team’s advantage.
Killing the Entries to Dummy
Example:
S H D C The contract is four spades.
---------------------
8 x A A RHO
6 x Q x --------------
5 x J S - A 9 7
10 H - x x x x
7 D - K x x
C - K x x
ACBL22 – Defense: In Front of and Jun 5, 2011
the Behind Dummy Page 4 of 4
Killing the Entries to Dummy (continued)
Declarer’s line of play will be:
1. Pull trump
2. Finesse for the diamond king, which loses
3. Later cross to dummy on the club ace
4. Run the diamonds
When RHO takes the trump ace:
1. Lead the club king into dummy’s ace, killing the outside
entry to dummy. Don’t worry about who has the club
queen.
2. Later hold up on the diamond king till declarer is out of
diamonds.
3. When RHO takes the diamond king, he/she must exit with a
heart......NOT A TRUMP. (the spade 8 might be an entry by
finessing your nine)