grizz: Hi everybody, thanks for attending another of a series of lessons on Defense. grizz: Chat logs and hand records are stored in your computer for later review. For information on how to retrieve them, go the BIL homepage or email me. grizz: I teach private individual, pair, and small group lessons. I am available for tournaments as well. If you would like to know more please email me at Grizz@GrizzBridge.com. grizz: Archives of old sessions are available at GrizzBridge.com, on the Lessons and Archives page. grizz: There will be lots of questions. I want to address them all, but in a manner helpful to all, so please ask them in open chat. grizz: I encourage participation by all kibs - that keeps this fresh, fun and informative for all of us. grizz: So jump right in with a comment, question, or bid at any time, but please do it in open chat... grizz: ...since I can't always respond to private chat. grizz: There is a calendar now available on Google for all my scheduled teaching and play dates. grizz: Navigate to Google.com, go to upper left and click "more" grizz: Click "calendar" grizz: Type "grizzbridge" in the search string box, and click grizz: Click on the link and the calendar will open in a new window. grizz: If any events are cancelled or rescheduled, the changes will be shown on the calendar. BILManager (Lobby): => Club: !D!HBILmembers -- please join Grizz -- the BIL Guru of Defense for today's seesion in the BILounge -- all members are welcome!D!H grizz: The opening lead depends on your defensive strategy - as in chess, you must be thinking several moves ahead. grizz: There are only 5 basic types of defensive strategy at the beginning of a hand. grizz: These concepts are out of the book "How The Experts Win At Bridge" by Burt Hall and Lynn Rose-Hall, the Bridge Book of the Year in 1997. grizz: By way of review, and for those who are new here, the 5 lines of defense are: grizz: 1. Force declarer to ruff, and lose control of his own trump suit. grizz: 2. Active defense, go get your own tricks. grizz: 3. Passive defense, let the lead come to you. grizz: 4. Reduce ruffs. grizz: 5. Create trump tricks. grizz: Again, if you need review on the 5 Lines of Defense check out http://www.grizzbridge.com/Lessons_and_Archives.php grizz: Scroll down the page until you find those lessons under the BIL listings. grizz: Briefly, here are the lead guidelines for each of these different strategies: grizz: 1. Forcing defense - lead your side's strongest suit. grizz: 2. Active defense - also, lead your side's strongest suit. grizz: 3. Passive defense - top of a sequence, or a worthless suit. grizz: 4. Reduce ruffs - lead a trump grizz: 5. Create trump tricks - lead away your own or toward partner's shortness. grizz: So choosing a lead depends on what your defensive game plan is, referring back to the 5 Lines of Defense. grizz: When you know WHAT you intend to accomplish, it is easier to decide HOW to get it done. grizz: That is the difference between strategy and tactics. grizz: This week we are going to continue looking at example hands and auctions, consider defensive plans and choose leads. grizz: These example hands are not predealt, they are random. grizz: So I have not analyzed them, rather we are all looking at them for the first time. grizz: The bidding will be done by the bots, though I must sit in one of the seats during play to control the pace. grizz: I have no idea who the declarer will be or which seat will be on lead, so you may kibitz all 4 hands. grizz: If you wonder what a GIB bid means, click on it - the bots play 2/1. grizz: Here is the GIB convention card: http://online.bridgebase.com/doc/gib_system_notes.php grizz: I will try to remember to insert the board numbers in the Chat Log, so you can match up the log with the hands file in the future. grizz: grizz: well now, this hand didn't go the way i expected! grizz: glad i didn't open 1NT, that would have been awful grizz: so now i'm on lead? how are we going to set 4!h? grizz: 1!s trick, 1!h, 1!c probable grizz: maybe a !d, but doubtful in this auction grizz: maybe a !c ruff, maybe i can give a !s ruff to pard grizz: let's start by establishing a !s, and see what dummy looks like grizz: not good grizz: dummy has everything but the !S sitting over me grizz: and pard played a little !s, also not looking good grizz: i don't want to set up the !sJ for a pitch, so best thing is to put declarer in dummy grizz: well, i think we're done here grizz: oh well, we didn't lose any trick that we should win grizz: and you may have noticed that we have started to think about something else new - grizz: how many tricks do we need, and where will they come from? grizz: those are the same questions that declarer asks, and you should get into the habit of doing that on defense too grizz: not just the opening leader, but pard too grizz: Are there any questions before we proceed? grizz: grizz: let's go through the standard drill again grizz: how many tricks do we need, and where will they come from? grizz: we need 4 for the set grizz: looks like 1!s and out for this hand grizz: but pard may have 4 trumps on this auction grizz: south does not have 5 grizz: and N may have only 4 grizz: so if Forcing Defense is working, i should lead my side's best suit grizz: which is what? PedroG: !s grizz: must be a black suit, probably !s grizz: so what !s should we lead? duffer66: A grizz: y, clearly grizz: vs. a suit contract you never underlead an ace in an unbid side suit grizz: well, good idea but that one didn't work Dianne0516: I would have led clubs grizz: unless N has 4!ss and is false carding, which would leave W void now in !s duffer66: can you underlead an ace against NT? grizz: sure! grizz: especially if you have a long suit and no outside entry grizz: different story vs. suits though grizz: Di would have led !cs - any particular reason for that? diana_eva: she doesnt like to lead unprotected ace, probably grizz: reasonable grizz: and if you have no plan, saving the ace to win an honor is reasonable thing to do grizz: the original plan was to use a Forcing Defense, forcing declarer to ruff in the long trump hand grizz: but it turns out that !ss is not our suit grizz: oh well, a plan that doesn't work is better than no plan at all grizz: so, we change plan now grizz: to what? grizz: Reduce Ruffs? grizz: it's almost never right to lead a singleton trump rojune: even if it is a singleton honor grizz: well, pard may have something in a minor grizz: if pard has the !d AT or KT, we can develop a trick in that suit grizz: when pitching, it is better to pitch cards you are known to have - gives less info to declarer grizz: well, no defensive magic works on this one either leonora3: no hope for successful defense grizz: here are the conditions for Forcing Defense: grizz: 1. ops have a 2-suiter grizz: 2. you have 4 trumps, or think pard might grizz: 4. any time the long trump hand can be forced to ruff early grizz: 3. ops are in 4-3 or 5-2 fit pzee: gib pitched the !J on the first trump trick won by S with the !hA grizz: y? well that was just dumb!!! pzee: he's an enemy spy :) grizz: lol grizz: so the next question is, by starting with a defense that didn't work, did we give away a trick? Dianne0516: not much hope with this hand grizz: we might have, if W had the QJ and an entry grizz: but not as the cards lie grizz: and i still maintain that any reasonable plan is better than none at all grizz: Are there any questions before we proceed? PedroG: nty grizz: grizz: this is a fairly common auction, and a fairly common problem grizz: sometimes a player will open 1!d with ??45, and rebid !cs grizz: and you must guess which is the better (longer) suit for a preference leonora3: in this case, doesn't matter fit in both m grizz: my preference is to open 1!c with that hand, and rebid a 5 card !c suit if necessary rather than fib about length grizz: so assuming that pard plays the same style, the !d preference is on grizz: pard must have extras to bid 3!d grizz: so my 11 hcp is looking better now grizz: but better for what? grizz: pard has no !h fit grizz: and at least 9 cards in the minors grizz: if pard has a !s stopper, NT might work grizz: but I can't bid NT without one grizz: and need to alert pard of a problem in that suit grizz: that left the door open for 3NT if pard had the stopper grizz: too bad he doesn't, but c'est la vie grizz: ok, let's switch hats to Defense now grizz: here are the conditions for Reducing Ruffs: EternalUke: ?should this be in 4d? grizz: 1. ops are playing in a misfit grizz: 2. the auction suggests that dummy is short somewhere grizz: 3. defense is strong in all other suits grizz: y, looks like NS would be better off in 4!d OK grizz: but if N had !sAQx, then 3NT would have been the superior contract grizz: so by leaving the door open for a better contract, we wound up playing in a worse one. heavy sigh. meshmeshaa: N wouldnt bid 3nt with qxx?? jaymac: Wasn't Q!S enough stopper to risk? grizz: Qxx might be good enough stopper for some players, but i guess GIB doesn't think so meshmeshaa: would u? jaymac: ty Dianne0516: He doesn't this time--might next time though grizz: y, i might risk 3NT with the N cards, the hand has a lot of tricks grizz: and the Qxx might stand up as a stopper EternalUke: what would 3s by south be? grizz: pretty cheesy stopper though! grizz: Uke, good question grizz: some pairs have this understanding - grizz: if the pair has bid 2 suits then the 3rd suit is real grizz: but if the pair has bid 3 suits, then the 4th is an Asking Bid grizz: If And Only If (IFF) the pair has that understanding, then S could have bid 3!s asking for a !s stop grizz: showing enough points for NT, but concern about !s grizz: and also directing ops' attention to that suit grizz: but don't make this bid unless you and pard have discussed the style - it is not standard grizz: ok, back to the opening lead grizz: W has 2 trump tricks for certain grizz: and hopes pard has 3 more grizz: sounds like NS ran from NT because of a !s problem grizz: and S denied a stopper grizz: interesting problem here grizz: the low !s indicates that W is leading from an honor grizz: which can only be the J grizz: and with Qxx in dummy, what is the correct play here? meshmeshaa: 10 ydannac: 10 Dianne0516: why can it only be the J? grizz: right, finessing the Q in dummy grizz: E sees the AKQT between his hand and dummy grizz: and W would not lead the 2 unless it were singleton or low from an honor grizz: so E finesses the Q in dummy, playing pard for the J grizz: seems very unlikely that S would have !sJxxx, which would be the case if W led a singleton grizz: anyway, no side suit screams for a switch, so here goes a continuation grizz: not so bad. grizz: the Q does not set up for a pitch, that's a plus for the defense grizz: notice that the defense gives Count signals on play of a suit by declarer or dummy grizz: so W knows that E has 3 or 5 - can't be 5, or S would not have bid !ds grizz: and E knows that W has 1 or 2 grizz: the high !d could be either stiff or high to start a hi-lo echo showing 2 stefsched: sry, just got here; which card shows count and how? grizz: playing standard signals, hi-lo echo shows an even number grizz: and lo-hi shows odd grizz: aha! grizz: the way to a set is clear now grizz: and we see that the Forcing Defense actually worked grizz: by forcing S to ruff early in the play, S shortened himself in trumps grizz: so defenders were able to cash their side suit winner at the end without it getting ruffed meshmeshaa: which was the last thing S needed grizz: y, not only a bad contract but wicked defense too leonora3: clear that N must bid 4!d grizz: y, i agree - either 3NT or 4!d grizz: but whether ops are in a good contract or a bad one, the defense can't get lazy EternalUke: South's 3h bid doesn't promise any extra heart length does it? grizz: the 1!h only promised 4grizz: so 3!h promised 5, and the message is that NT has a flaw Dianne0516: If you play 4sf, it is not asking for a stopper, is it. How do you ask for a stopper then? grizz: good question about 4SF EternalUke: 5d is making? joyable: y grizz: first off, there are 2 ways to play it - GF, or 1 round force grizz: i like GF, but others may not Dianne0516: It is particulary valuable in playing 2/1 grizz: if you play either way, then the bid is artificial and tends to deny a stopper in that suit, and show extra length in any suits that player bid previously grizz: clearly S would bid 3NT with GF values and a !s stopper, right? Dianne0516: y grizz: so 3!s would deny a !s stopper and ask pard for one grizz: as well as showing extra !h length Dianne0516: showing game values meshmeshaa: forth suit forcing grizz: right lallimj: couldn't S have bid 4 Clubs? C weren't shown, would have been helpful. Even 5 C makes. grizz: anyway, i think we are all agreed that the N GIB blew this auction EternalUke: yes Dianne0516: He will bid it different next time--lol. He's never consistent grizz: no, if S bids !cs instead of !hs then they blow right past 3NT Miksa: so this hand is good not only as defense but also as bidding example :) grizz: y grizz: here is the order of preference for game contracts: grizz: 1. majors grizz: 2. NT grizz: 3. minors grizz: so all modern systems emphasize finding major fits meshmeshaa: they cld hv been in 5D grizz: if there is no major fit, then the next place to look is 3NT grizz: and only if 3NT has serious flaws do we think about bidding game in a minor grizz: for 3 sound reasons - Miksa: or there is a possible slam in minors grizz: 1. to make 11 tricks in a minor, we need 29+ hcp on average leonora3: as chas_p says need note from mother meshmeshaa: 2 loosers only grizz: 2. most hands that take 11 tricks in a minor take 9+ in NT, which scores better grizz: 3. there is no room for error in the minor game - 1 too few and you go set, 1 too many and you miss slam leonora3: so funny, i !h him grizz: so we do gymnastics as on this auction to avoid playing a bad 3NT, while preserving the opportunity if it's a good contract grizz: but pard must cooperate! the GIB really blew this one grizz: Do we have any final questions? grizz: That concludes today's lesson, and next week we will have more quiz hands on opening leads. EternalUke: Does 2 club bid accurately convey norths hand strength? duffer66: thank you pete leonora3: tx pete, good lesson grizz: no, 2!c was a gross underbid here PedroG: ty Pete, great lesson :) pzee: thanks Pete anegada: ty JanaDe: TX Pete jaymac: ty Pete ladygolf: ty Pete :) Miksa: Thanks for the lesson. Pete, I don't see this time slot for next Saturday, only 1.30 (or so) am? ydannac: Thanks Grizz!H!H Dianne0516: Thanks Grizz tonguedog: ty pete grizz: but on an exotic unbalanced hand like this one, going slow has advantages EternalUke: thanks Pete meshmeshaa: 3d instead of 2c?? grizz: or 3!c grizz: the hand is big enough for a jump shift leonora3: 3!c good bid meshmeshaa: thank you grizz: but jump shifts are risky, if you don't know where you are going bluw: thanks Pete Miksa: Same time next Saturday? grizz: right - USA does not go off daylight saving time until first weekend in November EternalUke: Artificial club or diamond systems with control responses have an easier time with this hand. Miksa: Thanks again for the lesson grizz: If anybody needs help retrieving the hand records or chat log, please email me at Grizz@GrizzBridge.com. grizz: I teach private individual, pair, and small group lessons. If you would like to know more please email me at Grizz@GrizzBridge.com. grizz: Thanks also to Maureen, Rosemary, Eileen, Fred and the wonderful people at BBO who make this all possible. grizz: Thanks all for coming, i'll see you next week. lallimj: I still waiting to hear your group schedule, grizz ;-) grizz: Bye now. bilmanager->Club: if not i can ->lallimj: still working on it :)