grizz->Lobby: !s!h Grizz on Defense - Lesson Table is now open in the BIL. All members are invited to attend this important lesson on defense. Today's topic is NT Defense !d!c grizz: Hi, while we are waiting are there any questions from past sessions? BILmanager (Lobby): => Club: !D!D GRIZZ on Defense Teaching session will start in the BIL in 7 minutes - all welcome !D!D eivindt: what was it about? eivindt: :) BILmanager: The session will start in 5 minutes grizz: Hi all, while we are waiting are there any questions from past sessions? BILmanager: !D!D Those of you who want to practice what Grizz is teaching you today - sign up for T1694 - Grizz Defence today random bds BUT Grizz will attend and comment on your defensive ... BILmanager: play ! - he says "immediate practice and reinforcement makes for ideal long-term learning " You can sign up from a table - click on the tourney button on the right of ... BILmanager: the screen . gillyfleur->Club: i hate it when people creep up without a word! grizz: Hi everybody, thanks for attending another of a series of lessons on Defense. BILmanager: => Club: !D!D GRIZZ (Pete) Teaching Table now open in the BIL about to start - learn about DEFENSE - all welcome !D!D grizz: First some preliminaries. BILmanager: !D!DWELCOME Pete we are looking forward to having you unravel the mysteries of DEFENSE for us grizz: :) 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 at grizz.den@gmail.com. grizz: Secondly, I teach private individual and pair lessons. If you would like to know more please email me at grizz.den@gmail.com grizz: There will be lots of questions. I want to address them all, but in a manner helpful to all. So please save questions until I ask for them, or after the play of the hand is ... grizz: complete. grizz: Last week we talked about notrump defense, went over some general rules and looked at some examples. grizz: Let us recap those rules. grizz: Notrump is usually a race to see which side can establish and cash its winners first. NMS04->Club: when does this start? grizz: Both sides usually have enough tricks to get the job done, but one side runs out of time. grizz: Notrump defense is about long suits and entries. Long suits are where the extra tricks are, and entries allow you to cash them. grizz: That is why it is usually best to start with your side's long suit. grizz: The race to develop tricks starts at Trick 1, and if the defense does not get on with its Job #1 then momentum and timing shift to the declarer. grizz: Here are some general rules for NT leads as a review, but we will skip the examples and get on to some new stuff. nome: BRILLIAN:):) grizz: 1. If your partner has bid a suit, lead it, unless you have a strong suit of your own and an outside entry. jacquiek: !D grizz: 2. Strong top-of-sequence leads from 4-card suits (KQJx. KQTx. QJTx) are better than weaker but longer suits (Jxxxx, Qxxxx). grizz: 3. If you have the choice between an unbid major or an unbid minor with similar strength in each, the major is usually a better prospect. grizz: 4. If dummy uses Stayman he can be assumed to have one or two 4-card majors. grizz: 5. If your hand is dreadful, try to hit partner's long suit, even if he hasn't bid. Any suit that he might have bid at the 1 level but didn't will be an unlikely candidate for ... grizz: this desperation lead. grizz: 6. If dummy has announced during the auction that he has a long, strong suit, you must make an aggressive lead in another suit. AKx. KQx or QJx are better in this case than ... grizz: weaker but longer suits. grizz: 7. Partner needs to know whether you have any honors in the suit you lead. If a switch must be made at Trick 2, partner needs to know and act quickly. grizz: A. The lead of a low card in an unbid suit promises an honor. So if you lead low, expect partner to return that suit if he gets in. grizz: B. Likewise, the lead of a big spot card tends to deny an honor. Partner is notified that he must switch. grizz: C. Leading from a strong 4-card suit like AQTx, AQJx, AJTx, or AKTx usually costs a trick. Odds are that RHO has the missing honor, and a lead from one of these sequences goes ... grizz: right into declarer's tenace. grizz: But it is a GOOD idea to lead from a strong 5-card suit, such as AQTxx, AQJxx, AJTxx, or AKTxx. grizz: D. The lead of a Q shows either the top of a sequence (QJT, QJ9) OR a powerful combination headed by the KQT9. If the opening leader may have that combination, that is you do not ... grizz: see the K,T or 9 and you do have the J, you should play it at Trick 1. grizz: E. The lead of a K shows either a sequence or a short suit (AKx, KQx). grizz: F. Leading an A shows a very strong suit, headed by AKQ, AKJT, AKJ or AQJ with an outside entry. Since the A is a guaranteed entry most of the time, it is rare to expend it on ... grizz: the opening lead. grizz: G. Playing Coded 9's and T's, also known as Jack Denies (and T or 9 Implies), the lead of a J denies a higher honor, but guarantees a sequence if it is an unbid suit. grizz: The lead of a T or 9 now specifically shows 0 or 2 cards higher. If leader has 2 higher cards, they are specifically a touching tenace (KJT9, KT98, AT98, AJT9, etc.) grizz: Any questions? BILmanager->Kibitzers: !D!D to maximise the chat panel on your screen click on the green square button next to the GIB button bottom of screen grizz: Now we will move around the table, and see what the opening lead looks like from partner's point of view. grizz: The opening lead is the leader's best idea for defending the hand. He has heard the auction and looked at his cards, but he has not yet seen dummy. grizz: His partner, the 3rd hand to play, has the benefit of seeing the opening lead and the dummy, and his play to the first trick usually shapes the defense of the hand. grizz: So 3rd hand needs to know what the leader is up to, and what he should do. grizz: Sometimes it is right to continue leader's planned defense, but other times the dummy requires a change of plan. grizz: We will assume that leader has attended our class and leads in accordance with the rules just restated above. grizz: 1. If the opening lead is low, AND THERE ARE NO HONORS IN DUMMY, then 3rd hand should play high. grizz: Take a look at example #1. grizz: This is a good example of the rule that everybody has heard against finessing parter. If he plays the K, declarer takes no !S tricks. grizz: He returns the J, and declarer is stuck. Whether he covers or not, he wins no !S tricks. grizz: lol Some players at this point forget to cash the setting trick - that is always hard to explain during the post morter.m grizz: Back to what happens if you finesse partner grizz: South now wins a !s trick that he's not entitled to, and makes the contract grizz: With 2 or more touching honors, win as cheaply as possible, playing the lowest of equals. That helps partner locate missing honors and figure out who has what around the table. grizz: Example #2 is just like the last one, except that 3rd hand now has the KQ instead of the KJ. grizz: It is not clear yet to West who has the K, since South might be holding up, but Trick 2 clears it up BILmanager: => Club: !D!D If your DEFENSE is less than excellent you need to be at GRIZZ' lesson now on in the BIL !D!D grizz: Notice also the unblock play - East needs to get out of West's way, and unblock with the K so the lead doesn't die in the short hand nome: pls claim at the end so the hand is save in our PC TY ->nome: i did :) grizz: If you follow these rules, leader can often work out the complete suit distribution from the play to Trick 1. grizz: See Example #3. grizz: We will kibitz the West hand for a while, then look at all of them. grizz: What do we know about !S now? grizz: South has the !SA, because East would have played it otherwise. jacquiek: south has the Ace grizz: East must also have the J, because otherwise South would have won cheaply. grizz: South must also hold the 8, because East would have played the lowest of equals holding that card. grizz: So East has precisely the J9, and South has precisely the AK8. You know all this at Trick 1, and can plan the defense accordingly. drgarie2xx: excellent reasoning grizz: When you know what partner has, you also have clues about what he does NOT have. grizz: So these rules are not a substitute for thinking, they are an aid. grizz: Here we see all the hands: nome->Kibitzers: the movie of the hnds are not being saved. does anyone know why not ty grizz: hands are not being saved? i have claimed, and they should save Wanda310: mine are saving donsanders: I have the last one grizz: if anybody is unable to retrieve them, email me at grizz.den@gmail.com and i'll send them along BILmanager: !D they should be saving HOWEVER Vugraph is on so they may not appear until later nome: ty grizz: aha grizz: Example #4 is similar. grizz: the J9 in hand and the T in dummy are equals, so play the lowest of the equals grizz: There is no defense that beats this hand with good declarer play, but as we have seen sometimes reducing overtricks scores well too. grizz: In any event, taking the maximum number of tricks on defense always scores as well as possible. grizz: Notice what happens if South does not hold up the @sA at the 2nd !S trick. grizz: 6 tricks for the defenders when declarer makes a mistake drgarie2xx: your email adress please j915: hold doesnt help if w overtakes j and continues spades ->drgarie2xx: grizz.den@gmail.com grizz: That just goes to show that best defense will not always overcome best declarer play, but it will always give you chances. grizz: If declarer holds up, W can overtake and continue with the same result. drgarie2xx: tkks much bye grizz: See if you can work this one out: Example 5. We will kibitz West again. NMS04: would it be a good idea to hold up on the first sp lead grizz: generally it IS a good idea to hold up at Trick 1, unless a shift will be a problem wyoming33: you not saving:) grizz: oops, I forgot to claim the last one, so it didn't save. Let's back it up. grizz: The may be subtle, but the middle of West's remaining !Ss suggests a !d entry grizz: Did that one save ok? leslie_s: y wyoming33: think so donsanders: yes grizz: Great! grizz: South must have the A, because East didn't play it. grizz: East must also have the J9, because South would not waste the A. grizz: Therefore East has precisely the J98, and South has precisely the AK. grizz: Here are all the hands. grizz: So by following the rules, and trusting partner to follow the rules too, you can start early counting out strength and distribution. grizz: You can defend without counting I suppose, but will never be very good at it. donsanders: If their a hand dandy list of defense rules somewhere on BBO? catboo123: where can I get a copy of those rules given earlier? grizz: As Eddie Kantar says, if you don't count out the hand, you are playing some other game. grizz: Good question grizz: I don't believe these rules are available on BBO donsanders: ok, thanks donsanders: back to the library grizz: That's why we are spending so much time on them here grizz: The rules that I covered earlier are in your chat log donsanders: i logged on late anegada->Club: yes playing with my mentor tonight at 7ish grizz: For instructions on how to access the chat log, email me or check out the BIL homepage grizz: the same rules were explained in more detail last week donsanders: thats ok - thanks grizz: And you may request them from me by email wyoming33: firstly need to be logging chat grizz: Back to business. Pay attention to spot cards in dummy, and play the lowest of equals in the two combined hands. grizz: Here are a couple examples. In both of them partner leads the 2, and dummy has the 943. grizz: Example 6, and we will kibitz West again. grizz: Let's kib East instead grizz: Can everybody now see East and dummy? barbhow: y hpd2000: y Blaster: y donsanders: Yes hoppyjack: y donsanders: i can see all 4 hands leslie_s: y grizz: ok, the JT9 are all equals jacquiek: i see all 4 grizz: no matter leslie_s: 4 grizz: East plays the lowest of the equals catboo123: just n & S grizz: Example 7, you have instead the JT8 - play the 8, "surrounding" the 9 on the board. Also easy, right? grizz: Why waste a card higher than necessary, when it might make a 3rd round winner out of the 9? grizz: 2. The situation changes completely when a high spot card is led. grizz: Example 8. grizz: Let us assume that partner led the 9, dummy has 843, and you have KT652. Do you play the K? JinxII: low grizz: The rule says "Third hand high, if there is no honor in dummy" donsanders: deuce grizz: Right. Why? donsanders: pards 9 will force JinxII: if was 4th then it is a winner grizz: Right again grizz: You see the 8 in dummy, so the 9 cannot be the top of a sequence. grizz: You have the T in hand, and you play Coded 9 and T, so he cannot have 2 higher. grizz: Therefore declarer must have the AQJ or AQJ7, partner has stuff in other suits, and wants a shift. donsanders: ahhhh - new infor for me grizz: To Shift Or Not To Shift, that is the question. jacquiek: so west doesn't need to have to have 987 or 986? grizz: That is the most important question that 3rd hand can ask at Trick 1. DaveG36: 8 in dummy donsanders: e can see those cards grizz: Ordinarily the 9 would be top of a sequence grizz: But in this case that is impossible DaveG36: but, why is w leading a singleton against nt...heart? grizz: So West had an awkward lead, suggesting strength in other suits, and he wants a shift DaveG36: ok donsanders: i like it jacquiek: got it...didn't want to lead from a tenace. grizz: Odds are against developing a !h trick here grizz: So the most important question that 3rd hand can ask on the lead of a spot card is... donsanders: top of a suit, or asking for a shift? grizz: Is it high or low? grizz: You need to analyze the bidding, look at your own cards and dummy to answer that question. wyoming33: chances are P might be long in !S too grizz: Sometimes the 5 is high, and other times the 7 is low. grizz: There is no substitute for analyzing the bidding, looking at the cards, and applying bridge logic. spum1: 3 in dummy 5 in my hand prob 3 for declarer's nt opener i.e. w has dblton or singleton grizz: Well gang, I have totally misguessed the timing on this session, and have no more prepared hands. Are there any questions? Blaster: n grizz: Yes, West cannot be long in !ss here wyoming33: declarer will also know where the high !S are - and can finesse the K BILmanager->Kibitzers: Those of you who want to practice what Grizz is teaching you today - sign up for T1694 - Grizz Defence random bds today BUT Grizz will attend and comment on your defensive play ... BILmanager->Kibitzers: ! bonus - he says "immediate practice and reinforcement makes for ideal long-term learning " You can sign up from a table - click on the tourney button on the right of ... BILmanager->Kibitzers: the screen . grizz: True, but he doesn't have enough cards to trap the K donsanders: Once you decide that the opening lead was high wanting a shift, is their a way to determine a shift to what suit? Wanda310: is this the 2nd lesson in a series? grizz: I will always get either the K or T, and has the !HK entry to cash it wyoming33: yes - can eventually get a trick - unless dec gets its 9 tricks first grizz: Right ->Wanda310: This is #5 Wanda310: oh tks BILmanager: => Club: !D!Dsign up for T1694 - Grizz Defence random bds today BUT Grizz will attend and comment on your defensive play ! a nice bonus + BBO masterpoints a lucky seat prize & $$ to be won You can sign up from a table - click on the tourney button on the right of the screen . Starts in 30 minutes !D!D Wanda310: will you be starting over again? or can I email you and get a copy of the previous ones? ->Wanda310: email me for the others, if you like, at grizz.den@gmail.com Wanda310: thanks!H grizz: For those of you who missed earlier lessons and would like to get them, grizz: email me for the others, if you like, at grizz.den@gmail.com grizz: We probably don't need to spend any more time on Trick 1, so we will be looking at different subject matter next week. grizz: Do we have any special requests for topics? ydannac: Thanks Grizz for great lesson!H grizz: For now I would like to stay on NT grizz: OK, I'll stay here for a while to answer questions, then wander around the tournament table by table donsanders: when, if ever in NT, do you lead away from a K or A?? eivindt: when to show strength and when to show length doodadie: ty grizz: "when, if ever in NT, do you lead away from a K or A??" BILmanager: !D the tournament will start in 25 minutes - thx Pete will see you there BILmanager: !D!D I have added you as a director so you will be able to address comments to individual tables and also To Tournament for all tables to receive grizz: the short answer is, it depends... ->BILmanager: great, thx donsanders: lol grizz: lol grizz: on the bidding grizz: i presume you are talking about the opening lead? eivindt: no eivindt: during the play donsanders: yes, if I have AKQ I'm going to lead the Q grizz: let's take don's question first donsanders: that would be very unusual BILmanager: !D!D see you all in the tourney T1694 INDY - think defense starting on the hour wyoming33: I need to try to learn UDCA - but not in tourney :) can one play low encourage without using it for carding? grizz: unusual to have that combination with length, but not impossible grizz: sure grizz: that's a good way to break into it, using low to encourage but standard signals otherwise donsanders: But with A, J, 5, 4, 3, should I lead a spot card? grizz: generally, y donsanders: but because of length - not strength donsanders: i would guess BILmanager: oops correction it has loaded as a PAIRS put your name in the partnership desk if looking for a partner grizz: because vs nt you will lose the first trick but set up 3 or 4 others grizz: exactly donsanders: so with A, 10, you should wait?\ grizz: i can't give you a general rule for that donsanders: i understand, i have seen many hands where my A takes a singleton from dummy and i'm done grizz: did dummy bid it? partner? declarer? how many do you have? grizz: do you have outside entry? grizz: it frequently comes down to the outside entry problem grizz: If your only entry is in the long suit, lead low donsanders: no simple answer to this one then donsanders: ok grizz: that is simplest answer donsanders: thanks grizz: unless it is a long, broken suit grizz: like AQT9xx grizz: then lead the Q, and watch declarer sweat donsanders: lol grizz: :) donsanders: thans griss - apprciate it grizz: ok, eivindt, your question again? grizz: "when to show strength and when to show length" grizz: during the play of the hand? grizz: remember the basics of NT defense jacquiek: do you play 4way transfers or just to majors? grizz: extra tricks are in your long suit grizz: and you need entries to cash them grizz: as for signalling, you should show strength grizz: because partner can usually figure out length grizz: from the opening lead, and declarer's first couple tricks grizz: also, generally, negative signals are better than positive ones grizz: because you need to keep length in your long suit as much as possible grizz: was that the question, or did i miss it entirely? grizz: "do you play 4way transfers or just to majors?" camilleln: did you see Pete's comment on showing negative signals better than positive ones...not to worry... grizz: i like 4-way transfers, but you need a 6-bagger or longer for a minor transfer eivindt: nah it was a sort of an answer:) eivindt: ty grizz: i try always to give partner the information he needs grizz: and there are always positive and negative inferences available grizz: with a negative signal in one suit, that suggests that both the others show some promise grizz: while a positive signal denies interest in the 4th suit grizz: back to 4-way transfers, i really like to play Walsh relays, but it's hard to find partners that are up to speed jacquiek: I play that 4th suit if forcing to game. Badmonster: Do you play walsh diamond? grizz: the Walsh relay is a bogus transfer to !h grizz: then a bogus !s bid to cancel the transfer grizz: then a descriptive bid with a minor-oriented or otherwise awkward hand grizz: Walsh requires a lot of memory work grizz: And partner must be very cagey about superaccepting a !h transfer, because i may not have any! wyoming33: why all the dif gadgets - grizz: all gadgets were created to deal with awkward situations BILmanager (Lobby): => Club: !D!D Only 6 minutes to pair up and register for T1694 PAIRS don't miss this chance to practice Defense Grizz will comment register now !D!D grizz: but they were not created as parts of a system grizz: some gadgets work well together, others don't wyoming33: and seems only established partnerships can play most of them grizz: the best gadgets cover the largest number of cases grizz: yes grizz: a good pair, playing a simple but thoroughly understood system grizz: can frequently beat an expert pair who THINK they understand their system but somehow louse it up wyoming33: also playing gadgets spends half time explaining what bid means Badmonster: Isn't a lot of this stylistic? Like if you favor solid openers you'll prefer some gadgets to others that might be adopted by more aggressive bidders? And then I guess my question ... Badmonster: is, how do you chose a bidding style? grizz: sure grizz: well, first watch and see what others use that works for them grizz: as your game progresses, you will learn more about your own style grizz: folks who like taking chances open almost anything, and deal with the fallout later grizz: but they are tough on partners grizz: and two of those playing together will get creamed grizz: if larry cohen played just like marty bergen, they never would have won anything wyoming33: tourney about to start - thanks Pete - nice lesson as usual grizz: larry HAD to be disciplined, because marty had none Badmonster: Thank you Pete. That helps. And great example! wyoming33: LOL - grizz: ok, thx all, i will kib the tourney tables Fazza: many thanks Pete!! good night all:) grizz: :) Wanda310: thanks! Badmonster: Seriously I love that answer! And of course, eventually even Larry just couldn't take it any more... but that's another story and mostly gossip and rumor. ->Badmonster: lol y, larry could only take so much... ->grizz: Automated message: STARTED: Tourney 1694