->grizz: Account Balance: BB $0.25 MB $10.77 ->OliverC: hi, need more time? OliverC: no thanks, stopping now ->OliverC: :) grizz->Lobby: !s!h Grizz on Defense will start in 2 minutes in the BIL. All members are invited to attend. Today's topic is Opening Leads !d!c 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. 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: 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: 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 robzim: tried to announce for you, but it wouldn't let me on as manager to do so ->robzim: np, thx fior trying :) 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. BILManager (Lobby): => Club: !D!DGrizz's teaching table on DEFENSE is now open in BIL. All members are welcome to attend.!D!D 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: I have no idea who the declarer will be or which seat will be on lead, so you may kibitz all 4 hands. grizz: We will put our heads together and come up with a defensive strategy based on the auction, the hand on lead, and the 5 Lines of Defense. 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: question here grizz: under what circumstances should we skip the diamond suit to bid a major in response to a one club opener? robzim: if it's a good heart suit? boris3161: most? pzee: when you have a weak hand grizz: right robzim: ah the opposite grizz: with the weak hand, under 10 points, you are only entitled to one bid as responder grizz: so if you bid twice as responder, generally you have a 10 points or more grizz: next question, what action if any should West take here? lindaw1: double? boris3161: pass grizz: It is not an ideal hand for a takeout double, since it does not have real shortness in either of the bid suits pzee: pass and await developments PedroG: pass PedroG: points but no suit margaritah: double grizz: ah, that is the trap that many intermediates fall into bwd1: bid 1H grizz: Passing and waiting grizz: Frequently in that case, you must make a more painful decision later grizz: So if you have something to say, say it early grizz: Now it's easy for east to bid two spades grizz: where otherwise, East would clearly pass aal516: doesn't East need 8 pts to bid at that point? grizz: No! East just needs a fit to bid jaymac: E already denied 6+ hcp grizz: And then East does not show the fit now, it will be dangerous to do so later grizz: The great Barry Crane had three valuable rules to remember: grizz: 1. Get in early grizz: 2. Get out early grizz: 3. The three level is dangerous grizz: So what does South know about this auction so far? grizz: North has a full opener, and a real club suit kyno40: opening points and 5 = cl grizz: In South has a pretty good looking hand here lindaw1: west has values in the majors grizz: Yes, West has values in the majors but his distribution is unknown grizz: And East has at least four spades lindaw1: west doesn't have 5 spades grizz: South has a really nice 12 here, but it is only an invitational hand with the partial stops in the majors wyoming33: south shouldnt be too happy about those !Hs - though maybe P can trump some of them grizz: It would be a mistake for West to compete here. having doubled already, further bidding would show a bigger hand and what you see kyno40: 3 nt Bellabrg: how does he know for sure that N has 5 clubs? IraCT: I wouldn't double with W hand - 12 HCP, flat and no intermediate cards grizz: North almost always has 5+ in this auction grizz: and frequently six Bellabrg: ok thx kyno40: w x and s has d so n must have good cl grizz: The failure to rebid either no-trump or diamonds suggest extra length in clubs grizz: And that is a fine looking club suit they are probably worth six tricks grizz: so let's put on our defender hats now, and decide what West should lead grizz: The floor is open for suggestions lindaw1: i would lead the K!h pzee: !hA and have a look at dummy zewzew: 9!s wyoming33: !S - but which one Jaffa6: heart ace to have a look ? margaritah: 6!S jaymac: H6 boris3161: !hA 2Putt: H6 grizz: Let's make some assumptions about the hand first before we make wyoming33: course south says has !S stopped Pearls23: k!h to see the dummy whiz: 8!D grizz: North did not bid no-trump, so North does not rate they have much in the way of majors grizz: So let's place most of the major cards in the south hand for purposes of deciding on a lead grizz: The hard suit shows a lot of promise, and if we assume that the Queen is in the south grizz: So a heart lead has a lot going for it grizz: If the East hand has an entry, West wants east to lead a heart grizz: And the best way to send that message is to start hearts in the 1st place grizz: So a big heart is a good lead here, but not just for the purpose of seeing dummy robzim: no just watching grizz: But for sending a message to partner about what to do later robzim: sorry grizz: In the choice of the Ace or the king depends on your style of leads grizz: The standard lead from the Ace King is of the King, grizz: But that can lead to confusion about whether the lead was from the Ace King or the king queen grizz: So the modern style, and that favored by most experts is the ace from Ace King, to eliminate that confusion bwd1: :) grizz: Okay, West has sent his first message. He wants a heart lead if partner gets in. But what should West do now? kyno40: lead !s pzee: south must have the !sK to bid NT zewzew: play pd's suit cottonon: he assumes east has at least k sp? Jaffa6: West wants a diamond switch, signalled by the low card and obviously not club grizz: There is a huge threat in dummy, that club suit is breaking favorably and it looks like declarer will take six tricks in that suit IraCT: Isnt E supposed to drop an honor or show count on Ace lead against NT? grizz: That means that it is cash out time already wyoming33: east didnt overcall !S early - so maybe not very good suit ->IraCT: depends on agreements, and that is an expert treatment - don't want to confuse the poor darlings :) IraCT: OK thanks :) grizz: So the smart thing to do here is to find out how well partner likes spades cottonon: only chance Jaffa6: Also only useful card East can hold that will defeat contract is A!D grizz: And the answer is, not a bit! grizz: So Jaffa is absolutely right here, the only useful card the East could have is the ace of diamonds cottonon: hearts back grizz: and West was kind enough to draw a roadmap for the defense at trick one, so east must get this right zewzew: how did W guess A!D? grizz: a kibitzer asks, "how did W guess A!D?"" grizz: and the answer is that the ace of diamonds is the only card east could have that allows the defense to set the contract shoka: so its a crap shoot??? grizz: South would not bid no-trump without at least partial stops in both majors grizz: So W. Must Pl. south for the heart stop grizz: That means the East must lead the suit grizz: but in order for that to happen, East needs to get in first grizz: East clearly does not have an entry in clubs or hearts, but East did have enough points to bid grizz: So either he has points in spades or diamonds glogo: what if E has KQ!D grizz: So by leading the ace of spades at trick two, West can delay the choice of what to do next until he sees a signal grizz: If East had given an encouraging signal, West would play them for the king and continue spades grizz: But when he splayed the lowest paid, then West had to go to plan B. grizz: lowest !s zewzew: WOW SherlocK Holmes :) grizz: So this hand like so many others became a detective problem, and West did not have the luxury of time to collect a lot of clues grizz: so the most important card that West played was the big heart at trick one, because that told partner what to do later grizz: Chances are that east would have worked out the heart return anyway, but one important point about playing good partnership defense is to make it as easy as possible when you know ... grizz: what should happen later grizz: Just as one playing chess, it pays to think a few moves ahead grizz: Do we have any final questions? ejm1938: how many points for E to respond to double? grizz: That is a good question - and I will be a little vague about that but East should bid if he has anything to say zewzew: doesn't N's 2!c exempt an answer from E? whiz: dont give the count on the lead? ejm1938: ty grizz: Assume that at the two level you need 5+ and a fit ->whiz: no, attitude first hoki: glogo had a good question: If East held 108543, 104, KQ53, 94 then only a diamond switch would defeat 3NT - and "good defence" would let the game slip through - so it's a pure ... hoki: guess whiz: if you play udca? ipat1: could s bid 2nt instead of 1d grizz: I'm getting a lot of questions in private chat, and they're good ones but I would rather have them made in the open hoki: glogo's was made public zewzew: doesn't N's 2!C exempt an answer from E? grizz: I see that GLOG0 ask, what happens if East has the heart King Queen? hoki: diamond K-Q grizz: In that case, the diamond switch at trick two is required grizz: Sorry, the question was about the diamond king queen grizz: That's a good point, and were it not for that six trick club suit in dummy I would agree that the decision is a coin flip margaritah: most often partner has one or two cards in opps opening colour when doubles, so we must say our longest suit because if three passes follow then it wil be ... margaritah: desaster grizz: But the presence of that suit means that its cash out time right away grizz: So I will hold my ground on this hand, and say the ace of spades lead at trick two on this kind of hand is likely to be a better continuation than playing partner for the king ... grizz: queen of diamonds margaritah: am speaking about how many points we must have to speak when p doubles hoki: Thank you - good answer. grizz: Okay Margarita, there is no hard and fast rule for that but if East has 5+ high card points and a fit with either of partners implied suits, then East should bid immediately ->hoki: thx for the prompt :) Bellabrg: isn't it required thatwe always resp when pard does a TODBL grizz: It is required if partner doubles and your right-hand opponent passes grizz: But ae bid is not required if your partner makes at takeout double and your right-hand opponent bids grizz: in that case, you only bid if you have something to say grizz: East clearly has something to say here, they have at least an eight card spade fit margaritah: ok thanks grizz: Since East was not required to bid, but he did bid anyway, there is a special term for that - it is called a "free bid" Bellabrg: how do they know that it is a spade fit what about hearts? grizz: And a free bid implies some points as well as a fit bwd1: well has been long day..awful 2 hrs at Manchester just hanging around... grizz: how do they know that it is a spade fit what about hearts? If East had hearts instead, then East would bid hearts Bellabrg: so he hopes the fit is Spades? grizz: And if East had no fit in either major, then East would pass with five points Bellabrg: ok thx grizz: Are there any other questions before we deal another one? grizz: zewzew: if they found the fit, why did W stop bidding? grizz: West already bid his entire hand with the takeout double grizz: If he made another call, he would be bidding again on the same points wyoming33: :) zewzew: ok, thx grizz: So generally if you make a takeout double with a pair opening hand, or even a subminimum, then you pass at your next opportunity to show that grizz: bare opening hand - 12-14 or so grizz: And sometimes a takeout double is made on less than opening points out with good shape, such as 5440 and 10 points grizz: If you double and then bid it your next turn, partner is entitled to think that you have a big hand - 17+ zewzew: i now get the point, thx grizz: So if the takeout double or bids again thinking that he is just competing, that is a big mistake if he has just a minimum hand grizz: Okay, let's move to board number two grizz: How many think that West has a bid here? pzee: I do shoka: i do duffer66: me2 PedroG: y tourtour: 3!c tmortada: yes whiz: y dae: y bethmarea: 6 loser and second bid dae: 13 greenie08: 1C Jaffa6: y 1!c PedroG: 1c dae: 12 shoka: ghets 2 HCP for the singleton grizz: Very good, you guys have some good instincts 2Putt: 1C grizz: If partner has a spade fit, then West has an easy spade rebid shoka: 4 sure grizz: Otherwise Wes can rebid that six card club suit with no worries at all grizz: But think I had when you make that decision, because you may be creating a rebid problem for yourself if you don't pzee: get in early :) grizz: Wow, North has a rock crusher here! grizz: So how do you show a hand like this in the overcall position? tmortada: X dae: double first pzee: Double and rebid duffer66: 2 nt? dae: 2 nt would be UNT Jaffa6: depends on your jump overcall range grizz: Double first, then Q. bid the opponents suit at your second turn, and then show your real suit or no-trump as the case may be grizz: South is obligated to bid here, since East passed grizz: Now South knows that North has a huge hand, one that would have been big enough to open two clubs if the opponents had not been so bold as to open first hoki: I would have bid 4!H now as South. TOM: TYVM :) grizz: And the only thing that South can show is an extra heart, leaving the door open for three no-trump if North has a suitable hand sabrina 2: why a double and not 1d hoki: Of course, 4!H goes down ... so looks like 3!H is best. grizz: and with the king of clubs protected from the opening lead, and no heart fit or doubleton to ruff, three no-trump looks like a good choice here hoki: If South does not have the king of hearts, 3NT looks plain silly to me. sabrina 2: ty grizz: so now is East turned to lead, is it correct to lead partner suit wearing your right-hand opponent has bid no-trump behind him? PedroG: no ->hoki: does any other game look better to you? bethmarea: yes - got to get stopper out tmortada: yes, if has an outside entry BILmanager (Lobby): => Club: !d!d BEGINNERS/INTERMEDIATE: #799, Ind, imps, Jackpot Tourney starts in 28 minutes. Please go to the tourney room to sign up. The more that play, the more prizes. !d!d hoki: no, but I would bid 4!H - and only very good defence would beat that grizz: In general, it is best to lead partner suit unless you have both a good suit of your own, and an outside entry grizz: Declarer may have only a single stopper in the suit grizz: I can't think of any reason why West should not win this zewzew: what is meant by "an outside entry" pls? grizz: A kibitzer asks, "what is an outside entry?" grizz: That would be a big card in some side suit so that once your tricks are established, you have a way to get in and cash them dae: a card to get in the lead with grizz: So what is West's best idea now? zewzew: ok, thx, but E doesn't have any, right? dae: unbid major duffer66: !S? grizz: Dummy is weak in 2 suits mei ann: foxy told me we are hoki: Very interesting hand. After this start to the defence (West had to DUCK the first trick to defeat the contract), the contract is cold - as follows: grizz: But West must decide now whether to go looking for other side suit tricks or to set up the clubs while he still has spades for entries PedroG: why not continue with the !c? grizz: West must assume that North has the King of clubs greenie08: low c grizz: And West must also assume that North has the tan - why? hoki: Play four rounds of diamonds, win East's spade switch. Overtake queen of hearts with dummy's king and take the marked club finesse for 4!D, 2!C, 2!H, 1!S. dae: double stopper for nt greenie08: bid nt grizz: Because if East had the 10 of clubs, then east would have led the tan from the Tx grizz: So West now needs to entries to cash in a club tricks, not just one grizz: 2 entries tmortada: W can work out the dist in !C from the lead (3!C) grizz: So if I am west here, and looking just at dummy and not at all four hands, I am not counting on that spade suit providing two entries grizz: just in case the !ss do not split, it seems prudent for declarer to duck this one hoki: That was an error - now the contract can indeed be defeated. ->hoki: what error was that? grizz: that was an interesting hand with a lot of possible lines of play and defense hoki: North had to win the spade ace, but I confess that my original plan won't work. I was just checking GIB. ->hoki: still loses the other !s later duffer66: so, if you try to run clubs first and save spades, what might happen? grizz: Good question, let's replay this one and try that hoki: It's possible that by winning the spade ace earlier that East is squeezed out of the jack stopper in one of the two red suits. duffer66: perhaps even play queen on first club run? or is that too goofy PedroG: hate leading a singleton in a suit partner and declarer will receive the cards Sunrise4U: with the last !H return, declarer makes contract,,,,,,,,not down hoki: As I said, interesting hand ... probably worth checking out later. ->hoki: y, hard sometimes to do all the analysis in real time hoki: Entirely agree - got to go, but all the best. Good luck. dae: Sout bid NTG ->hoki: thx :) dae: W leads now dae: sorry duffer66: doesn't work does it? kyno40: take and play d fin dae: take J and duck a D grizz: No, I don't think so dae: then it makes? bethmarea: if you play it the first way. overtake qh with K then lead clubs it makes dae: lose D right away and makes 9 duffer66: has 9 with that idea duffer66: ty for showing me grizz: True, but the safety plan in diamonds surrenders an unnecessary track if they split dae: safety play guarantees contract grizz: it is clear that the safety play is a bad idea at match points, where over tricks are golden grizz: But at imps were the primary goal is to make the contract, then this safety play has some merit if there is an open suit dae: then just run D and give them 1 while have all stoppers? grizz: But declarer had stops in all the sides suits, and there was no risk to testing the diamonds dae: y grizz: Anyway, those are the only two logical lines of defense for West at trick two grizz: No, there is a third one. If West asked the first club, gets in with a spade and then plays a send a small club, if he gets in with another spade then he can cash the clubs grizz: that should read "if West ducks the first club" duffer66: we sort of tried that didn't we? duffer66: oh ok duffer66: couldn't get back in? dae: no that doesnt work NS have 2 stops in C? grizz: Right, West just does not have enough entries here to set up the club suit grizz: And West knows about the layout of the club suit right at trick one grizz: Do we have any final questions? bassplayer: no, I think as long as N holds up the spades, you set up and endplay on E? BILmanager (Lobby): => Club: !d!d BEGINNERS/INTERMEDIATE: #799, Ind, imps, Jackpot Tourney starts in 5 minutes. Please go to the tourney room to sign up. The more that play, the more prizes. !d!d grizz: there is another possible line of play for declarer on this hand to, a kibitzer pointed out that if North takes the second spade and then place diamonds, East may get squeezed out ... grizz: of one of his jacks dae: show hands?? grizz: But it would take a pretty sharp north to be thinking about a squeeze at trick three BILmanager->Club: Okay, good luck. grizz: That concludes today's lesson, and next week we will have more quiz hands on opening leads. 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. PedroG: ty Pete, great session duffer66: ty pete, esp for the thinking process grizz: Thanks all for coming, i'll see you next week. grizz: Bye now. niccolla: thx ydannac: thanks GRizz!H! Dianne0516: Thanks Grizz Pearls23: tyvm Pete - nicee ->PedroG: :) greenie08: ty glogo: ty