Defense, Chapter 3

This series covers important matters on defense. See Defense: Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.

Chapter 3: Second Hand

1. Second hand plays low, if first hand (declarer) played low
2. If first hand played an honor, we need to cover with our honor

Example:


1. Second hand plays low:
If declarer starts with the ♠4, we need to play low, as declarer's intention is to play high from dummy. By that we guarantee a trick:
- Either declarer plays the Ace and our ♠K becomes high, or
- He tries the ♠10 and partner's ♠J wins.

2. Cover an honor with an honor:
If declarer plays the ♠Q, we need to cover with our ♠K, and partner's ♠J will get promoted.

However, there are some exceptions regarding both rules:

A. Is it always right to cover? When to cover or not to cover an honor with an honor

Example 1. Declarer played the ♠Q. Do you cover?

	Dummy ♠A43
You ♠K2
	Declarer ♠Q

Yes. You must cover and there is a chance to promote a trick for partner. For instance:

Case (I)

	♠A43
♠K2		♠9876
	♠QJ105

You have promoted partner's 9 by covering.

Case (II)

	♠A43
♠K2		♠1095
	♠QJ876

You have promoted partner's ♠10.

So, always cover if your hand is shorter or same length as dummy and if you see a chance to promote a trick for you or for partner.

Example 2. Declarer played the ♥Q. Do you cover?

	Dummy ♥A4
You ♥K32
	Declarer ♥Q

No. Declarer can finesse only once. So your ♥K is sure to win a trick later, while if you cover you risk promoting a long suit for declarer.

	♥A4
♥K32		♥765
	♥QJ1098

Don't cover if you are ahead of dummy, when dummy is shorter than you, and there is a chance for declarer to promote all his tricks. On the above example, if you play low, declarer cannot deny you a trick with the ♥K if he continues with hearts.

Example 3. Dummy played the ♦Q. Do you cover?

	Dummy ♦Q3
		You ♦K54

Yes. There is a great chance to promote a trick for partner.

Case (I)

	♦Q3
♦1062		♦ K54
	♦AJ987

You will promote partner's ♦10 if you cover (Q-K-A-2, J-6-3-4 and now partner's T is high). If you don't cover, declarer wins a trick with the ♦Q, then he will finesse again to the ♦J, cash the ♦A and your partner's trick will fall, allowing declarer to score 5 tricks.

Case (II)

	♦Q3
♦9762		♦ K54
	♦AJ108

Here, you promote partner's ♦9 if you cover. If you don't cover, declarer's ♦Q wins the trick and declarer will finesse again to the ♦J to score 4 tricks.

Example 4. Dummy played the ♦Q. Do you cover?

	Dummy ♦Q3
		You ♦K654

No. Declarer can finesse you once more, but after he cashes his ♦A, your ♦K is high. There is a chance, of course, that if you cover, you promote something with partner, but it's more likely to find:

Case (I)

	♦Q3
♦92		♦K654
	♦AJ1087

Case (II)

	♦Q3
♦972		♦K654
	♦AJ108

On (I) and (II) you promote all declarer's diamonds if you cover. If you don't cover, your ♦K will take a trick if declarer continues playing the suit.

So... Don't cover if your suit is long enough to protect your honor.

Example 5. a Declarer played the ♣J. Do you cover?

	Dummy ♣AK1062
You ♣Q983
	Declarer ♣J

Yes. You lose to the ♣AK10 , but your ♣9 is promoted. If you don't cover, declarer will run his ♣J, finesse to the ♣10 next, and win all the tricks.

Example 5. b Declarer played the ♣J. Do you cover?

	Dummy ♣AK1062
You ♣Q543
	Declarer ♣J

No. This time, do not cover. There is no chance for you to promote a trick for yourself or for partner. Play low and hope that declarer will not finesse or that he has a stiff ♣J.

Example 6. Dummy played the ♣Q. Do you cover?

	Dummy ♣QJ93
		You ♣K85

No. Do not cover the Q, but cover the J if declarer plays it next. With length, always cover the last touching honor!

	♣QJ93
♣1064		♣K85
	♣A72

If you cover the Q directly, declarer wins with the ♣A, and can finesse to the ♣9 next, making all his tricks. If you don't cover, the ♣Q will win, but when declarer tries the ♣J next – You cover and promote partner's ♣10.

Example 7. Dummy played the ♣Q. Do you cover?

	♣QJ54
		♣K8

Yes. With doubleton – always cover.

	♣QJ54
♣1072		♣K8
	♣ A963

If you don't cover, declarer can play low next, and your ♣K will drop to declarer's ♣A, who will make 4 tricks. Cover – and a trick is promoted for partner.

Example 8. Dummy played the ♣J. Cover or not?

	Dummy ♣J1063
		You ♣Q95

No. Let's see why:

	♣J1065
♣K84		♣Q95
	♣A72

If you cover, declarer wins and plays a low club to dummy's T, scoring 3 tricks in the suit. He only gives the ♣K to West. If you wait with your ♣Q, partner will win the ♣K and later on, when you cover the ♣10 with your ♣Q - Your ♣9 will get promoted. With length, always cover the last touching honor.

Example 9. Cover the ♣J or not?

	Dummy ♣J103
		You ♣Q7

Yes. With doubleton always cover.

	♣J103
♣9854		♣Q7
	♣AK62

If you cover, you promote partner's ♣9. If not, declarer can play low next, scoring 4 tricks.


B. Second hand plays low. Is this always true? When to play low or not

Normally, we are taught that second hand plays low. But there are some exceptions.

Example 1. Declarer opened the bidding with 2NT and dummy raised to 3NT with his 5 points as shown below.

1.a. Declarer played the ♣4 from hand. Do you play high or low?

	Dummy ♣AJ1093
You ♣KQ2
	Declarer ♣4

Play low. Let's see why:

	♣AJ1093
♣KQ2		♣765
	♣84

- If you play an honor, declarer will let you win the trick and later on will play his 2nd club, finessing your remaining honor and thus scoring 4 tricks in this suit.
- If you play low, declarer will win cheap with the ♣9 but can cash only 1 more trick because he doesn't have another entry to the dummy.

1.b. Declarer played the ♣4 from hand. Do you play high or low?

	Dummy ♣AJ1093
You ♣K52
	Declarer ♣4

Play high! Declarer is not playing a low card from ♣Q4. So, he either has ♣Qx4, and then he always makes 5 tricks or, more likely, he has ♣x4.

	♣AJ1093
♣K52		♣Q76
	♣84

Play the ♣K and the suit is dead because your partner's ♣Q will block dummy. It is also possible that declarer will allow you to hold the trick (hoping you played the ♣K from ♣KQx), and then try to finesse the ♣J next, losing to your partner's ♣Q, in which case he will take 0 tricks in clubs! If you play low, declarer will play the ♣9, and if partner (likely) wins the ♣Q, declarer can take 4 tricks in the suit, by finessing again to the ♣10.

Example 2. Dummy played a spade (say in NT contract). Do you play high or low?

	Dummy ♠543
		You ♠K2

Consider playing high, for the same reasons as in Example 1.a. above.

To be continued... In the next chapters we will discuss Count and Smith