by: Oregilby

I think that defense could be a topic of interest and one which could expand the consciousness of our community. Not only in Yahoo, but generally in the bridge world, defense is a kind of second-class activity. This is unusual considering (a) we spend twice as much time defending hands as we do declaring them or sitting there twiddling our thumbs as dummy; and (b) defending a hand is when a partnership develops a level of trust and communication that extends the dialogue involved in a bidding system. The partners I love are the partners who speak the intuitive language of good defense.

1. Listen to the bidding with defense in mind if it doesn't look as though you are going to land the contract.

2. Be particularly alert to what partner may have told you by his/her bidding or silence.

3. Add up the points in your hand with the points the opponents have said they have (via the bidding) and calculate how much that leaves for your partner to hold. (Often, an inexperience player will waste cards trying to reach partner's hand, when in fact the only points the defenders possess are in the one hand and a different strategy may have worked wonders.)

Very often, I will have made a bid or an overcall and we end up in a no-trump contract with my partner on-lead. And that partner (who is playing his/her last hand with me) does NOT lead my suit: "I didn't have anything in that suit." (Of course not ... the declarer and I have all the cards in that suit.)

Instead, this genius will lead another suit and triumphantly remove all my side suit winners ... and, then, lead my suit as a kind of last resort. Can't people understand that the thing to do is clear the suit of any defense the declarer may have and THEN put partner in with the side suit winner?

Anyway, just some thoughts. I think there is expertise, experience, and insight to share in this area. I think that people could have a lot more fun more of the time.