Defensive Play

Defensive play coordinates two hands that neither defender can see at once by communicating through free card choices. This system plays upside-down (reverse) signals, where a low card is the good news.

Card value and trick-winning needs always outrank signalling. Never waste an honor or cost a trick to send a message.

• Attitude: Played the first time you play a suit partner is interested in. LOW = "I like this suit, keep going." A high spot card says switch. You encourage with the ace or king, two or more touching honors, or a doubleton or singleton in a trump contract (asking for a ruff). Otherwise discourage.

• Count: Given when simply following suit (or after attitude is known) and you cannot win the trick. LOW = an EVEN number (2 or 4 cards). An echo (high spot card then a lower one) shows an ODD number (3 or 5 cards). Count always describes your ORIGINAL length.

• Discards: Used when you cannot follow suit. LOW = "I can win a trick here, lead this suit." The engine encourages only when the suit is headed by the ace or king and is at least three cards long. A high spot steers partner away. Never discard a trump.

• Which signal? Partner led it (and their card is winning) shows ATTITUDE. Declarer or dummy led it shows COUNT.

• Opening Leads: An honor = top of a sequence. A low card = length (against notrump, fourth-highest; against a suit, third-highest from 3-4 cards, fifth-highest from 5+). A high then low = a doubleton (except from a doubleton headed by the king, where the low card is led). A low lead denies the ace. Prefer partner's bid suit, a major against notrump, or leading through strength and up to weakness.

• Rule of 11: Against a notrump contract when partner leads fourth-highest, subtract the rank from 11 to find how many higher cards are in the other three hands.

• Third Hand: Third hand high as cheaply as possible, or signal attitude if you cannot beat what is played. Do not crash partner's winner: play low with one card higher, unless your whole holding is two cards or fewer (unblock) or you hold two or more cards above partner's honor (take control). Trap dummy's honors by playing your highest winner below dummy's untaken honor.

• Second Hand: Second hand low (doubling as a count signal), except to split touching honors or cover an honor with an honor.

• Back on Lead: Return partner's suit with a high card from a remaining doubleton, or your original fourth-best from a longer holding. Lead the top of a sequence in a fresh suit. Ruff with the lowest trump that does the job and never ruff a trick partner is winning. Win as cheaply as fourth to play.

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