PART 3 OF 5 – PRIMARY LINES OF DEFENSE
3. REMAIN PASSIVE WHEN YOUR TRICKS ARE SAFE
Last blog was about GOING ACTIVE –
Some conditions dictate the opposite approach which is remaining passive. When these conditions exist, the main idea is to relax and not grab your winners, not “break a new suit” for declarer or otherwise take him off the guess. You just sit back and wait for your tricks!
6 CONDITIONS FOR REMAINING PASSIVE
1. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF A STRONG SIDE SUIT FOR DECLARER
2. DECLARER IS VERY STRONG AND DUMMY IS WEAK
3. THERE IS A BAD SPLIT IN KEY SUITS
4. THERE IS NO REAL SUIT TO LEAD AGAINST NO TRUMP
5. WHEN DEFENDING 6NT AND GRAND SLAMS
6. THE DUMMY IS FLAT AND WEAK
The basic condition for going passive is the absence of any outside source of tricks on which declarer can get rid of her losers.
How do you figure that out?
– From the bidding
– From your cards
– ‘Later’ from dummy’s cards YOU SEE that
– (a) no side suit exists
– (B) if a side suit exists, it is breaking badly
– (C) there is no entry to the side suit
SO LEAD A SUIT THAT DOESN”T GIVE DECLARER A FREE TRICK
UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, THE GOOD DEFENDER MAKES A PASSIVE LEAD
AND SITS BACK WAITING FOR HIS TRICKS!!!!!
THE GOOD DEFENDER WILL SIMPLY RETURN DECLARER’S LEADS OR OTHERWISE ENDPLAY HIM AT EVERY TURN.
AGAINST NO TRUMP CONTRACTS, RAGGED FOUR CARD SUITS ARE USUALLY NOT HELPFUL FOR ATTACK WITH POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF AN UNBID MAJOR!!!! INSTEAD, GOOD DEFENDERS TRY TO FIND PARTNER’S SUIT OR MAKE A PASSIVE LEAD.
