Mandell BidsSystem Notes with Dan & Radu
Ch 17Special DefensesHomeCh 19Kantar
Chapter 18

Defense

Card:
Suit Preference in Nothing Suits
Against Notrump, first time declarer leads a suit, clarify holding in opening leader’s suit, high-low shows something good. Exceptions: 1) when it is crucial to give count that takes priority, and 2) if you can’t have something good and don’t need to give count, should be suit preference. Important corollary: Give count on opening lead where he can’t win the trick and you are free to signal, this is because you will give attitude on the next declarer trick. If the dummy is so strong that the suit is hopeless, give suit preference.
Don’t do Boston (or MUD) on trick one, lead low from three even without an honor to show count.
Jack denies higher, ten or nine imply zero or two higher including the touching higher card.
  • A from AK, but K from AK doubleton except the following A lead denies K:
  • Category 1 (our long suit):
  • Lead from one-suit preempt leader bid
  • Lead from suit leader guaranteed 6+
  • A suit leader bid and partner supported
  • A suit partner promised 4+
  • Category 2 (get it while we can):
  • Declarer preempted
  • Contracts at 5-level or higher
  • Category 3 (bleed trump)
  • Their trump suit
  • Category 4 (obvious suit to lead)
  • Their bidding made it very very obvious to led the suit (shouldn’t underlead the Ace)
  • 2nd hand 2nd of sequence if playing high, example, so 2nd hand from QJT9 play J
  • Subsequent discards are present count
  • After opener lead. Q promises J or singleton.
Special DefensesKantar