Playing and defending
NO TRUMP CONTRACTS
Playing the contract
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STOP!
Review dummy and your hand
How many tricks can you count?
Do you have a problem suit?
Do you have a nice long suit?
What card has been led and what does it
mean?
Rule of 11
• If the 4th highest of the longest and strongest suit
has been led
• Take away the number of the card value from 11
Q9864
Kxx
xx
Axx
eg 11 – 6 = 5
There are 5 higher cards than the 6 in the
other 3 hands
Q9864
Kxx
xx
Axx
KJ3
xxxx
Axxx
xx
11-6 = 5
 10 7
AQ
Kxx
KQJxx
3NT by S- Lead 6 
A52
Jxx
QJxx
Axx
4
Rule of 11
• Count the number of cards you can see in your
hand and the dummy ( K J in dummy and 10
7 in your hand) ie 4 cards
• That leaves 1 card ( A ) higher than the 6 in
the East hand
Q9864
Kxx
xx
Axx
KJ3
xxxx
Axxx
xx
11-6 = 5
 10 7
AQ
Kxx
KQJxx
3NT by S- Lead 6
A52
Jxx
QJxx
Axx
4
Play Board 1
Bd 8 R4 Swiss
Rule of 11
Playing the contract
• If you need to, lose a trick or two while you
are in control and before the opposition can
work out your plan
• Set up your long suit first
Driving out opponents’ top cards
Develop your extra tricks immediately
Leave all other top tricks alone to keep control in all suits
xxxx
Kxx
Axx
Axx
KQJ
AQx
Kxx
Kxxx
3NT (9 tricks)
Lead Q 
Avoid blocking
Which card should be played to take first trick?
Kx–AQJx
AKJx–Qx
Jx–AKQx
KQJx–Ax
AQx–KJxx
AQxx–KJx
Consider which order to take your tricks
A J x x
A x
x x x
x x x x
KQ
xxxx
Axx
AKxx
2NT (8 tricks)
Lead K
xx
 Q J 10 x
 Q 10 x x
xxx
KJx
xxxx
Axxx
xx
 A Q 10 x x
AK
Kx
xxxx
3NT by S- Lead Q 
xxx
xxx
Jxx
AKQJ
4
Using “entries” when a suit is
blocked
Axx
QJxx
xxx
xxx
 10 x x x
AK
Axxx
Axx
1NT (7 tricks)
Lead K
Play Board 2
Blocking example
Holding up in No Trumps
Rule of seven
Take the number of cards you hold in declarer and
dummy hands and take total away from seven.
Hold up that number of times.
K led
632
A85
Number of cards in the suit led = 6
Subtract this from 7 = 1
Therefore HOLD up the Ace once before playing it
Holding up continued
74
QJ863
K 10 2
A95
West leads 6
East plays the king & returns the 10.
Total number of cards 5
7–5=2
Hold up twice / again
Holding up continued
Jxx
KQJxx
Kxx
x x
AQxx
xxx
K Q J 10 x
Kx
Axxx
AJxx
x x x
7-4 =3
Hold up three times
Lead K 
 10 x x x
xxx
Qxx
Axx
Holding up continued
J54
KQJ76
84
K82
AQ7
95
 K Q J 10 9
974
K86
A83
652
AQ63
 10 9 3 2
 10 4 2
A73
 J 10 5
Contract 3NT
Opening lead K 
How many top tricks can you see?
What do you have to drive out to make the extra tricks?
Holding up continued
If you take the K with the Ace immediately – then play a diamond –
this will be the situation
9
QJ76
10 4
83
The defenders will defeat your contract. Prevent this happening by
holding up the Ace – twice.
At trick 3 take it with the Ace. Now when you play a diamond to the
Ace.
--76
---
--East is on lead but has no heart to lead.
Play Board 3
Holding up
Defending NT
• Lead carefully
• Keep leading your long suit?
Defending NT
• Lead carefully
– Unbid suit?
– A major suit if stayman not used?
– 4th highest of longest and strongest suit?
– Top of a sequence / internal sequence
• Consider leading THROUGH STRENGTH and UP
TO WEAKNESS
Consider
J654
 A 10 7
84
K82
AQ
95
 K Q J 10 9
A974
K87
QJ83
652
Q63
North
East
South
West
 10 9 3 2
K642
A73
 J 10 5
1D
P
1H
Pass
1NT
P
3NT
All pass
What does
West lead?
Keep leading your longest suit on
defense
J54
KQJ76
A4
 10 8 2
AQ7
95
 K Q J 10 9
974
 10 9 3 2
 10 4 2
873
KJ5
K86
A83
652
AQ63
Contract 3NT by S
Opening lead K 
Play Board 4
Defense example