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Good defenders make use of numerous tactics to ensure they take all their tricks.   Top among the favorites include:

1. Opening Leads – For better or worse, the opening lead often determines the outcome of the hand.  And while no one always makes perfect leads, the players who make the best lead most of the time score more tricks in the long run.

2. Third Hand Play: Signals – After partner has led, in third seat there’s far more to the game than remembering the general axiom “third hand – high.”  Aside from the third hand’s duty to immediately take tricks, good players always strive to effectively communicate various signals with their partner using an assortments of signals depending on the situation at hand.

3. Playing on Opponents Lead: Possible Signals –  Even when the opponents have lead, in either second or fourth seat on occasion we have the opportunity to communicate with partner using signals.

4. Inferences: Bidding, Play, Hand Evaluation – Entire Bridge libraries have been written about the plethora of logical deductions associated with evaluating one’s assets and deducing other players cards (honors and length) based on everyone’s bidding and play.

Opening Leads

1. Top of Honor Sequence 
2. Ace from Ace-King, etc. 
3. Count: Fourth Best, Top of Doubleton, etc. 
4. “BOS-TON” Bottom Of ‘Something’ – Top Of ‘Nothing’ (promise an honor) 
5. Lead Partner’s Suit

Third Hand Play

1. Analyze Partner’s Lead 
2. Win – Lowest of Equals (bottom of sequence) 
3. If Unable to Win, Show Attitude/Count/Suit Preference 
4. Dummy Becomes “Boss,” Count or Suit Preference 

Special Situations – Unblock, Underlead Request, etc.

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