Bridge Lesson 25: Second Hand Low, Third Hand High

When declarer leads a low card and you play next, play low (second hand low): partner plays last and can deal with the trick, and your high card waits for a better target. When partner leads and you play third, play high (third hand high) to win the trick or force out declarer's high card, and from touching honors play the lowest one.

These two habits are the base of card play on defense. They are right most of the time, and the exceptions below are easier to spot once the habits are automatic.

You are second hand when declarer leads, from the closed hand or from dummy, and you play next. Most of the time, play your lowest card.

Why? Look at a common position. Dummy holds ♦KQJ105 and has no other entry. Declarer, with two small diamonds, leads one toward dummy, and you play next with ♦A73:

• You rise with the ace: declarer later leads the second diamond to dummy and runs the ♦K, ♦Q, ♦J and ♦10. Four tricks.
• You play low, then take the second round: dummy wins the ♦K, and when declarer leads the second diamond you win the ♦A. Declarer has no diamond left to reach the rest, so dummy's last three winners never score. One trick.

The idea: your ace is worth more later, when it kills an honor or a long suit, than now, when it captures one small card. Partner plays fourth and sees everything, so let partner handle the trick. In the next lesson you see how partner's count signal tells you exactly when to take the ace.

You are third hand when partner leads and dummy has played. Now no one plays after you except declarer, so if you play a small card, declarer can win cheaply.

• Partner leads low, dummy plays low, you hold ♠K73: play the ♠K. If declarer holds the ace, at least the ace is gone, and partner's cards may now be winners.
• From touching honors, play the lowest of them: from ♠KQ5 the ♠Q, from ♠QJ10 the ♠10. Partner then knows you hold the cards above it.

There is one important exception: when dummy has a high card you can beat. If dummy holds ♥Q73, you hold ♥AJ5, and dummy plays low on partner's lead, play the ♥J. Your ♥A still sits over dummy's ♥Q, so you keep both honors working.

The habits give way when you can see a better reason:

1. Cover an honor with an honor, as second hand, when covering can promote a card for your side. If declarer leads the ♣Q from dummy and you hold ♣K64, cover: declarer's ace takes your king, but the jack or ten may become a winner for partner. Do not cover the first of touching honors such as ♣QJ10.
2. Rise second hand when the trick is the one that defeats the contract, or when you must win now before declarer takes a discard.
3. Do not play high third hand when partner's card already wins the trick, or when dummy's card is higher than anything you hold.

Partner leads the ♥4 and dummy plays the ♥5. You hold ♥K63. Third hand high: play the ♥K.

Reveal the hands to see why. Declarer holds ♥AJ9. If you play the ♥3 or the ♥6, declarer can win the trick with the ♥9 and still holds the ♥AJ: two more stoppers, time to set up dummy's diamonds, and the contract makes with an overtrick. Double-dummy analysis gives declarer ten tricks after a low heart.

After the ♥K, declarer is down to the ♥AJ and the hearts are under attack from both sides. Your ♦A and partner's ♣A are the entries, and the defense takes six tricks: down two.

Defenders who count tricks know when to break a habit. Bridge defense tips covers counting declarer's tricks, and the finesse explains why your honors are worth more when they sit over declarer's.

Lead puzzles at BridgeDummy start one step earlier, with the opening lead itself: lead puzzles deal the hidden hands many times to fit the auction and score every lead double dummy, so you see which leads give partner a chance to play third hand high.

Previous lesson: Lesson 24: The Opening Lead. Next lesson: Lesson 26: Defensive Signals. Full course: Bridge lessons for beginners.