Prevent
Defense
PITBULLS:
The
term "prevent defense" is taken from the world of sports .
Football , Basketball & Hockey are the most common sports that use the
concept . It is a style of play that you think defensively to prevent a disaster
like a late touchdown or goal from occuring . It is like a safety play
in Bridge by a declarer where you think of how to prevent something bad from
happening .
In Bridge , a good partnership also has a "prevent
defense" in bidding . The five most common disasters in
Bridge is (1) opponents making a game or slam that could have been beaten
by the correct open lead (2) opponents
having a "free ride" to their contract without you making life
difficult for them by taking bidding room away from them (3) not reaching a nice sacrifice and
allowing the vul game/slam instead (4) the double partial/game/slam swings .
(5) opponents pre-empting you out of your contract or into a
bad slam.
Good partnerships realize when they are in
a "prevent defense" auction
and give each other leeway which they would not otherwise get .
The partnership will not punish each other by leaping to game or doubling the
opponents when the situation demands that partner might be bidding
"defensively" . Normally these auctions would occur when the opponents
have stated that they own the auction . Examples would be a 2♣
opener , a Q bid showing a limit raise or better , a 2/1 , an inverted minor ,
a Jacoby 2NT etc . I will give a number of recent examples where a
"prevent defense" mentality would be applicable .
First example was a Pitbull ( Kiz ) playing with Maurice . The auction
went 1♥ P
2NT ( Jacoby) by vulnerable opponents and you are not vulnerable and
hold AKxx x QJ109xx xx I would bid 3♦
or double or do something to interfere with their auction
. As it turned out Susan/Pat had a good
"serious 3NT" auction to know they were off the AK spades and stopped
in 5 hearts . The opponents at Ms Fung’s table bid badly and got to 6♥ vulnerable and made it because she did find
the spade lead . A disaster could have been prevented by bidding diamonds and
doubling 6♥ for a non diamond lead . As
the opponents had bid clubs in the auction , the spade would have been automatic . If Maurice had decided
to "bid defensively" by doubling 2NT or disturbing their game
forcing auction , a spade lead would also have been automatic . Partner
should realize that when the opponents own the auction to tread lightly when
partner doubles . If you double the opponents you are doing on the basis of a
bad trump break . Do not expect partner to contribute much when she is in “prevent
defense” mode .
Another auction of a "prevent defense" was Mr. Jones and I
playing on a Thursday nite against the Vinnies . I held xxx KQJ109 xxx xx
and heard the auction go
2♣
1♦
3♣ the opponents were vulnerable
showing a limit raise or better and
you were not so it was an obvious "prevent defense"
time . What is the two worst things that could happen in this auction ? One is
they make a vulnerable 3NT which could have been beaten by a heart lead and the other is that you have a nv heart
sacrifice against their vul game . You should bid 3♥
. Partner will not punish you as he has heard the auction and know
it is their hand . He will not leap to 4♥
thinking that you own the hand and give the opponents an option to double you
unless he is making an obvious "advance sacrifice" .This is not a
matter of "trusting the opponents" instead of partner , because it is an obvious defensive
bidding situation when they show a limit raise or better !
Another auction is a 2/1 by the
opponents . You hear the auction go 1♥ pass by partner 2♣ and you hold KQJ10xx
x xxx xxx . You do not have to pre-empt to tell partner you are weak
. Bid 2♠ as partner knows
it is a "prevent defensive" type of bid . Even vul with a good spade
suit like AKQxxx you should bid 2 spades to prevent them from bidding
3NT and partner not leading a spade . Good partners have discussed "defensive
bidding" over an opponents 2/1
and no what a Q bid means , as opposed to a double as opposed to an
unusual NT . Klimo has a stack of understandings for these type of defensive
bids.
Another auction came from Regina .
Again the opponents are vulnerable against nv
and own the hand as the auction went 1♣ P 2♣ . I glanced
at their card and they play inverted minors forcing to game . Well now
it is time for "prevent defense"
and I held KJ1098 J9876 1098 void . I fleetingly though of a
Michaels bid but that might help the opponents rather than hinder them . I
decided that the worst disaster in this hand is that the auction went a 2NT
rebid P 3NT and they made it off the
first 5 spade tricks. The next disaster is with my void in clubs we have a nice
NV sacrifice instead of -600 in 5 clubs . Anyway , I bid 2♠ knowing that my partner realizes that they own the hand
and I am bidding "defensively" . Partner will not punish me by
leaping to 4♠ expecting me to
make it or double 5♣ based on values for a "real" non defensive
bid . Partner will also be very careful not to "push" them to 5 Clubs
if the inverted minor is not forcing to game . He might try a 4♠ bid to tactically get them to 5♣ with AQxx xxxx x KQJx
. The double of 5 clubs will prevent partner from any other action if your
sneaky ruse worked !!
Partners hand could be Axxx xx KQ109
xxx and who would blame him for leading a diamond against 3NT ? The 2♠ bid prevented a
12 imp disaster from occurring . Alternatively partner could have held Axxx
Axxx x xxxx and there is a double game swing with 5♠ doubled making and 5♣ making for a 18 imp disaster ?
Pre-empts put the partnership under a lot
of pressure . Partner is sometimes “thinking defensively” and bidding the
table not just his hand. You have x KJ1098x Axx AKJ and you are vul
against nv with LHO opening 3♠. Do you overcall
4♥ ? Yes , you do as partner will give
you some leeway in these auctions and not picture the “perfect hand”. If
you pass , you would be putting tremendous pressure on partner in the balancing
seat. In addition , you could easily become a victim of a pre-emptive re-raise
by the opponents. Partner held Axx Ax Qxx 98765 and will “bite the bullet” and pass 4♥ rather than playing you for the perfecto and
trying for the elusive slam. Yes , if partner had the perfect hand you would
make slam. However , just pass and congratulate the opponents on their
pre-empt.
Remember - do not punish partner when the opponents own the
hand or pre-empt!! Think defensively ...