I can respect the fact that so many Spades players can perfect their bidding. They can bag the opponents when there is no set and they can set when it is there. But all too often it is only considered from their side of the table.

Only three or four basic defenses exist.

I'm not going to delve into bagging theory so this will be in regards to 11 and 12 bids.

Short-Suit Leads

First off, I see too many people trying to ruff in as quickly as possible when holding four or more spades. This is absolutely criminal! When you hold four or more spades you have natural tricks that present you an option. You can take a few risks and take them anytime you like. You can bag or try for the set. But the key factor is not leading a short suit if you have any intention of setting the opponents. Establish your longest side suit before the opponents start tapping your trumps. By doing this you will still retain control of the spade suit and have established your side suit while having the spade length to pull the opponents trumps.

So when is it right to lead a short suit? It is right when you have shortness in spades and pard has bid showing some spade length. Since your pard has spade length it is imperative that the short hand, the one that has spade shortness trump first if at all possible. This does two things. It is quite possible that your leading pards longest suit since it is your shortest. This is precisely what you should be doing.

Remember this simple rule: The captain at the table and the regulator is the big hand. Take care of the big hand and the big hand will provide protection for you. [This principle, captaincy, is of extreme importance to success at top-level play. Experts understand it by instinct but the typical Spades player hasn't a clue. We wish Jay had something more to say about captaincy. - Master Spades]

Consider your partner's hand even before you make that opening lead and what your pard needs. It is not nearly enough to just make your bid day-in and day-out and not bag. A child can do most of these things fairly quickly. A real technician can establish a link with pard early and make the necessary leads early!

If pard bids 5 or more and I have only 1-3 trumps, I am going to lead my shortest suit. He is likely to have spade length and my short suit is likely to be his longest. I surely do not want to lead my longest suit and have him trumping in early while his side suit remains unestablished.

Another time to lead short suits is when you hold the first- or second-round control of the spade suit. If we have not bid very high and it is the opponents' hand, we must grab our spades tricks early. Holding the A or K allows us to stop the opponents from running the suit while you will still able to get the desired ruffs before they pull your trumps.

Avoidance

Keeping the dangerous hand off lead is another technique we must familiarize ourselves with. We accomplish this with avoidance plays. Many situations occur where one opponent is fine to have on lead but another is not. The opponent that is considered safe is the one you do not mind on lead. Obviously the one that you do not want on lead is the dangerous one or the dangerous opponent.

Many reasons may make one opponent the danger hand. He may be the one with top trumps and be planning to pull yours or your pard's. It is easy to find yourself with some precarious holding that can be attacked. It is sort of like a professional boxer who has a bad side that he is trying to protect. Possibly he has several aching ribs, etc., but nevertheless he is going to protect that weak side at all costs. An example of this sort of precarious holding can be something like this (you are North):

North K 6 3 West Q J 5 East A 10 9 4 South 8 7 2

Can you see that West is the dangerous hand in this situation? With East on lead the K is safe!

These are things that most Spades players will not ever have to worry about because so many Easts, in third seat, just rise with the A anyway! With any real players however this will not occur and your K is likely to be deep six'd when the dangerous opponent gets in the lead.

[Suppose East is on lead and leads the Q. When partner does not cover and West signals with the ninespot, Jay is recommending you hold off your A, saving it to capture West's K. - Master Spades]

Second-Degree Assumption

One other little tidbit to follow out when playing the hand is this. If you are stuck in a very close bid and you need one key card to be in a key position for you to make your bid, assume it is there and place other missing cards appropriately!

Let's say your side is in a 12-bid and you need to have the K on your right because of this diamond holding.

Your hand is currently:

K43

KJ

AQ2

--

You need to get four more tricks to make your bid. The opponent on your right is one away from making his bid and the opponent on your left has one more to take as well. Your pard has already made his bid.

Obviously you need the diamond finesse to work so place the K in the pocket. Once you place the diamond in the pocket it is a simple matter to put the A on your left. So when partner leads a heart, do not rise with the King. Use your Jack to flush out the Ace.

Regards,
Ruffkid1 (Jay Tomlinson)