DefensePlay low — and cover an honour with an honour.
Second Hand Low
Novice
24 min · 2-part series
About this lesson
Defence is Lorna's favourite part of the game, and it starts with one of bridge's best-known sayings: second hand low. When declarer leads toward dummy, the defender in second seat plays small, keeping their honours back to capture declarer's. Part 1 builds the two core principles — play low, and cover an honour with an honour. Part 2 works through the exceptions: when covering sets up nothing for your side, how to split touching honours to promote a trick, the tricky ace-queen-third holding, and the student questions these spots always raise.
What you'll pick up
- Second hand low: why the defender in second seat plays small when declarer leads toward dummy
- The one exception — cover an honour with an honour — and the tricks it promotes for your side
- Keeping your king back to capture declarer's honour instead of wasting it on a small card
- How playing low can trap declarer's queen and grow partner's small cards into winners
- When NOT to cover — recognising the layouts where covering only sets up declarer's tricks
- Splitting touching honours to force out an honour and promote a trick for your side
- The awkward ace-queen-third over a led honour — why you usually fly with the ace