Problem 1:
Dealer leads the
5
from his hand to partner's
2
and dummy's
K.
What card do you play and why?
Answer: Play the 3,
to indicate an odd number of cards. A count signal tells partner
whether you hold an odd or even number of cards in the suit led.
You give such a signal when declarer leads and you do not
haxe to play high to win the trick.
The purpose of such a signal is to allow your partner to know
how many cards you (and consequently the dealer) hold in the suit.
to review chapter 1, "25 Ways To Be A Better Defender".
Specifically, read the subsection, "Is it different when declarer leads the suit?" on page 14.
This is an excellent series; you should consider adding it to your
library.
Problem 2:
You are defending a contract of 4
and on the second round of trumps your partner discards the
9. What
do you thinks this discard mean?
Answer: In standard carding a high discard,
such as the 9 shows that
partner has strength in that suit, here diamonds.
It will probably be best if you played that suit
when you gain the lead. A low discard,
such as the 3,
would indicate that partner had no interest in the suit discarded.
Some player use other discarding systems, like odd-even or upside-down.
to review chapter 1, "25 Ways To Be A Better Defender".
Specifically, read the subsection, "Discards" on page 15.
This is an excellent series; you should consider adding it to your
library.