Sunday, January 29, 2006 7:06 AM

Defensive Signalling

PITBULLS:

In the early days of Bridge nothing could be simpler then signaling . If you liked partner’s lead , you encouraged and discouraged if you did not. Simple stuff except that bad consequences followed. Partner seeing your discouraging signal would now make a disasterous switch and hand declarer her contract. In today’s game , the simple attitude signal is a thing of the past. A signal must be more than liking our disliking partners lead , you must take the switch into consideration. Therefore a signal has 4 pieces of information to convey rather than two ( like/dislike ). An encouraging signal is a logical “or” . You either like the lead or you just can not stand a switch. A discouraging signal is a logical “and” . It means I do not like your lead and demands a switch.

Switch to what though ? If there is known length from the bidding involved , it is simple. Middle encourages and high and low are suit preferences. If no known length to assist you , you apply the obvious shift principle . This begs the question what is “obvious” . You answer that question by looking at the board , reviewing declarers bidding , partner’s bidding and your own bidding. The obvious switch can be worked out on a case by case basis. If you can not stand the obvious switch , you encourage a continuation of partners lead to prevent a disaster. Partner must be aware of this though. If she has AKJ and sees an encouraging signal from you , it may not be that you hold a doubleton or the queen . You just can not stand the obvious switch. If this suit can wait, lead trump or a passive switch.

Smith echos are a nice signaling device. You should not have to signal twice though. If you receive a discouraging signal from the opening lead and find a passive switch , partner’s 1^st card when declarer attacks her suit is suit preference. You already have said you disliked the lead. Signalling is “depending on context” though. If the auction goes 1NT-P-3NT-P and 12 HCP appear on the board with you having none , you assume partner is good at arithmetic and knows this. Partner leads a king so you discourage. You can not want a switch as it is known that you do not have anything. You are just reverting to “old fashioned” signaling.

Attitude , count and suit preference. There is a pecking order. Partners lead it is attitude . Declarers lead it is count or in the case of Smith echoes attitude & suit preference. Known length or a singleton on the board is a totally different ball game with the middle card concept. Signalling is not a substitute for being lazy and not applying patterns. Applying patterns is the first line of defense. However , if you are in the dark , remember that partner is on your side and may just confirm your findings J

Have some form of discarding signaling. Use negative signaling . Discard the suit you do not want rather than signaling a suit that you do want. Suit preference is built into the discarding the suit you do not want. Low even or high even can be interpreted as suit preference. An odd card says you like the suit. If you do not play such a scheme just discard from the suit you do not like.