Friday,
September 16, 2005 8:41 AM
Hand
Evaluation - Attitude vrs Suit Preference
PITBULLS:
Leading your
singleton followed by using partners spot card to
determine her entry is pretty standard Bridge. If she returns her small card , she wants the
lower ranking suit , a higher card back the higher ranking and a middle card no
suit preference. This is technically a known
count situation as its obvious you have led a singleton. How about finding switches
when you lay down an Ace ? If you or
partner has bid the suit , there is a
“known count” situation , a middle card says continue or no suit preference and
hi & lo cards are suit preference. If there is no known length involved ( no bidding ) it’s just plain
attitude with the obvious switch principle built in. You
discourage if you want an obvious switch so partner must be able to find
the switch. There is no suit preference involved with unknown suit length.
What
about if you lay down a stiff Ace ? It is obvious
for everybody at the table from
looking at the dummy that it is a stiff. This becomes a “known count situation” . Your count is exactly one so a middle card in that suit
by partner would mean no suit preference with a high card & a low card suit preference. With
stiffs on the board it is a known count situation. “Law raises” are known count situations which brings in the middle card as
continue or no suit preference.
♠ KQ10
♥ KQ8642
♦ Q86
♣
6
♠ AJ9753
♥ A
♦ 732
♣ Q62
You have bid spades & partner clubs, they are in 5♦X. You lead the spade
ace followed by the heart Ace. If partner wants a
spade ruff , she plays a high heart . A low heart
would signify the club Ace. Change the hearts on the board so partner can not read the stiff Ace ,
partner just discourages hearts so you must find the correct or obvious switch.
♠KJ74
♥J1064
♦ 8
♣
J653
You have bid hearts
with ♠ 92
♥ KQ9852
♦ J4
♣
AQ4
& they are in 5♦X . You lead the spade 9 , partner wins her Ace . She lays down the heart Ace and everybody follows. This is a no brainer. A high
heart in your known length suit
would mean you want to ruff a spade , a middle heart
says continue and a low heart demands a club.
There
is a neat variation of this theme. What if your entry is the Ace of their trump
suit ?
♠
J54
♥ 6
♦ AK72
♣
Q8652
♠ 862
♥ KJ8432
♦ 964
♣ 7
They get to 4♠ with no adverse
bidding. You lead your club , partner wins the Ace and
returns the club 3. She can not want a diamond as that is silly looking at
those diamonds. She is warning you that a heart is not a good idea or she has the trump Ace as an
entry. Suit preference or attitude ? It depends if
there is known count or length . Simple.
A rare
form of known count is where the situation on the board makes it obvious that
you are looking for a switch. You lead the Ace of a suit ,
Qxx appears on the board. You have no idea what to do
so you say “ what is theirs is theirs” and continue
with the King. With no suit preference , partner plays
a middle card . Otherwise a high card is the higher ranking suit and a low card
is the lower ranking suit. Let partner
help you out !