Friday, September 16, 2005 8:41 AM

Hand Evaluation - Suit Preference ( Known Count )

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Leading your singleton & using partners spot card to determine her return entry is pretty standard Bridge. If she returned her small card, she wants the lower ranking suit , a higher card back the higher ranking & a middle card no suit preference. Signaling is a “depending on context” situation.  Leading a stiff is technically a known count situation as its obvious you have led a singleton usually from the bidding. Therefore , suit preference applies.

 

How about finding switches when you lay down an Ace ?  If you or partner have bid the suit , there is a “known count” situation , a middle card says continue or no suit preference so hi & lo cards are suit preference. If there is no known length involved ( no bidding ) , its just plain attitude. You discourage if you want a switch so partner must be able to find the obvious switch. There is no suit preference involved with unknown suit length. Known count from the bidding is a trigger for suit preference to apply.

 

            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 stiff. This is a “known count situation” . Your count is exactly one so a middle card in that suit by partner would mean no suit preference and 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. Simple raises shows 3 trump & jump raise shows 4 of them ( known count ) . Therefore , suit preference kicks in automatically since partner already knows your count from the bidding.

 

                                    ♠ 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. This is obviously a stiff so known count changes signals to suit preference. 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 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 & everybody follows. This is a no brainer involving suit preference. A high heart in your known length suit would mean you want to ruff a spade , a middle heart says continue & 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 & 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.

 

            If you “count out hands” i.e. translate the bidding into a hand pattern , there is another element of “known count”. From the bidding with Qxx on the board & a King lead by  partner can bring in “known count . You cannot hold a doubleton in that suit as declarer has shown a 6-4 in two other suits , so signaling reverts to Gartaganis signals. In other words , middle means no suit preference , hi & lo suit preference. Bidding or no bidding changes your signaling to suit preference ( known count from the bidding ) .

 

            Here is another “known count” suit preference. Partner opens 3♠ with ♠AQJxxxx & partner bids 4♠. They bid 5♦ so all pass. You lead the spade Ace & the dummy is ♠xx ♥Axxxxx ♦KJx ♣Kx so this is another known count situation where suit preference over rides attitude or count. Partner should have 3 spades as he raised spades. Plug that into a pattern 7-3-2-1 so you know declarer has only one spade. Declarer plays the 10 & partner the deuce. This screams for the club shift so you beat the contract. Continuing spades is silly as you know declarer is ruffing from the bidding.

 

            A rare form of known count is where the situation is obvious ( context ) that you are looking for a switch. You lead the Ace of a suit so Qxx appears on the board. You have no idea what to do so you say “ what is theirs is theirs” & continue with the King. With no suit preference ,  partner plays a middle card . Otherwise a high card is the higher ranking suit , a low card is the lower ranking suit. Depending on context is just that. You must be aware that attitude & count no longer applies & suit preference kicks in. “Known count” means suit preference .  Defense is a partnership game so let partner help you out !