BB What’s Standard? by David Lindop This series is based on Grant When making an attitude signal, Standard, a set of conventions and we do the best that we can. If we agreements that are in popular use Defensive want to make an encouraging signal today, such as 15-17 1NT openings, when we hold nQ–3–2, we have to five-card majors, and weak two- Signals play the n3—the highest card we bids. A summary chart of Grant can afford. If we want to make a dis- Standard and the corresponding couraging signal with n9–8–7, we convention card can be found at have to play the n7, our lowest card. www.AudreyGrant.com. The site Standard Attitude Signals It’s up to partner to look at the other also has Grant Basic, a simpler set When partner leads a card, we play cards in the suit to determine which of agreements. third to the trick. Sometimes, we signal we are trying to send. It won’t Earlier articles in this series have no choice about which card to always be clear cut. appeared in the Bridge Bulletin and play. For example: However, we should try to make can also be found under ‘Articles’ at DUMMY the clearest possible signal. If we www.AudreyGrant.com. n A 6 5 want to make an encouraging signal n N when holding Q–8–7–4, we should ARTNER S P W E U play the n8, not the n7. We play the e’re going to wrap up this n4 S n Q 9 3 series by taking a look at highest card we can afford. Partner leads the n4. If declarer standard defensive signals Attitude Discards W plays low from dummy, we must play —a key aspect of the game. the nQ, third hand high, trying to win We can also send an attitude signal Every card we play as a defender the trick for our side. The play of the when discarding. Suppose declarer is gives partner some information about nQ isn’t a signal, although it does drawing partner’s trumps or running our hand, starting with the opening a long suit, and we have to make a m give partner some information. It lead. If we lead the Q, for example, tells partner that we don’t hold the discard. We can discard a high card we are typically showing the mJ and n in a suit that we would like partner m J, since we would play the denying the K, since we lead the nJ—only as high as necessary—if to lead, or a low card in a suit we top of touching cards. n n don’t want partner to lead. m we held both the Q and J. If we lead the 2, we are typically However, if declarer plays dummy’s Defending is a complex business. showing a four-card suit, since we nA, we have a choice of cards that When choosing a signal, we must lead fourth best. Partner would also we can play. This is where we can consider what information will be know we don’t have a sequence in make an attitude signal. The standard most useful to partner. We don’t want the suit, since we would have led the agreement is: to give an encouraging signal simply top of our touching cards if we held because we hold strength in a suit. It a sequence. If we are leading the m2 ATTITUDE SIGNAL may be more important to give a count against a suit contract, partner can • A high card is encouraging. signal (see later), to help partner also assume that we don’t hold the know which suit to hold on to when • A low card is discouraging. mA, since we rarely lead away from declarer is taking tricks. We might an ace against a suit contract. So we can play the n9 to encourage also want to conceal our strength or So we are already exchanging a lot partner to lead the suit again, or we weakness from declarer. of information on defense through can play the n3 to discourage partner So we have to assess each situation, the cards we lead. However, there are from leading the suit. Which signal and hope that our partner is on the three basic ‘signals’ with which we should we send? That depends on the same wavelength. Partner should trust are expected to be familiar: particular deal. We have to make a us to give the appropriate signal at • Attitude defensive plan based on our hand, the appropriate time, and we must • Count what we see in the dummy, what likewise trust partner. • Suit Preference information we have from the auction, However, unless we have some and what we know from the cards other agreement, attitude signals Attitude tends to be our primary played so far. The point is that the take priority. Partner should assume signal, and it’s also the first signal attitude signal is a tool. We still must a high card says we like the suit; a alphabetically. So let’s start there. decide how best to apply it. low card says we don’t. BETTER 14 BRIDGE VOL. 14, NO. 2 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 BB Standard Count Signals Count Discards This is easier to understand by When declarer is playing on a suit, When we have the opportunity to looking at an example. an attitude signal doesn’t usually make discard, we may give partner a count WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH much sense. After all, it’s declarer’s signal in a suit, rather than attitude. 1n suit! However, it may be important to This may be necessary to help our Pass 3n Pass 4n tell partner how many cards we hold partner decide which cards to keep Pass Pass Pass when declarer is running a long suit. in the suit. Partner will then know NORTH (DUMMY) how many cards declarer holds in Partner will have to recognize that m K 10 8 3 the suit by subtracting the number of the situation calls for count rather n J 10 6 3 cards we hold, dummy holds, and than attitude. Not always easy! o 4 partner holds from 13. That might Remainder Count p K 10 6 2 help partner know when to take a WEST (PARTNER) EAST (US) Suppose declarer is playing in a heart m m winner in the suit, or whether to hold contract and this is the club suit: 9 5 4 A Q 6 2 onto cards in the suit. n 8 4 N n A DUMMY W E The standard agreement for giving o A K 10 8 5 S o J 9 7 3 2 p 10 6 3 a count signal is: p 9 5 4 p 8 7 3 N PARTNER US SOUTH (DECLARER) p W E p COUNT SIGNAL K J 8 2 S Q 7 5 4 m J 7 n • High-low shows an even number. DECLARER K Q 9 7 5 2 p A 9 o Q 6 • Low-high shows an odd number. p A Q J Partner leads the p2, we play the pQ, p Against the opponent’s 4n contract, For example, consider this layout: and declarer wins the A. If we gain o the lead, we’d lead back the p4, our partner leads the A, and a singleton DUMMY diamond comes down in dummy. This o K Q J 10 6 original fourth best—also low from three remaining cards. If we have to isn’t an attitude situation. Even if we US N PARTNER discard a club before the suit is led like diamonds, there’s not much point o W E o in partner continuing the suit, since 9 7 2 S A 8 4 again, we’d discard the p4, low from declarer will ruff in dummy. It’s also DECLARER three remaining cards. Partner would not a situation that calls for a count o 5 3 then ‘know’ that there is only one club trick to take before declarer can ruff. signal. West is unlikely to be interested When declarer leads a low diamond in how many diamonds we hold. DUMMY toward dummy, it’s obvious that we After winning the oA, partner is p 10 6 3 don’t want to encourage partner to going to have to decide what to do PARTNER N US lead the suit. So the situation becomes next. This is where we can help out p W E p one of count, not attitude. We play K J 8 2 S Q 7 4 with a suit preference signal. On the the o2, starting a low-high to show DECLARER oA, we should play the oJ, a high an odd number. p A 9 5 card, showing preference for the We don’t actually have to finish If this were the club layout, we higher-ranking of the ‘obvious’ suits. the low-high to show an odd number. p What are the ‘obvious’ suits? Spades o would return the 7 on regaining the As soon as partner sees the 2, the lead, top of our remaining doubleton. and clubs. We eliminate the diamond lowest outstanding diamond, partner Similarly, if we had to discard a club, suit and the trump suit in this case. knows we have an odd number. It can’t we would play the p7, high from our Assuming partner is on the same be five, since there are only thirteen remaining doubleton.