Attitude Signals

There are some rules about signals to learn, but the effective use of signals is always situation dependent: the 6 of Clubs played at four different times can mean four different things.  It's a system of signals, each dependent on the circumstances of the play, that wins.

First -- What's Your Attitude? Most partnerships agree that the most important signal is attitude: "How I feel about the suit being lead?" is the first consideration because the declarer is usually going to take most of the tricks and defenders must take all their tricks in order to compete effectively.

Attitude signals are easy:

Follow with a high card if you like the suit lead and with a low one if you don't.

(There are other systems of signaling not presented here -- this is standard defense. Other popular ones are Odd-Even and various forms of 'reversed' signaling, where a low card is a positive signal and a high one is discouraging. Learn and be comfortable with standard defense first. Other systems can be  very effective, but you must walk before you run in competitive bridge. None are much better or else everyone would use them. In any event, most of your opponents will play this way, so you'll need to know this standard way of signaling.)

Only Once, Please.  Once you signal, partner will know you have something to play or not in that suit. He doesn't need more signals, because you tell him on the first lead of each suit regardless of who wins.   Attitude is relevant only on the first lead or sluff of a suit, as later on there are fewer cards to signal with and the time is  past for attitude signals to accomplish much.

Consider the Circumstances. The card played in third seat may not be a signal, as Third Hand High takes precedence over signaling. If your partner leads a low card and you are third hand, play your highest card to beat dummy -- that is what partner wants from you, so do it.

There is no such thing as 'finessing my partner' as a legitimate criticism; the cards were dealt the way you find them -- declarer can do the same thing and he will.

 

SLUFFS ARE ATTITUDE SIGNALS

Generally, when sluffing, sluff a card of the suit you want lead back by your partner. Sluff the highest card you can afford, to be sure that partner sees it.

(Again, this is standard play -- there are other systems, but you should understand standard play first. Most pairs play that a discard of a 2 or 3 spot is not encouraging, but we play that it is, and this usage is noted on our convention card as "First Sluff Encourages').

Remember?  However, good players will remember a 4 as a sluff card just as well as a Jack ... and so should you. What's a 'high' card and what's a 'low' card ? 10's are high and 3 are low. But you know that, so why bring it up ? ... to illustrate that the real answer is: "It depends".

It's not too tough to figure out: look at the cards in your hand and those in dummy and then ask yourself:

"From his point of view, is the card my partner played high or low or neutral ?"

Example: If you can see all cards in a suit lower than an 8, then the 9 of Clubs as a first discard is low. If you can't see the 2, 3, 4 and 6 of Diamonds, then a signal with the 5¨ may be high. The point is, it's not always obvious: but then, if it were, bridge wouldn't be so challenging.

MISLEADING SIGNALS

Attitude signals can - should - be used occasionally to mislead your partner and/or declarer.  If you can mislead the declarer into poor play because of your signal, that's terrific.

When At First . . . If your signal can make no difference to the defense or if your partner can make a disastrous lead, you are right to mislead your partner in the interest of defending well. Do it but afterwards help your partner understand that you were sure that your misleading signal was the right thing to do. (And you better be right 90% of the time). Partner should compliment you on good defensive play, even if he was mislead at the time.

Don't Trust Your Opponents.  When you are the declarer, you should not count on competent defenders to tell you anything for free -- they are all liars. You should not believe good opponents' signals. Work your own plan as declarer and don't try to mastermind good defenders because they'll zap you mercilessly.

(c) Robert D. McConnell, 1998  All Rights Reserved