Signals

Concentration and visualization and counting go on only in your mind (and, hopefully, in your partner's mind, at least occasionally). But signals are a legitimate way to communicate with your partner during the play of the hand.

Signals Are OK. Signals are the active part of defense and are the only legal communication between you and your partner. They can be learned easily but you have to use them to defend well. To use them, you have to look for them, understand them and take action on the information you have gotten from them -- all the time, every hand, without fail.

BODY SIGNALS ARE ILLEGAL

One good way to learn good habits is to look only at the cards during play - - not at partner or opponents.

Facial Expressions are Unethical. Especially important is to NOT look directly into your partner's face. This may seem anti-social, but it isn't. Visualize every card from partner's hand as the start of a signal or a continuation of one, but facial expressions are unethical as signals -- don't do it. It detracts from your concentration, and your partner has a lousy poker face anyway.

No nods, sighs, scowls, eyes closed, folding your cards emphatically-- nothing like that is permissible. Don't have the director called on you for these offenses. You have no excuse because you're cheating, and you'll quickly be barred from playing Duplicate. There's no legalized list of don'ts - - if you convey any information, no matter how trivial, you're cheating, and you'll be called for it and punished severely if it happens repeatedly.

Sometimes, it's the Difference. Using legitimate signals will open up whole exciting new parts of bridge for you, but they won't change the spots on the cards or put points in your hand. They will let you play as well as you can, but they won't always set the contract.

But an occasional extra trick is an extra good board per round and that's all it takes to win at Duplicate.