Suit Preference Signals

It's All Implication. When you and your partner are comfortable and disciplined about Attitude and Count signals, there is another class of signals which works well -- Suit Preference.

It will tell your partner which of two other suits is your preferred one by the size of the card you lead or play.

"Other" means the two suits not being lead and not the trump suit. In Notrump contracts, it's not any obvious long suit available to the declarer and not the suit of the card played.

Example: If Hearts are trumps when partner, second hand, takes the §Ace and you discard a §9, it could be interpreted to mean you prefer Spades as the next lead, as opposed to Diamonds -- a §3 could mean Diamonds as opposed to Spades. You could have several cards available to play as a result of having bid Clubs, for example.

Sluffs Work, Too. When sluffing on a lead by declarer, as when he is collecting trumps, an unnaturally high card can be interpreted as a preference for the higher of two other suits: (not trumps and not the suit of the card being sluffed). A low card can be thought of in the opposite way.

Example: you have bid twice in Clubs and the opponents have it for 4 Hearts. On the second round of trumps, you sluff a Jack of Clubs when you have many Clubs to choose from. This could mean you want a Spade lead from partner. A 2 of Clubs could mean you want a Diamond lead. A 7 of Clubs could mean you have no preference about Diamonds or Spades.

Expectations Count. When leading and expecting partner to take the trick, an unnaturally high card lead by you when there is obviously a choice of cards to lead can be interpreted as a preference for the higher of the other two suits; a deuce can be interpreted as the lower of them.

Example: you have preempted in Clubs and the opponents have it for 4 Hearts. You take your Club Ace and partner shows out. You lead a Club 10 for partner to ruff when you could have led any of several Clubs: that should be a signal for him to lead back a Spade after he ruffs so you can give him another ruff.

When using Suit Preference signals, be sure to play middle cards whenever possible when you are NOT indicating preference.

Danger Ahead!. Do you see any opportunity for misinterpretation using Suit Preference ? You bet! Be careful about Suit Preference signals and only use them after you are comfortable with Attitude and Count Signals.

They are a powerful tool when the occasion arises.

Winners use them; losers misuse them.