IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

 

The usual signal to partner’s lead is attitude.  This lets him know if you want the suit continued or perhaps want him to shift to another suit.  However, there are many occasions where a suit preference signal is used instead.  Take a look as this tool is used effectively.

 

 

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

#11-18

Dlr

S

Vul

N/S

S

AK74

H

KQ874

D

J5

C

104

S

1086

H

A

D

10982

C

Q8632

  pad  

S

3

H

J1095

D

AK743

C

J97

 

S

QJ952

H

632

D

Q6

C

AK5

West

North

East

South

   

   

  

    1S

  Pass  

   2H

 Pass  

    3H

   Pass      4S          Pass      Pass

   Pass     

   

 

 

 

BIDDING:  N/S had a routine auction to game.

 

PLAY:  West led his ace of hearts and East was confident it was a singleton.  East followed with the jack to show his entry was in diamonds, the higher of the two side suits.  West switched to the deuce of diamonds and East won the king.  He returned the ten of hearts for West to ruff.  West played another diamond to East’s ace and another heart was ruffed for a two-trick set. 

 

Note that if East does not give a suit preference signal, West would have to guess which suit to lead at trick two.  If he chose a club (or a spade), declarer would lose only one heart and two diamonds.

 

 

Copyright ©2011 Larry Matheny