DEFENSIVE SIGNALS

Questionnaire for

Serious and Experienced Partnerships

by

Karen Thomas McCallum

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
STYLE

12) How does your partnership approach defense? Pick One:

a) Our defensive signals are primarily a) Attitude b)

Count c) Suit-preference (pick one)
b) We try to tell partner what he needs to know;
otherwise, our primary emphasis is on a) Attitude b)
Count c) Suit-preference (pick one)
c) We try to tell partner what he needs to know – there
is no “primary” signal.
d) We don’t agree. Clarify:

13) Pick One:

a) We rarely signal - we don’t like to help declarer.

b) We signal occasionally - only when we need it.
c) We give partner a lot of information
d) We signal a lot early in the hand, primarily at trick-
one, then don’t tell partner much more.
e) We don’t agree. Clarify:

14) Count Signals:

a) We don’t give much count – we don’t like to help

declarer.
b) We give count only when partner needs it for his play
in the suit
c) We give a lot of count signals
d) Most of our signals are count.
e) We don’t agree. Clarify:

15) Answer individually: Do you consider yourself more of

an aggressive-attacking defender? Or, would you say you
are you more cautious, less likely to take chances
without good cause?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
16) See #4 above: How would you characterize your
partner’s defensive style?

17) How does each member of your partnership feel (in

general) about the following:

a) Underleading Aces
b) Leading from a random Jack?
c) Underleading a random King vs. a slam
d) Leading random singletons?
e) Leading random small doubletons?
f) Leading from xxx?
g) Leading unsupported honors from Hx? Hxx?

18) With which of the following statements do you agree?

(Circle all that apply)

a) Our leads and signals are always honest

b) Our leads and signals are usually honest
c) Our leads and signals are occasionally intentionally
deceptive.
d) Our leads and signals are frequently deceptive
e) Our early signals are believable, but later ones are
not.
f) We are capable of the occasional judicious lie, but
only when we have a specific purpose in mind.
g) We don’t lie.
h) Our signals are deceptive only in the standard false-
card situations.
i) We don’t agree. Clarify:

SIGNALS

1) What is the usual meaning of your signal at trick-one?

Attitude? Attitude revolving around “Obvious Shift?”
Count? Suit-preference?

List all Exceptions

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
2) What signals do you give in the trump suit?

a) Count (hi-lo means?)

b) Trump Echo when we want a ruff
c) Suit-preference
d) Smith Echo
e) None

3) Is there a difference between your primary (i.e.,

first priority) signal and your most frequent signal? Or
are they the same?

4) If your partnership uses Upside-Down Signals, are the

following signals standard or upside-down:

a) Trump Signals
b) Suit-preference
c) Present Count
d) Smith Echo

5) If your partnership signals attitude revolving around

the “Obvious Shift,” define your rules clearly. Answer
the following:
a) Give a simple definition of the term “Obvious Shift.”

b) When do you make an exception, and give count at

trick-one?

c) When (if ever) do you make an exception and give suit-

preference at trick-one?

d) If your choice is between the following holdings in

dummy, which suit is the obvious shift. (circle)

(1) xxxx or Qxx,

(2) xx or Kxx,
(3) xx or xxx
(4) x or KQJ
(5) Axx or Kxx
(6) Xxx or Jxx
(7) Kxx or Kxx (no, it’s not a typo)

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
6) If your partnership uses Odd-Even signals, clarify
your understandings in the following areas:

a) The hand is pretty well-known and no signal is

necessary. Do we still use odd/even? Or, do we agree
that the odd/even signal is used only if we need it?

b) We want to discourage a shift, but have no even card

in the suit, but must discard from this suit… Is a
high-odd-card less encouraging than a low-odd-card?

c) We want to request a specific shift, but have no even

card in the suit, but must discard from this suit...
Is a high-even-card less/more discouraging than a low-
even-card? Or is an even card always suit-preference?
That is, is there no solution?

7) If your normal signal is “Attitude” do you make and

exception, and give count, in any/all of the following
situations? (Circle all where you would normally give
count - and hope that partner circles the same ones.)

a) Attitude is already known, or irrelevant.

b) Partner leads a King (normally from AK or KQ) vs. a 5-
level contract (or higher)
c) Our side is known to hold, or likely to hold, 10 or
more cards in the suit, and there is a danger of
giving declarer a ruff and discard.
d) Defending a suit contract: A Jack (or lower card) wins
the trick in dummy.
e) Defending a no-trump contract: A Jack (or lower card)
wins the trick in dummy.
f) Partner leads the Queen (standard leads) and you can
see the Jack.
g) Partner leads the Jack and you can see the ten.
h) Partner is known to hold a solid suit.
i) Others? Clarify:

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
8) Dummy has a singleton in the suit led; partner is (or
may be) holding the opening lead. Is your signal…

a) Attitude?
b) Attitude revolving around the “Obvious Shift”?
c) Attitude only if a continuation could be the right
defense?
d) Always Count?
e) Always Suit-Preference?
f) Suit-preference if relevant, otherwise count?
g) Varies, depending upon other circumstances? Clarify:

9) In what specific/unusual situations do we:

a) Always give Count?

b) Always give Attitude?:
c) Always give Suit-preference?

10) Your partnership normally signals Count/Attitude/Suit

Preference first (choose one). When do you make an
exception and signal differently?

11) Your partnership normally signals either Attitude or

Count. Do you make an exception, and give suit
preference when partner leads an “obvious singleton?” If
yes, define “obvious singleton.” (Circle all that
apply):
a) We bid and raise a suit, then lead a different suit.
b) Partner preempts at the three-level or higher, and
leads a different suit
c) We make a preemptive raise to the three-level or
higher, then lead a different suit.
d) We bid cooperatively to the five-level or higher and
lead a different suit
e) Partner makes an unexpected double of the opponents’
game contract, then leads a low card in a side-suit.

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
12) At trick-one vs. a no-trump contract your partner
leads the King (or Q if that is your partnership style),
defined as “asking for Attitude.” xx is in dummy, you
have xxxx. Which card do you play? Do you play
differently with Jxxx? How do you distinguish the two
holdings?

13) Partner makes the opening lead of a Queen vs. a suit

contract, you have no honor and you can't see the Jack.
Your normal signal is? Does your signal vary depending
upon the length in the dummy.

14) The emphasis in your partnership signaling, after

trick-one, is on Attitude? Suit-Preference? Count?
(Circle One)

15) If you play standard carding, how does your

partnership normally give count from a four-card holding?
Are your agreements clear?

Suggestion: Play the highest card you can spare. Avoid

the ambiguous, unreadable, 3rd best spot-card.

(Circle all that apply)

a) Highest from an even number?

b) Highest you can spare?
c) Second high?
d) Second lowest from an even number? (THE WORST!!!)
e) The play of the 9 denies the 10, etc.?
f) The play of the 10 denies the 9, etc.?
g) Highest, followed by lowest, from four (present
count)?
h) Highest you can spare, followed by lowest (present
count)?
i) Second highest, followed by original 3rd best? (Hard
to read sometimes, but playable)
j) Highest followed by suit-preference.
k) Highest you can spare, followed by suit-preference?
l) Second highest, followed by suit-preference?
m) Other?
n) Clarify if necessary:

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
16) If you play UDCA, how does your partnership normally
give count from a four-card holding? Are your agreements
clear?

Suggestion: Play the lowest card you hold. Avoid the

ambiguous, unreadable, 3rd best spot-card.

(Circle all that apply)

a) Lowest from an even number?
b) Second lowest from an even number? (THE WORST!!!)
c) The play of the 9 denies the 10, etc.?
d) The play of the 10 denies the 9, etc.?
e) Lowest, followed by highest? (present count)
f) Lowest, followed by highest you can spare? (present
count)
g) Lowest, followed by suit-preference.
h) Second lowest, followed by 2nd highest, (Hard to read
sometimes, but perhaps playable)
i) Second lowest, followed by suit-preference?
j) Other?
k) Clarify if necessary.

17) If you play UDCA, how does your partnership normally

give count from a three-card holding? Are your
agreements clear?

Suggestion: If possible, play your highest spot-card.

Avoid the ambiguous, and unreadable, middle spot-card.

(Circle all that apply)

a) Highest from an odd number?
b) Highest you can spare from an odd number?
c) Middle from three (often the worst)
d) The play of the 9 denies the 10, etc.?
e) The play of the 10 denies the 9, etc.?
f) Highest, followed by lowest? (present count)
g) Highest, followed by 2nd high?
h) Highest, followed by suit-preference.
i) Middle, followed by lowest.
j) Middle, followed by suit-preference?
k) Other?
l) Clarify if necessary.

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
18) Your partner leads a King on opening lead (you lead
Ace from AK), then follows with the Ace, apparently
showing AK doubleton. How do you signal at trick-two?
Suit preference? Assuming that you normally signal
either count or attitude on a King-lead at trick-one,
does the meaning of your signal change if you can see the
Queen in dummy?

19) What is your normal trick-two signal, when following

suit to declarer’s lead? Does the sense of the hand
dictate its meaning? Do you and partner agree?

Suggestion: Consider Smith Echo at trick-two (vs. both

suits and no-trump). Second choice: Suit-Preference.

LEADS
1) If you use the leading system often referred to as “3rd
& 5th” do you really lead “3rd and 5th?” or do you actually
lead 3rd best from even & low from odd?” Or, do you lead
“3rd best from even, 5th best from odd?” In other words:

a) which card do you lead from a six-card suit? 3rd best,

or 5th best?
b) which card from a seven-card suit? 5th best, lowest?

2) Assuming that you lead 4th best against 3NT, are there
situations where you would NOT lead 4th best from a four
or five-card suit? That is, are there some “attitude”
inferences in the lead of a low card? For example:

a) From xxxx do you normally lead high, or second-high?

Or 4th best?
b) Does the lead of a low card promise an honor?
c) From Jxxx, Txxxx? Which card is normal?
d) Would you perhaps lead a high spot-card from, say,
Q863 in order to get partner to shift to your strong
suit through declarer? Which card?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
3) What is your normal lead from suits headed by the AKQ?
What about AKQJ? Does partner know to signal count so
that you know how many are cashing?

4) What is your normal lead from known solid suits? Are

there suit-preference inferences when you lead a
different honor?

5) Does the lead of a low card usually promise, or at

least suggest, an honor in the suit? Or is there no such
inference available?

6) You are defending 4♠. You lead a ♥ (♥’s are unbid).

Which card do you lead (assuming no knowledge about the
location of the ♥K)?
a) QJ9xx
b) QJ8xx
c) QJ7xx
d) QJ6xx
e) QJ5xx

7) Do you lead differently when a suit has been bid by

your side than when it has not? If so, clarify all
situations in which your leads vary:

a) e.g., A from AK except in partner’s suit

b) Low from xxx except when leading partner’s suit which
you’ve raised

LEADS AFTER TRICK-ONE

1) When we break a suit in the middle of the hand, we

tend to (pick one):

c) lead “Attitude” (lowest from suits we like, top (or

highest we can spare) from suits we don’t like)
d) lead a count card (3rd best, 4th best, 2nd & 4th, other)
e) Combine count and attitude in one card (e.g., lead 3rd
best from suits we like, high from suits we don’t
like)
f) Lead 2nd & 4th through declarer
g) Other
h) We don’t agree. Clarify:

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
2) In situations where partner needs information about
your honor holding in the suit you’re breaking, do you
lead J,10 or 9 = 0 or 2 higher cards?

3) You know that partner can ruff the card you lead, but
declarer is over-ruffing. Both of you know the position
and all of your cards are high. Is your choice of cards
when you lead…

i) Suit-preference?
j) Informative about the trump position?
k) A combination of both of the above?

In other words, how do you tell partner that you want a

trump promotion (i.e., that he should ruff high)? How
do you tell him that you don’t have anything to
promote? Be exact.

Suggestion: RESERVE YOUR LOWEST CARD TO ASK FOR AN

UPPERCUT – other cards are suit-preference ONLY if you
have more than two remaining – otherwise, no suit-
preference exists.

4) You know that partner can ruff the card you lead, but
declarer is over-ruffing (this time partner doesn’t know
the count, and so doesn’t know that declarer is over-
ruffing). Do you have a way to tell partner that
declarer is also void in the suit? Do you have a way to
suggest to partner that she should either a) not ruff, or
b) ruff high for a potential trump promotion? Be exact.

Suggestion: LEAD YOUR HIGHEST REMAINING CARD (WINNER OR

NON-WINNER) TO TELL PARTNER THAT DECLARER IS OVER-
RUFFING. Other spot-cards are reserved for suit-
preference. There is no way to say, with any
certainty, that you want (or don’t want) an uppercut,
when partner doesn’t know the position. Leading low
is ambiguous, since partner won’t know that declarer
isn’t following. When partner knows you have a
winner – leading a non-winner will suggest the upper-
cut, but it may also suggest that you need to find an
entry in his hand (via a ruff) for some other purpose.

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
5) If your partnership normally leads “Attitude” in the
middle of the hand, and you find yourself in a situation
where partner needs count more than attitude, how do you
give count in the suit you are leading:

a) from two cards

b) from three cards
c) from four cards
d) from five cards

Suggestions:
1. When leading a count card, lead the card with which
you would normally signal count if following suit or
discarding.
2. When leading count, lead the highest card you can
spare from an even number, and the lowest card you hold
from an odd number.
3. Avoid leading (or giving) count with unreadable 3rd
best spot-cards from four-card holdings.

FOLLOWING SUIT

1) What is your normal play when following suit with JT

doubleton or QJ doubleton. Does your play vary if you
are 2nd to play, 3rd to play, or last to play to the
trick? Does it vary if your side may be winning the
trick at the point where you play?

e.g., if declarer leads the Ace, and your partner follows

in 4th seat with the Jack, does he show or deny the
Queen? Show or deny the ten?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
2) Splitting Honors: What is your normal play from
touching honors when you are in a splitting situation,
i.e., you may win the trick, or may need to force
declarer’s honor.

a) Lowest of touching honors?

b) 2nd highest?
c) The card you would have led?
d) The card you would have led if playing T or 9 = 0 or
2?
e) Other?

Do you play differently with equal honors in 3rd Seat

after partner's lead? Perhaps 2nd highest?

ETHICS, & TAKING CARE OF PARTNER

1) Do you always pause at trick-one? How long is a

normal pause? Do you try to take the same amount of time
on all hands in order to avoid giving away information to
declarer, and/or partner?

2) Do you always pause before making the opening lead?

Even when you have a fairly automatic lead? If you
don’t, declarers (and partner), will be able to read you
and draw inferences to which they are not entitled.

3) How do you feel about marked hesitations during the

play:
a) When deciding whether to win a trick, e.g. to duck
your Ace or not?
b) When you are known to be giving a suit-preference
signal?

This is a sticky “gray” area in defensive ethics.

There is no universal agreement as to what is
ethically “correct” although there is certainly a
general feeling among top players that you ought to
strive to play in tempo. Discuss it with your partner
so that you are aware of one another’s opinions on the

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
 subject, and if you don’t agree, can be prepared to
respect those differences.

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
 SOME SIGNALLING PROBLEMS FOR YOU TO SOLVE
WITH YOUR PARTNER.

Try these problems independently of your partner and see if

you agree upon the solution.

1) Partner leads your unbid 5-card suit vs. a 1NT-3NT

auction, and you win the 1st trick. From partner’s point
of view you could have only three cards in the suit.
Which card do you return?

Billy Eisenberg and Ira Rubin had the following sort of disaster
many years ago in a World Championship:

♥ KQ83

♥ J72 ♥ 9

♥ AT654

After 1NT-3NT, North led the ♥3

Trick 1: ♥3, 9, A, 4
Trick 2: ♥5, 7, 8!, ♠x

With ♥’s now blocked, declarer gratefully took his nine top tricks and
made his contract.

North, of course, was rightly concerned about ♥AT65 in partner’s hand

with declarer having ♥J742. It was not clear to him that he could
afford to win the Queen on the second round.

Could your partnership do any better?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
2) Here’s a well-known deal from the Bermuda Bowl/Venice
Cup in Santiago, Chile, 1993.

EW bid ♠’s to the 4-levelat favorable vulnerability, while North and

South fought it out in ♣’s and ♥’s, with South finally becoming
declarer in 6♥.

♠T
♥ −−−
♦ Q52
♣ AKQJ86542

♠ AQJ987 ♠ 6542
♥ 852 ♥ Q4
♦ 43 ♦ KJ986
♣ T3 ♣ 97

♠ K3
♥ AKJT9763
♦ AT7
♣ ---

West led the ♠Α, and all but one of the many South’s who declared 6♥
made the contract after a very thoughtful and reasonable ♣ shift at
trick-two.

Assuming that you cannot tell anything definite from the

bidding about the lie in the ♣ suit, how does your
partnership solve this problem? Can East stop his
partner from shifting to a ♣?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
3) A deal from a recent USA Vanderbilt match:

♠ T8754
♥5
♦ 8654
♣ 743

♠ J62
♥ A864
♦ A
♣ KT986

North East South West

1♣
P 1♥ 3NT All Pass

West leads a low ♥ to the ten and King. South plays the K♦ and partner
follows with the 6 (Smith Echo). How does West continue? At the
table, a world-class player went wrong. What would you do? Would you
play for a layout something like:

♠ T8754
♥5
♦ 8543
♣ 743

♠ J62 ♠ K93
♥ A864 ♥ QJT72
♦A ♦ 62
♣ KT986 ♣ J652

♠ AQ
♥ K93
♦ KQJT97
♣ AQ

or, perhaps something like this…

♠ T8754
♥5
♦ 8543
♣ 743

♠ J62 ♠ KQ9
♥ A864 ♥ JT732
♦A ♦ 76
♣ KT986 ♣ J652

♠ A3
♥ KQ9
♦ KQJT52
♣ AQ

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
Can your partnership distinguish these two situations?
Would you be guessing? In one case West must shift to a
♠ or give declarer his 9th trick. In the other he must
continue ♥’s. How does he know what to do? Could your
partnership solve it?
__________________________________________________________

4) The following mishap occurs daily in club games around

the world. Hopefully it never happens to expert players
(like yourselves)…

You lead the K♦ against 4♠ and partner encourages:

♠ T854
♥5
♦ 862
♣ KJTxx

♠ 62 ♠ Q9
♥ Α864 ♥ JT732
♦ KQ4 ♦ A976
♣T986 ♣ 52

♠ AKJ73
♥ KQ9
♦ JT5
♣ AQ

You duly continue with the ♦Q at trick-two, and partner goes into a
long huddle, eventually overtakes with the Ace and tries to give you
a ♦ ruff. Declarer says thanks as he claims his unmakeable contract
(with an overtrick).

Once you get past thinking that your partner is a lunatic

who should give up the game, you realize that this may be
your own fault? Don’t you?

5) Partner leads the ♥A vs. 4♠ (A from AK). Nothing is

known from the bidding about the lie of the ♥ suit.
Dummy has ♥QT86 and you hold ♥9752.

Which card do you play at trick-one? If your agreement

requires that you play any card other than the ♥2 (or ♥9
if you play UDCA), how do you tell partner that you are
not ruffing the 3rd round of ♥’s?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
6) Partner opens with 1♦ and leads the ♦A against 4♠
(your lead agreements are A from AK, and you play
standard signals). Dummy has ♦JT doubleton, and ♠754.

a) You hold ♦Q953 (you didn’t raise). Which ♦ do you

play at trick-one? Trick-two? If you start with any
card other than the ♦3 (discouraging), how do you tell
partner that you are not over-ruffing dummy on the 3rd
round?

b) Your ♦’s are ♦95 and your ♠’s are ♠32. Which
diamond do you play at trick-one? If your agreement
is that you give count, does partner know that you may
not be over-ruffing the dummy at trick three?

7) At unfavorable, you are West with ♠ J94 ♥AK743 ♦T82

♣73, and the bidding is:

N E S W
1♠ P
3♠! P 4♠ P
P P

You lead the A♥ against 4♠ and partner plays the deuce

suggesting that you shift. What do you play at trick-
two? Is this the layout?

♠K83
♥Q96
♦J6
♣QJT93

♠J94 N ♠65
♥AK743 ♥J52
W E
♦1082 ♦KQ9753
♣73 S ♣A6

♠AQT82
♥T8
♦A4
♣K852

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
Or perhaps this?

♠K83
♥Q96
♦J6
♣QJT93

♠J94 N ♠6
♥AK743 ♥J852
W E
♦J1082 ♦Q953
♣73 S ♣AK85

♠AQT852
♥T
♦AK74
♣42

In the first case you must play a ♦ immediately or 4♠ will

be made – but in the second you must play a ♣ at trick-
two and get an uppercut to beat the contract.

Is there any way to tell the difference?

8) I (ktm) had the following problem in the 2000 USA Team

Trials in Raleigh, N.C.

You lead the K♣ against 4♠, partner plays the ♠ 2 (standard signals)

♠ AQ865
♥ K52
♦ K52
♣ 84

♠ 92
♥ AT732
♦ 643
♣ KQJT3

N E S W
1♠ P
2NT* P 3♠ P
4♠

How do you continue?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
9) Dummy has ♦QJ53. You hold ♦T942 behind the dummy.
Declarer in 3♣ leads the ♦K from his hand at trick-two,
before drawing trumps. (Assume that partner is known to
hold ♦A, but nothing is known about anyone’s ♦ length.)

a) Partner wins the ♦A. Which card do you play? Is

your card defined as showing count, or suit
preference? If count, how do you help partner
distinguish this holding from a doubleton?

b) Partner ducks, which card do you play? Is your card

count? Or suit preference? If count, how do you
continue when partner plays his Ace on the next round
of the suit? Do you have a clear way to give count
from a four-card holding to help partner distinguish
it from a doubleton?

10) From the Bermuda Bowl/Venice Cup in Beijing in 1995:

Partner leads the A♥ against 4♠.

♠ QT76
♥ 65
♦ T85
♣ AK43

♠ 954
♥ KJT987
♦ Q432
♣ ---

N E S W
P 3♥
3♠ P 4♠ P
P P

How do you (East) signal at trick-one? Can you tell your

partner to give you a ♣ ruff?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
11)

Partner leads the ♦K against 3NT (asking for attitude).

Dummy has a singleton ♦. What card do you play from Txxx?
What card from Jxx? How does partner know the difference?

Take a look at this common situation:

You lead the K♦, and see the following:

♠ KQ4
♥ 642
♦ 5
♣ QJT975

♠ T72
♥ 873
♦ KQ986 ♦7
♣ A6

♦ 2

N E S W
1NT P
3NT P P P
P

Should you continue ♦’s or not? If partner has ♦J73 you

want to continue – if he has T743 you want to shift. You
would probably like to know which it is.

Suppose you decide that you don’t know, and elect to shift
to ♠’s because of the danger of ♦AJx in declarer’s hand.
Suppose that partner plays the ♠3 under dummy’s King,
then follows with the 8♣ to declarer’s King. Declarer
continues a second ♣ and partner plays the ♣3. Now what?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
12) You are East, defending 2NT with 4315 distribution,
and partner (of course) leads a ♦. Declarer wins, and
(of course), continues ♦’s, forcing you to discard.

♠K964
♥875
♦J974
♣875

♠ N ♠J432
♥ ♥AQ6
W E
♦K3? ♦Q
♣ S ♣QJT92

♠
♥
♦AT
♣

Mercifully, partner wins the 2nd ♦ saving you from another

early discard. How do you get partner to play a ♣?

11) After 1NT-3NT, you lead the ♠K and see the following:

♠A96
♥KT86
♦J4
♣Q842

♠KQT8 N ♠3
♥73 W E
♦K84
♣T973 S

♠5

What now? Does partner have the ♠2 or does declarer have

it? Is partner trying to encourage with J32? Or perhaps
discourage with 743? Is there any way to know?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
KTM SUGGESTIONS FOR SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS.

1) WHEN PARTNER LEADS YOUR UNBID 5-CARD SUIT VS. NT, DO NOT
RETURN YOUR ORIGINAL 4TH BEST. The spot-card is
completely unreadable and partner will be guessing. From
his point of view, either you, or declarer, may have 3,
or 4, or 5 cards in the suit, and your poor partner has
no clue which. Give him a break.

There are two schools of thought here - both have

problems, but each is an improvement over the standard
“original 4th best.”

a) RETURN YOUR LOWEST CARD, which will look like you

started with four, so that partner knows the suit may
be running. Don’t leave him wondering if you may have
only 3, with declarer holding a 5-card suit. This is
especially a problem when dummy has a singleton. He
may still not get it right, but at least he has a
chance. He has more information, and has a better
shot. Leave it to him to unblock in case you started
with five – he will if he can. He’s still guessing,
of course, but he has more information – he now KNOWS
that declarer has at most four cards in the suit. If
you return your original fourth best, he will often be
stuck with an insoluble “5-or-3” problem. Take him
off the hook.

b) RETURN YOUR ORIGINAL 3RD BEST. Partner will notice

that there are two lower missing spot-cards and will
be suspicious that they may both be in your hand -
especially if you have discussed the problem. And
sometimes he will know they MUST be in your hand.
Again, this is not infallible – sometimes declarer can
fool you, depending upon the spot-cards, but again
partner has more information and has a better shot at
going right. (In fact, sometimes he will have a 100%
play, when he knows from the opponents’ methods, or
their auction, or declarer’s play, that declarer
CANNOT hold five cards in the suit. Then he will know
that you DO.)

My opinion is that you must do both, depending upon the

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
 circumstances at the time. You have to think out each
situation and do what will work. Returning the original
rd
3 best works out better more often, perhaps, but it’s
not so simple. For example:
o You usually don’t want to return 3rd best when you
are in the “5-or-3” situation - partner will think
that you may have 3 and declarer may have 5.
o However, you can usually afford to return original
3rd best when you hold the Jack or 10, and sometimes
with the 9, since partner will be able to tell from
declarer’s failure to play that card that he cannot
hold it. In this case, 3rd best is clearly superior
because it is totally readable.
o And, of course, it is sometimes clear from the
bidding that declarer cannot hold five cards in the
suit, in which case it is just plain silly to return
the original 5th best (or 4th best!) and leave
partner wondering if declarer holds 4 cards in the
suit. In such a case original 3rd best is clearly
superior - partner will know for certain that you
hold 5.
o When there is a doubleton in dummy it is clearly
better to return the lowest – partner will
automatically unblock because declarer CANNOT hold 4
– so he will cater to the possibility that you may
have 5.
o Sometimes you’ll simply have to return the lowest
(original 5th best) and hope for the best – any other
card will give partner the impossible “5-or-3”
problem. But, keep in mind that returning lowest
gives partner a problem in thinking that the suit
may be 4441 – you’ll have to gauge each hand and
decide which is best based on the spot-cards you can
see and what you know partner will be able to figure
out for himself.

In the case above, South should simply return the ♥6 at

trick-two. Looking at the ten – he knows that partner
will be able to read the position when declarer fails to
play the ten. Of course declarer should play the Jack at
Trick 2, to give the defense a genuine problem (JTxx) –
but this world class declarer failed to do so. If all
your opponents play perfectly you will have some
insoluble problems. But you can give yourself a head-
start here.

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
2) WHEN DUMMY HAS A LONG, SOLID AND POSSIBLY ENTRYLESS
SUIT, GIVE COUNT IN THAT SUIT AT TRICK-ONE.

In this case, East must play the ♠6 at trick-one to show

an even number of CLUBS. West will know from the bidding
that East does not have a ♣ void (no double of 6♥, no
splinter, no jump in ♠’s, no save), and will avoid the
catastrophic club shift made at most tables in Santiago.
(Of course, you can guess that one reason I include this
hand is that we got it right at our table!)

3) SPLIT SECOND-HIGH FROM EQUAL HONORS WHEN FOLLOWING

SUIT IN 3RD SEAT.

When you play the Jack, partner knows you don’t hold both
the King AND Queen (you’d play the Queen), and can place
the King in declarer’s hand if he can’t see it himself.

If you have such an agreement, then, in this case, East

must play the ♥J at trick-one; the play of the ten can
only be from JT, or KJT, or AJT, and therefore denies the
Queen. The play of the Jack is from Jack alone, or, QJ
or AQJ. In most cases (as in the one above) partner will
know what to do.
(Our expert, who doesn’t want to be named in order to protect his
partner, played for the second layout and was wrong. He had to
continue ♥’s.)

4) This one is easy.

WHENEVER PARTNER MAY PLAY YOU FOR KQ DOUBLETON, AND YOU

DON’T WANT HIM TO, DON’T GIVE HIM A CHANCE.

Lead a low ♦ at trick-two. Partner will win the Ace and

try to give you a ♦ ruff, of course, but neither of you
will be miserable when you win your ♦Q.

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
5) SIGNAL ATTITUDE AT TRICK-ONE – NOT COUNT.

In a potential ruffing situation, don’t encourage if you

are not ruffing the third round. Partner can’t get it
right if you do. This situation is a crucial one and
will cost you a lot of IMPs if your agreements are not
clear. WHEN PARTNER LEADS AN ACE (OR K) AND QXX OR
LONGER APPEARS IN DUMMY, DON’T ENCOURAGE IF YOU AREN’T
THE ONE WHO IS RUFFING. Discourage at trick-one, and
then give present count the next time you play the suit.

6) a & b. (See #5). Discourage in both cases. These are

both potential ruffing situations. SIGNAL ATTTITUDE AT
TRICK-ONE – NOT COUNT. You are not ruffing the 3rd round
of the suit, so don’t encourage ♦’s.

7) This is a very difficult hand to solve, but the only

possibility lies in using “OBVIOUS SHIFT” PRINCIPLES WHEN
SIGNALING ATTITUDE AT TRICK-ONE.

Using Obvious Shift principles, partner’s ♥2 at trick-one

says, “Please don’t play a ♥, AND I can stand the
obvious shift” – which is clearly ♦’s.

In the second layout 3rd hand has a big problem. He wants

a ♣ shift, not a ♦ shift. But a low heart will
suggest the obvious shift, which is ♦’s. So, in
theory, he would encourage ♥’s, suggesting that he
cannot stand the obvious shift, and may or may not
want a ♣ shift. And partner will have to guess which.

However, in this particular situation it is extremely

dangerous to encourage ♥’s, as we’ve already seen
above (#5 & #6). Partner may very well play you to be
ruffing a heart and go wrong. But still, you can see
that it is the only chance, so perhaps you will take
the risk this time.

Perhaps the hand is unsolvable as it is because of the

risk in encouraging ♥’s. But, of course, had EW bid
and raised ♥’s it would be an easy defense using
“Obvious Shift” principles. 3rd hand cannot want a

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
 heart continuation. Therefore, a low heart says, “I
can stand the obvious shift (♦’s) and a high ♥ says,
“Please don’t make the obvious shift.” Opening leader
will have no choice but to play a ♣ at trick-two and
hope for the existing layout.

8) I played a ♦ at trick-two, because my partner told me

to! It was a good idea…
♠ AQ865
♥ K52
♦ K52
♣ 84

♠ 92 ♠ Τ
♥ 643 ♥ JT732
♦ 643 ♦ AQ97
♣ KQJT3 ♣ J52

♠ KJ743
♥ AQ
♦ JT8
♣ A97

We use Obvious Shift principles at trick-one: The 2♣

discouraged ♣’s and said, “I can stand the Obvious
Shift.” But, of course, there is nothing obvious about
which red suit to play.

WHEN THERE IS NO OBVIOUS PLAY, THEN, BY DEFAULT, WE

ARBITRARILY DEFINE THE LOWER-RANKING ALTERNATIVE AS THE
“OBVIOUS SHIFT.”

In this case, then, ♦’s were defined as the obvious shift

and I merely followed orders, having nothing better to
do. Most tables continued ♣’s rather than break a red
suit for declarer and 4♠ was unbeatable. We won 11 IMPs
(but we still lost the trials…)

9) Make clear agreements on how, and when, you give count

from four cards. (There are many ways to do this and
most are equally good, so long as you avoid the ambiguous
3rd best card from a four-card holding, which is too often
unreadable whatever your signaling methods may be.)

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
 KTM Suggestions (assuming Standard Signals):
• GIVE COUNT ONLY WHEN PARTNER NEEDS IT FOR HIS PLAY
IN THE SUIT.
• ALWAYS GIVE COUNT WHEN IT MAY MATTER TO PARTNER AND
CAN’T HELP DECLARER.
• WHEN GIVING COUNT FROM A FOUR-CARD HOLDING, PLAY THE
HIGHEST CARD YOU CAN SPARE.
• WHEN GIVING PRESENT COUNT FROM A REMAINDER OF THREE,
PLAY THE LOWEST CARD IN YOUR HAND.
• IF YOU SIGNAL WITH AN HONOR CARD, OR A HIGH SPOT-
CARD, YOU DENY POSSESSION OF THE TOUCHING HONOR OR
SPOT-CARD IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE CARD YOU PLAY.
(JACK DENIES THE QUEEN, 9 DENIES THE TEN, ETC.)

Applying these rules to the problem hand above…

• Whether or not you give count when partner wins his
♦A will depend upon the sense of the hand. If
partner may need to play a second ♦ to cut declarer
off from dummy, you’ll give count. Otherwise your
card should be suit-preference.
o If the sense of the hand determined that this was
a suit-preference situation, then you will give
present count on the 2nd round (with the deuce,
your lowest card)
o If you determined that this was a count
situation, you will give suit-preference on the
second round.
• Give count if partner ducks his ♦A (give count with
the ten – the highest card you can spare – if you
play the nine you will deny the ten and partner will
play you for a doubleton)
o When the suit is continued, give suit-preference
– partner presumably knows the count.
o If there may be still be any ambiguity between 2-
cds and 4-cds, give present count on the 2nd round
(with the deuce - the lowest in your hand).

Use this deal to clarify your own partnership rules if they

are not 100% clear:

• Do you agree that the sense of the hand will determine

whether this is a count situation or a suit-preference
situation?

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
 • Assuming that the sense of the hand dictates that this
is a count situation, you play (circle all that
apply):
a) Highest from an even number?
b) Second high from an even number?
c) Lowest from an even number?
d) Second lowest from an even number?
e) The play of the 9 denies the 10?
f) The play of the 10 denies the 9?
g) Highest followed by lowest from four (i.e., present
count)?
h) Second highest, followed by original 3rd best?
i) Lowest, followed by highest? (i.e., UDCA present
count)
j) Highest followed by suit-preference?
k) Lowest followed by suit-preference? (UDCA)
l) Other?

10) Perhaps you play 3-way signals when you’re known to

hold unusual length in the suit. A middle card
encourages, while both high and low cards are suit-
preference signals. That’s a good scheme, and a
popular one among top players, but it won’t always
solve your problem.

On this deal, are you confident that partner will be

able to read your ♥7 as a low card? Perhaps he has a
singleton A♥ and it will look like a middle card to
him (i.e., encouraging). Even if he has a doubleton
♥, the 7 is pretty high.

A better signaling scheme is Attitude at trick-one at

all times (using obvious shift principles), even when
you are known to hold unusual length in the suit led.
But, in addition,

USE AN “ALARM CLOCK” SIGNAL TO TELL PARTNER TO THINK

TWICE ABOUT HIS PLAY BECAUSE THERE IS SOMETHING
UNUSUAL ABOUT THE HAND.

It’s called an ALARM CLOCK because the card you play

is so unusual and unexpected that it is supposed to
“wake him up.”

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
 Any unusual honor can function as an ALARM CLOCK
signal, but it’s practical to reserve the Jack
exclusively for this purpose. When you signal with
the Jack you are saying, “Wake up and do something
unusual.” If you don’t hold the Jack, you will
usually be able to spare the King or Queen.

In this case, if you play any ♥ other than the Jack,

partner may read it as encouraging. If you play the
♥7, even assuming partner can read it correctly as
discouraging, he will still interpret it as suggesting
♦’s (the obvious shift). In order to get a ♣ shift,
you must play the J♥ - an ALARM CLOCK. Partner will
scratch his head and think, “He could have gotten a
heart continuation with any high ♥; he could have
gotten a ♦ shift with any low ♥; he MUST want a ♣
shift pretty badly - he must be ruffing a ♣.”

It was good to have an agreement this time:

♠ KT82
♥ 65
♦ KQ4
♣ AK94

♠43 ♠ 975
♥A ♥ KJT987
♦JT976 ♦ 8532
♣QT532 ♣ ---

♠ AQJ6
♥ Q432
♦ A
♣ J876

Most tables made 4♠ after a ♥ lead and a ♦ shift, but

there were two pairs in the field with agreements good
enough to cover this situation, and 4♠ was one down.

11) If you encourage with both Txxx and Jxx, how can
partner know which you hold. How can he know whether
to continue ♦’s or shift? How can he know if declarer
holds AJx?

Obviously, you must discourage with Txxx in order to

prevent the ignominy of the Bath Coup. In most cases,
the opening leader’s problems at trick-two will
revolve around the location of the Jack. Therefore, a

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
 simple, and logical way to signal in 3rd seat is to
agree that

YOUR ATTITUDE SIGNAL AT TRICK-ONE ALWAYS REVOLVES

AROUND THE JACK.

If you can’t see it (and partner didn’t promise it

with his lead) then you MUST discourage at trick-one.

But then how can you tell partner that you have four
cards in his suit (i.e., that declarer may have AJ
doubleton). Of course, you can tell him when you get
an opportunity to discard. But that may be too late.

The obvious answer is to USE SMITH ECHO - the ♣8

followed by the ♣3 – suggesting that you like the
opening lead. If you discourage at trick-one, then
give a positive Smith Echo at trick-two, partner will
be able to tell that you do not have the ♦J. He will
also know, from your Smith Echo, that you still like
the suit. That can only be a four-card holding. He
will know the entire position. So, when it is wrong
to continue from his side he’ll avoid a disastrous
play. And, when it is right to do so, he will be able
to continue when he gains the lead (and perhaps drop
declarer’s now singleton Jack).

12) Of course you could discard the ♣Q (or the deuce if

you use UDCA), but throwing away a winner is not
appealing.

If you use standard signals, you will probably try the

♠2, or the ♥6, and hope that partner guesses well.

A better method is Lavinthal discards, where you

discard only from suits you don’t want led. A high
discard asks for the higher-ranking of the other two
suits – a low one for the lower-ranking. You could
discard the ♥6 and hope partner can read it as low.
Or you could risk the ♠2 which is clearly suit-
preference for ♣’s. But there is a downside to
Lavinthal. If you are dealt the wrong spot-cards (all
high, or all low) in the suit you don’t like, you are
stuck. In addition, you have no way to play a neutral
card – you are virtually commanding a shift when you

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
 discard. And you cannot ask for a shift by playing a
card in the suit you do like, which you will sometimes
want to do. The scheme is good, but fairly
inflexible. Still, it is a great improvement over
standard signaling.

An even better, more flexible, discarding scheme is

ODD-EVEN, OR ROMAN, DISCARDS. An odd spot-card says
“I like this suit. An even spot-card says “I don’t
like this suit,” and may be suit-preference for the
other two suits. If you are dealt the wrong spot
cards for your message in one suit, you may be able to
turn to another. If you have all odd spot-cards in
all suits (rare), you can play a high one to
discourage (low odd cards are more encouraging). If
you have all even spot-cards you can send conflicting
messages, and partner will notice that your cards are
all even and may figure out your problem. You have
great flexibility and will very rarely encounter any
difficulty in sending your message.

In this case, either Lavinthal or Odd-Even will work

out just fine. Using odd-even you will play the ♠2
(or the ♥6) just as you would using Lavinthal, and
partner will have the same information. But in the
long run you will find that Odd-Even discards are
superior because of their flexibility.

13) If you use standard signaling there is no solution to

this sort of dilemma. You had better guess well!

You may continue ♠’s and find declarer with something

like ♠J52 ♥AQ92 ♦Q52 ♣AK5 (your defense just gave him
his 9th trick) Or, you may shift and find that partner
held ♠J32 and that a ♠ continuation at trick-two was
necessary to beat the contract.

The solution is to use

UDCA (UPSIDE DOWN COUNT AND ATTITUDE) SIGNALS.

UDCA will solve the problem easily, and is clearly

superior to Standard signaling in this sort of situation.
When you want to encourage you play low (in this case the

courtesy of K.T.McCallum
 ♠2) and partner cannot misread your intentions. When
you want to discourage you signal with the highest spot-
card you can spare and partner notices that there are
several lower ones missing, thus making your card more
readable.

The advantages of UDCA are fairly clear.

a) When you want to discourage in a suit, you can usually

afford to throw away your high spot-cards. But, when
you want to encourage, often you cannot spare one of
your high ones without costing a trick in the suit.
b) Your high cards are more readable to partner because
you can spare the highest one you hold more often in
suits where you have no interest.
c) Declarer can’t false-card effectively nearly so often
as he can when you play standard signals. In this
case, he can try the deuce, from J52, but partner’s
high spot-card will defeat him.

In this case, from ♠743 East would play his highest

spot-card(♠7) and West would have no difficulty in
reading it as discouraging.

Of course, as in all signaling methods, there will be

times when you wish you weren’t playing UDCA. When
you are dealt all high spot-cards, and you want to
encourage, you will occasionally run into some
difficulty. But the problem is not nearly so serious
as that presented by standard signals where you will
sometimes have to risk blowing a trick in the suit in
order to get partner to continue.

courtesy of K.T.McCallum