[Stephen Tu]

Quote

Imagine you lead from Kxxx, dummy wins the trick with Qx. Now you really want to know whether partner has the Jack, or declarer has AJx(x). Or say you lead from QJxx, dummy wins the ace, and declarer sets up a long suit so you have to cash out. You really want to know whether partner has the K (cash out this suit) or not (try another suit).

(It is standard to give count if dummy wins the trick with a not so high card, e.g. to give count when dummy wins the trick with J or lower.)

It's standard to give count when dummy wins J or lower, std to give attitude if dummy wins K/A. When the Q wins, however, there is room for difference of opinion, & partnership agreement; I have seen books argue both ways. E.g. if partner led from AJxxx he might just want to know if you have 4 then he doesn't have to get you back on lead, can just cash ace and drop declarer's remaining K.

[kgr]

ralph23, on Aug 24 2007, 10:44 PM, said:

A.  Use attitude signals as follows:

(2) anytime when discarding (whoever leads, whether it's partner, declarer or dummy).

I think Odd/even discarding is really easy:
- An odd card asks for the suit.
- A low even card asks for lowest suit, A high even card asks for highest suit.
Can it be any easier? I wonder why that is not teached to beginners?

[ralph23]

kgr, on Aug 25 2007, 06:40 AM, said:

ralph23, on Aug 24 2007, 10:44 PM, said:

A.   Use attitude signals as follows:

(2) anytime when discarding (whoever leads, whether it's partner, declarer or dummy).

I think Odd/even discarding is really easy:
- An odd card asks for the suit.
- A low even card asks for lowest suit, A high even card asks for highest suit.
Can it be any easier? I wonder why that is not teached to beginners?

I play this myself, but in ACBL-land, it is only legal on the defender's FIRST discard. It is pretty easy but still is considered an "advanced" method.

[ralph23]

BTW, don't believe that attitude signals can't or don't apply in a suit contract, or (to the same effect) that only suit preference signal can be in effect, when partner leads a suit and dummy has a singleton there.

Dummy:
♠AQ
♥Q

Against 6♠, Partner leads ♥K and you hold ♠J63.

Your only chance to set this is, for partner to lead his ♥Ace and force dummy to ruff with the Queen of ♠. If partner leads anything else, declarer simply draws trumps with ♠AQ, returns to hand with a high minor card, plays the King of ♠ to collect your Jack, returns to dummy and throws all his ♥ losers on the good minor cards in dummy.

or consider:

Dummy:
♠A3
♥Q

Against 6♠, partner leads the King of ♥ and you hold ♠Q65.

If you can convince partner to lead his ♥Ace, dummy must ruff and you can no longer be finessed out of your trump Queen, regardless of what card declarer ruffs with.

Opening leader must use logic to try to interpret third hand's signal in these cases. Sometimes, 3rd hand is signalling for a continuation with a high card; sometimes, not. But its' a common myth that attitude cannot apply here.

Kantar and Root both give examples of this "how not to play suit preference" situation in their intermediate defense books.