Leads and signals
Leads against NT
If not specified, lead the top of a sequence
| A | AKx, Ax, AKQx (rare - for SP) | unblock Qx, Qxx, Tx, Txx, JT, JTx |
| K | Kx, AK, AKQx, KQx | unblock J |
| (AKx against 5th or 6th lvl contracts or against declarers preempt) | ||
| Q | Qx, QJx, (AKQx - partner can signal count - low = even) | promises 0 or 2 higher cards |
| J | Jx, JTx, AKQJx, KQJx, AQJx | promises 0 or 2 higher cards |
| T | Tx, T9x, AJTx, KJTx | promises 0 or 2 higher cards |
| 9 | 9x, 98x, QT9x, KT9x, AT9x | |
| low | 4th best from an honour, higher from doubleton, 2nd highest of nothing, | |
| lowest from 3rd honor, 8 denies a higher card unless H98, HT8 |
When you lead from the top of a sequence and your lead takes the first trick, lead low or lowest from the sequence if you want your partner to unblock.
When your partner leads something and you take the trick, return the suit:
Higher from doubleton
Third from even number
Lowest from odd number
Later NT leads
Ace denies king so a positive signal from partner promises the king
King does not deny ace or queen
Queen does not deny jack
Jack, ten and nine still promise 0 or 2 higher cards
Fourth from an honour, but if we fear the low card would appear too high for partner, lead 5th or 6th or 7th
Third from Hxx
If there is no importance of our holding in our suit, lead count - low = even
When you take the trick (not the 1st trick) with an honour, next lead low in this suit = odd current number
Signals
Ace lead King lead Queen lead Jack lead
| Ace | Queen promises J, small promises Q or length, J is negative but can have the ten |
| King | Unblock some holdings, Jxx = positive attitude, J is either JT, JTx or Jx, T denies Jack |
| Queen | Unblock Jx, small is positive with A/K/T, T denies Jack |
| Jack | a) Dummy does NOT control the suit and declarer can have A9xx - attitude, low = has the ten |
| b) Dummy does control the suit or declarer can’t have 4+ cards - Reese count | |
| 8 | Attitude, low = encouragement |
| T or 9 | Play your honor, if you don’t have, then show Reese Count |
| Small | If Ace or King is played by dummy, show attitude |
| If Queen is played by dummy, show Reese count | |
| 3 cards - play the highest, even J from Jxx | |
| 2 or 5 cards - play the lowest | |
| 4 cards - play the second lowest |
Reverse Smith Echo
Only applies in the 2nd trick
Both defenders signal, unless the partner of the opening leader showed his attitude clearly in the 1st round
In that case, the non-leading defender signals his current holding in the suit led in the 1st trick (low = odd)
Both defenders signal, unless the opening lead was the eight.
In that case, the opening leader signals his current holding in the suit he led in the 1st trick (low = odd)
Suit leads
| Lead | Examples |
|---|---|
| A | AKx, Ax, AKQx (rare - for SP) |
| K | Kx, AK, AKQx, KQx, (AKx against 5th or 6th level contracts or against declarer’s preempt) |
| Q | Qx, QJx, (AKQx - partner can signal count - low = even) |
| J | Jx, JTx, AKQJx, KQJx, AQJx |
| T | Tx, T9x, AJTx, KJTx |
| 9 | 9x, 98x, QT9x, KT9x, AT9x |
| From H | Lowest from odd number of cards, 3rd from Hxxx, 4th from Hxxxxx |
| From Nothing | Top of nothing, lower from a doubleton |
When your partner leads something and you take the trick, return the suit:
- Higher from doubleton
- Third from even number
- Lowest from odd number
Later suit leads
Same as NT
Trump signals
Suit preference
Alternative signal: count, initiated mostly by partners unusual play
What to signal
Ace and King generally ask for attitude - low = enc
Queen and lower generally ask for count - low = even
When declarer leads his suit, we can sometimes signal count in that suit - low = even
Suit preference when sending a ruff or when attitude and count had been already shown or are irrelevant
When not to signal attitude
| Scenario | Highest | Lowest | 2nd Lowest or Middle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner has led A (has AK almost certainly) and dummy has Qxx(x+) | 3+ | Doubleton | |
| Partner has led A, we have shown 3+ cards in bidding | Odd | Even + SP L | Even + no SP L |
| Declarer controls at least the 2nd round of the suit led | SP H | SP L | Neutral |
| Dummy controls at least the 2nd round of the suit led and has 5/4+ trumps | SP H | SP L | Neutral |
| Dummy controls at least the 2nd round of the suit led and has 5+/3 trumps* | Attitude | Attitude | |
| Dummy has Jxxx(+) | Odd | Even | |
| Opening leader can see 10 cards between his hand and dummy | Doubleton | Singleton | |
| We have shown 6+ cards in the suit our partner has led | Extremes are SP, others are for attitude | ||
| Partner leads a King against small slam | Odd | Even | |
| Cash-out: it is obvious that partner has AK+A & he needs to know the count | Odd | Even | |
| Cash-out: 5th level, dummy and maybe declarer too have 2+ cards in the suit | Odd | Even | |
| (Cash-out: 5th level) If we have shown 3-4 cards in the suit led by partner | Odd + SP H | Even + SP L | Even + no SP L |
| (Cash-out: 5th level) If we have shown 5+ cards in the suit led by partner | 5 + SP H | 6 + SP L | 6 + no SP L |
| The opening lead was a disaster and there is no chance for 2+ tricks here | SP H | SP L |
Partner has 5+ cards, leads Ace and there is xxx in dummy - signal the Jxx holding with positive attitude as you would have the Queen.
*With supposed 4/4 trumps (could be 5+/4 but we do not know) attitude is signaled if one of the defenders has 0-1 or 4-5 trumps
If leading a high card under the general rule of second-highest from a worthless holding, if the two highest cards held are equals, the normal lead is the highest equal (not the first lead at NT except T9x, 98x)
If leading a high card under the general rule of second-highest from a worthless holding, if the two highest cards held are equals, the normal lead is the highest equal (not the first lead at NT except T9x, 98x)
Discards (both suit and NT)
| Italian | |
|---|---|
| odd | this suit |
| even | SP for another suit |
| honour | promises at least one lower honour and denies a higher honor |
If partner leads his long suit against NT and then discards it, do not lead it again.
If partner leads his long suit against NT and then discards odd of another suit, it does not have to be a real signal, he has just nothing to play.
Various notes
Singleton ambiguity
When you worry about your partner recognising your lead was a singleton, do not give him chance for an alternative play - cash out the ace in the sidesuit Or take the trick with an unnecesarilly high card = wake up, partner! Now I lead my singleton. When you do not know if partners lead was a singleton, try to cash out the ace in the sidesuit Look for partners signal, when he play low, it is encouraging and it was not a singleton When you do not know if partners lead was a singleton and declarer takes the trick, Look for partners signal in the next trick, low in the suit that the declarer has led = it was singleton lead! Low/mid lvl contracts: K from AK, then leading your partners suit (bid) = singleton
AKQ
If partner leads a suit and we have AKQ, the normal play is QAK.
| AKQ | SP H |
| QKA | SP L |
| KQA | SP trumps |
Partner executes an unusual play
He is asking us to unblock
He is asking for an alternative signal
Defending against signals
When LHO leads and you have to play something from your hand eventually, signal the same way as your RHO
If they play low = enc, play low if you like your LHO to continue the suit and vice versa
If they play SP, play low if you like your LHO to continue in a lower ranking suit etc.
If only one of the defenders are relevant and he knows that we have a certain card, get rid of it ASAP.
Congratulatory jack
A defender’s unnecessary play of a jack after a deal’s outcome has been decided, to acknowledge partner’s superior defense