Leads and Signals. All things being equal, we tend to be on defense about half the time; and leading about half of this time

Transcription

1 Leads and Signals All things being equal, we tend t be n defense abut half the time; and leading abut half f this time Opening lead frequently sets up the pattern n defense Cperatin between partners n defense is extremely imprtant Dn t try t set yur ppnents all by yurself; enlist yur partner in the effrt by signaling what yu hld Watch what partner plays and infer defensive apprach he is suggesting and cperate

2 Leading The key t selecting an pening lead is t listen t the auctin and infer what that says abut everyne s hand Has yur partner bid --> Pssible indicatin f suit t lead Have the ppnents bid easily and swiftly t game with n interference and yu have near an pening hand --> yur partner has nthing and the defense is up t yu Have the ppnents struggled and fund a secndary place t play -- > They may nt have enugh trump and a trump lead might be apprpriate D yu have Cnnected Hnrs (I.e., an AK) --> then yu might want t lead the hnr t see what dummy has and then make yur real lead D yu have a series (I.e., QJT9) -- If yu can lead enugh times, yu can eventually drive ut their hnrs

3 Example hand

4 Example hand - Slved

5 Types f Leads Aggressive/Active -- Use if ppnents have side surce f tricks Tapping -- Use when yu have length in trump suit; try t make ppnents use their trump by ruffing yur lng suit High rller leads -- Very aggressive and gambling leads; usually want t use nly in team games where payff fr gamble is large; can backfire in pairs games NT cntracts -- usually call fr aggressive leads s tricks dn t get away (timing can be very imprtant at NT) Passive leads -- When it is clear that ppnents will really have t wrk t make cntract (make them earn every trick) Trump leads -- Can be bth passive and aggressive (try nt t finesse partner thugh) Pattern leads and leads frm Nthing (furth best, third and fifth, MUD, BOSTON, etc.)

6 Signals Partner has made an pening lead -- Hw d I tell him what t d next? Oppnent has played a suit and I can t fllw suit -- Hw d I tell partner what t play when he gets the lead? I knw partner can ruff a card I play -- Hw d I tell him hw t get back t me fr a secnd ruff? Hw t tell partner hw many cards I have in a suit All these are examples f Signaling (I.e, telling partner what t play next) Typical signaling methds: Standard, Upside dwn, Lavinthal (discards nly), Odd/Even (discards nly) Als need t discuss primary signal t partner s lead (attitude, cunt, r suit preference)

7 Signals

8 Signals

9 Leads and Signals Suggest yu and partner take time t clearly nte exactly hw yu want t play defense and mark n cnventin card (see belw) Leads and Signals Respnse t partner s pening lead: a) Always play upside dwn attitude (high card discurages suit and lw encurages) unless: b) If its bvius that cntinuatin f suit will be taken by them, then change t suit preference signal (high card higher nn trump suit, lw card lwer nn trump suit). My pening lead: a) Per the cnventin card fr hnrs and/r series (i.e., tp f series r internal series) against suit and NT cntracts. b) If nt hnr r series lead (per abve), start f nrmal cunt sequence (right side up high-lw indicates even number f cards) with 3 rd r 5 th best card against suit cntract. c) If nt hnr r series lead (per abve), 4 th best against NT. After pening lead: a) If partner breaks new suit, then give upside dwn attitude signal. b) If ppnents break new suit, then start nrmal cunt sequence. c) If I break new suit, then start nrmal cunt sequence with 3 rd r 5 th best (unless hnr/series). Cunt: Use nrmal cunt at all times. High-Lw means even number and Lw-High means dd number in suit. Hwever, attitude is primary signal t leads. "Ten Denies": The lead f a ten implicitly denies hlding any cards higher than that. The lead f a 9 implies a higher card. BOSTON Leads: During the play, leading a lw card will imply that I have "smething" in a suit. Leading a high card will imply that I have "nthing". Discards: Always upside dwn suit preference (e.g., lw card means I like suit and high card means I dn t like suit). Trump Suit Preference (TSP) signals: a) If I am initially n lead and dn't lead a trump, there are tw suits remaining (i.e., nn-led and nn-trump). These are the tw suits that the TSP will apply t. (Nte, yu will have given me an attitude signal n my lead.) If I d lead a trump initially, there will be sme ambiguity abut the TSP signals.