Friday, September 16, 2005 8:41 AM

Hand Evaluation - Attitude vrs Suit Preference

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Leading your singleton followed by using partners spot card to determine her entry is pretty standard Bridge. If she returns her small card  , she wants the lower ranking suit , a higher card back the higher ranking and a middle card no suit preference. This is technically a known count situation as its obvious you have led a singleton. How about finding switches when you lay down an Ace ?  If you or partner has bid the suit , there is a “known count” situation , a middle card says continue or no suit preference and hi & lo cards are suit preference. If there is no known length involved ( no bidding ) it’s just plain attitude with the obvious switch principle built in. You discourage if you want an obvious  switch so partner must be able to find the switch. There is no suit preference involved with unknown suit length.

 

            What about if you lay down a stiff Ace ?  It is obvious for everybody at the table from looking at the dummy that it is a stiff. This becomes a “known count situation” . Your count is exactly one so a middle card in that suit by partner would mean no suit preference with a high card &  a low card suit preference. With stiffs on the board it is a known count situation. “Law raises” are known count situations which brings in the middle card as continue or no suit preference.

 

                                    ♠ KQ10

                                    ♥ KQ8642

                                    ♦ Q86

                                    ♣ 6

 

♠ AJ9753

♥ A

♦ 732

♣ Q62                   

 

You have bid spades & partner clubs, they are in 5♦X. You lead the spade ace followed by the heart Ace. If partner wants a spade ruff , she plays a high heart . A low heart would signify the club Ace. Change the hearts on the board so partner can not read the stiff Ace , partner just discourages hearts so you must find the correct or obvious switch.

 

                                                                                    ♠KJ74

                                                                                    ♥J1064

                                                                                    ♦ 8

                                                                                    ♣ J653

 

You have bid hearts with   ♠ 92

                                                ♥ KQ9852

                                                ♦ J4

                                                ♣ AQ4          

 

& they are in 5♦X . You lead the spade 9 , partner wins her Ace . She lays down the heart Ace and everybody follows. This is a no brainer. A high heart in your known length suit would mean you want to ruff a spade , a middle heart says continue and a low heart demands a club.

 

            There is a neat variation of this theme. What if your entry is the Ace of their trump suit ?

 

                                                ♠ J54

                                                ♥ 6

                                                ♦ AK72

                                                ♣ Q8652

 

♠ 862

♥ KJ8432

♦ 964

♣ 7                               

 

They get to 4♠ with no adverse bidding. You lead your club , partner wins the Ace and returns the club 3. She can not want a diamond as that is silly looking at those diamonds. She is warning you that a heart is not a good idea or she has the trump Ace as an entry. Suit preference or attitude ? It depends if there is known count or length . Simple.

 

            A rare form of known count is where the situation on the board makes it obvious that you are looking for a switch. You lead the Ace of a suit , Qxx appears on the board. You have no idea what to do so you say “ what is theirs is theirs” and continue with the King. With no suit preference , partner plays a middle card . Otherwise a high card is the higher ranking suit and a low card is the lower ranking suit.  Let partner help you out !