Thursday, May 06, 2004 4:38 AM
Hand Evaluation – Signals ( Known Length
Signals )
PITBULLS:
Years ago , Nick Gartaganis
introduced all of us to “known length”
signals. The idea behind this concept was if you had a good idea of
the suit length from the bidding , signaling methods change & have priority over your agreed signals. When partner pre-empts at
the 3 level or two level or has opened or overcalled a 5 card major , we are quite aware of the length of the suit. Therefore , middle encourages or “don’t care” & hi
& lo cards are suit preference as long as they are signaled from that known length suit. Instead
of “known length signals” , we called them Gartaganis signals. Like the obvious switch principle , this concept enriches the attitude
signal in your system. You also can play “known length” discards. When you have
known length from the bidding , discarding in your suit follows the same
principles.
There is also another aspect to the “known
length” concept . When partner does not want to lead blind on gambling 3NT auctions or pre-emptively bid slams etc , assumed known length comes into effect.
Partner was trying to hit you with length or a
key card , so it’s important to have suit preference
built into the attitude structure.
The opponents bid a 6♦ slam so you lead the ♥ Ace ( unbid
suit ) . Board hits with ♠AK10xx ♥xx ♦xxxxx ♣Q
Partner holds the ♥J10532 so which heart does she play ? When she held a spade void ,
the Jack of hearts will demand a spade switch. When she has the club Ace , the deuce of hearts will give that message. When
partner has no suit preference or the ♥K , the ♥5 will send that message. An attitude signal should be a 3 in 1
indicator when you can have that luxury.
No matter what signals are agreed for your system , known count signals do not conflict with your methods. You default to known count signals
only when your side
has been in the auction & the partnership knows the exact length of the partnership suit from the bidding . Know count ( suit
preference ) only applies when you are using the information that both you
& partner know about your exact suit length.
It makes perfect sense,
as signals always have some sort of priority scheme
relative to attitude , count & suit preference . Known count
just leaves out the count
in the scheme of things & has the middle
card as attitude. Not
having count to worry about , elevates suit
preference in importance. Gartaganis
signals borrow from the obvious switch
principle. When you do not have a suit preference
, encourage . The only difference is that attitude is shown by a middle
card in your suit only. Excellent
concept.
Known count applies to
the partnerships bid suit where the count in
that suit is known exactly from
the bidding or there is a length assumption
( non blind leads ) . This known count concept should override your standard discard agreements also.
Think about it. You have opened a weak 2♥ & they have reached 4♠
. You have ♦KQ3 but you cannot afford to signal in that suit . Declarer draws trump so you discard a very high heart . Partner knows your count from the bidding so a
middle sluff is don’t care or stating the obvious
that I like hearts. A high heart discard says I like diamonds. Roman discards are the same thing.
Discarding a high even heart would
say I like diamonds when you play odd/even discards . When they run a suit
after you have lead your suit , known count discards can apply. You discard
a middle card of your known suit means no suit
preference so return my suit. Hi & Lo discards
means do not return my suit but the suits I am indicating. This assumes you can
afford one discard from your suit.
Playing a disciplined simple raise
style with the majors
has a distinct defensive advantage . It brings in the concept of “known length”
which is very handy for signaling. All simple major raises playing this style show 3 trump , all
jump or forcing raises show
4 or more. Same with minor jumps or inverted minors also showing 5 trump
there are definite defensive
advantages . When partners suit
length is known from the bidding ,
suit preference comes into play .
Experts like the middle card
encouraging style of signaling when following suit in these known length situations. . High & low
cards are suit preference , high for higher ranking suit & low for lower ranking suit. A middle card is
straight lets continue the suit
as a switch might be a disaster looking at my hand. This is the beauty of the
method of signaling. A middle card does not necessarily mean to continue it
just means I do not have
a suit preference so a switch might
be a disaster from my hand. You know my suit length from the bidding
so switch to a trump or continue if appropriate. Even with 3 cards after a simple raise since with our style we are known to hold 3 then suit preference applies.
What are some other known count situations ? When partner opens a weak two or pre-empts or overcalls
there is a known count or length situation.
When a singleton appears on the board ,
partner is winning the trick , this is an automatic known count situation ( i.e. suit preference ) . When somebody
shows out of a suit than this is a
“known length” situation that you can take advantage of the situation for suit
preferences. When you have overcalled , opened a
5 card major or pre-empted these are more known
length situations . Middle cards are attitude encouraging so high & lo cards are suit preference . When a singleton appears
on the board , signaling reverts to the Gartaganis
style.
Here
are a couple of “known count” signaling situations in
action. I opened a weak 2♥
with
♠xx ♥Q109872 ♦xxx ♣KJ10 and the opponents get
to 4♠ . My partner leads the
6 of hearts , the dummy hits with
♠ Qxx
♥ AKJx
♦
J10x
♣
xxx
Declarer wins the heart , playa
a 2nd high heart and discards a club. What hearts have you played ? By
opening a weak two , you are in a “known length” or “known count” situation
therefore you have an obligation
to partner.
If you have no particular preference , you must play a middle heart to encourage in
that suit. Failure to do so will throw partner off who is trying to glean
information by your choice of spot cards. A low heart at trick one tells
partner that club values are in your hand and the heart 10 would advertise
diamonds. Partner has Qxx of diamonds so would never
switch away from this diamond holding when the heart deuce is played at trick
one.
“Known count” principles also apply
when count & attitude are not important.
In other words, you
default to suit preference. Declarer has a lot of entries
in 4♠ with a side suit on the dummy consisting of KQJ10x . When it is determined that
count & attitude are not important
( depending on context) , signaling defaults to suit preference. Partner wins the Ace , you have a preference for the higher ranking suit so
you play a high spot . A middle
spot is no suit preference and a low spot card means we prefer the lower
ranking suit.
Kiz Fung & I had an easy
example of this concept recently. She opened 3♠ vul , I bid 4♠ &
all pass. Kiz led the ♠A to look at the dummy . ♠xx ♥Axxxxx ♦K10x ♣Kx . I played the spade deuce
supposedly from ♠K82 . Kiz
has 7♠ so known count signaling is in
effect ( count is known in that suit around the table
) . The spades from the bidding are 7-3-2-1
so my spade king is not going to cash anyway. Seeing the spade deuce , she switches to a club & we beat the contract.
A local couple had a nice defense recently against Perry
& I using Gartaganis
signals. They opened 2♦ with ♠xx ♥Axx ♦K1098xx ♣xx & Perry reached 4♠ with LHO throwing in a 3♣ bid.
The ♦A was lead & the board
held ♦QJx so Gartaganis signals obviously come
into effect. The 2♦ bidder played the ♦10 from his known length diamond suit ( from
the bidding ) saying that he had the ♥A in case partner had a stiff ♦A. A middle diamond would have said , no
suit preference or just continue diamonds. The heart was returned
, the ♦K cashed
& partner shows out so they take the 1st four tricks & Perry
went down in his game.
With weak two’s
& other length showing bids , known
length discards apply . The auction goes 2♠-3♣-P-3♦
P-3♠-P-3NT all pass
Partner leads the ♠Q with the following as dummy ♠Ax ♥Qxxx ♦J ♣KQJ1098 . Declarer
leads a club & you win your Ace from ♠xx ♥xxx ♦Axxx ♣Axxx & return a spade. Declarer holding the ♥Ace only has 8 tricks but partner needs an entry. On the 1st
club , partner discards the ♠2 ( known count ) saying his entry is in
diamonds ! This known length signaling overrides odd even discards or upside
down discards as the first discard ! When no suit preference ,
discard a middle spade. He now discards down to the stiff ♥K & when declarer leads a diamond , I pop with my Ace &
return a diamond for down one !!