Friday, August 04, 2006 1:24 AM

Hand Evaluation - Smith Echos ( count )

PITBULLS:

Smith echos should change your entire signaling system against NT contracts. You do not need to show attitude when partner makes a lead just count or preserve your spot cards. Why ? Because attitude is redundant with Smith echos. You do not need to show that you like partners lead as you will shortly on the very first card of the suit declarer plays . Playing Smith echoes elevates count in the scheme of things. In NT contracts , your first card is count not attitude when partner leads a suit won on the board. Smith echos of course are the method of showing belated attitude for partner’s leads when declarer attacks her suit. A low card ( playing udca ) says that you liked the lead & a high card says you did not.

I led my 4 best club against 3NT , declarer plays the King from Kx on the board. You hold Q82 so which card do you play ? When you cannot beat an honour on the board you play 2^nd highest with Foster echos but attitude with standard systems. Playing Smith echoes , you have the luxury of showing count ! You play the 8 showing upside down count. Declarer now attacks diamonds so your deuce of diamonds hits the table saying you liked partners club lead. Partner now knows you have 3 clubs to the queen , 3NT now goes down with the combination of count & attitude from the first two tricks played by declarer..

The only time you should signal attitude playing Smith echos is when partner can get “couped” by continuing a high honour sequence when declarer ducks the honour on the board. All other times just show count. You will clarify the opening lead when declarer leads her first card J . You lead the heart king with KQ9xx and the board hits with Axx , declarer wins the Ace. Partner plays the eight so what do you continue when you get in ? Partner has shown three hearts and plays a high card in the suit declarer attacks. Therefore , declarer has a doubleton jack . So with the queen continuation , partner will unblock the heart 10 so down they go.

You have AJxxx , you lead 4^th best . Declarer wins the Kx on the board and partner plays the deuce. Declarer has Qx so without this understanding there is deception/confusion whether declarer has Qxx . Cashing your Ace will now give her an extra trick so do you switch ? Partner denies the queen with the Smith echo but shows you 4 of them ( count as declarer cannot hold 4 on the bidding ). You lay down your Ace and drop the queen. Should partner encourage on the Smith echo with 4 to the jack ? No , because she has already shown 4 , so the Smith echo should show the queen, in case partner only had a 4 card suit. Count & Smith echo working together.

You lead the queen from ♠QJx against 3NT , the board hits with ♠10862 ♥Kx ♦KQ982 ♣K10 , partner plays the spade 5 . Declarer wins the spade Ace, leads a club to the king and partner plays the 9 . You get in with heart Ace so what do you do ? Does partner have K97 of spades left ? No , of course not , as she played the club 9 when declarer attacked his suit. You switch to a diamond so 3NT goes down one . A spade continuation give declarer 4 spade tricks .

Stan Cabay is right . How did we ever defend properly before Smith echos ??