Suit Preference Signals
Seven Methods to Improve
Your Discards
By Ron Lien
D22 President
The key to suit preference signals is to agree with your partner when they apply. As defender you have to decide when it is right to signal your partner knowing declarer is watching. False carding is certainly allowed, for example when your partner cannot get in. The following seven methods start with the basics and end with advanced agreements. Defenders in these examples use upside down discards (low encourages, high discourages) and count (echo with odd, up the line with even).
Other suit preference signals are standard – high for the higher suit and low for the lower suit.
1. First Discard
For ACBL events, defenders are only allowed to use suit preference discards on their first discard.
North
♠8743
♥KQ87
♦106
♣A74
West East
♠AJ92 ♠K5
♥542 ♥J1063
♦J9853 ♦Q72
♣5 ♣QJ62
South
♠Q106
♥A9
♦AK4
♣K10983
Auction:
South West North East
1NT Pass 2♣ Pass
2♦ Pass 3NT Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: ♦3
After the ♦3 lead is won by declarer’s ♦K, a club is led to the ace followed by a low club. East is allowed to win the ♣J, but West discards the discouraging ♦8, asking for a spade to beat the contract. From East’s vantage point, partner may have led from ♦AJxxx, which could be shown with a high spade discard. The discouraging (high) diamond leads East to the winning defense of the ♠K and ♠5.
2. Dead Suit Discards
A dead suit is one in which the defense cannot win any more tricks.
North
♠A643
♥AQ
♦J973
♣J106
West East
♠9 ♠K102
♥KJ9753 ♥1082
♦AQ10 ♦8742
♣753 ♣982
South
♠QJ875
♥64
♦K6
♣AKQ4
Auction:
South West North East
1♠ 2♥ 3♥ Pass
4♠ Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: ♥5
With the heart lead the defense can see there are no tricks in hearts, the dead suit. After the ♠A and a spade, East wins the king. West discards the ♥K to ask for the higher suit, diamonds, to hold the contract to four. If West holds the ♣AQ, the ♥3 is the correct discard
3. Second Card after Count
hen declarer leads a suit in which the defender holds at least three cards, the second card played indicates the suit preference for the two remaining suits.
North
♠K104
♥QJ73
♦86
♣KJ57
West East
♠Q75 ♠982
♥K108 ♥A542
♦K10542 ♦Q73
♣98 ♣1063
South
♠AJ63
♥96
♦AJ9
♣AQ42
Auction:
South West North East
1NT Pass 3NT Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: ♦4
After the low diamond lead is won by the ace, declarer leads a spade to the king and finesses, losing to the ♠Q – the safe hand. East gives upside down count with the ♠9 showing an odd number of cards and then shows the heart entry with the ♠8, the highest of two remaining spades. A heart to the ace and a diamond return beats 3NT. Following with the ♠2 would show the ♣A. Partner will have an ace here unless the 1NT opener had only 14 hcp. In some cases, playing the lower card shows no preference.
4. Giving Partner a Ruff
When you expect partner to ruff a suit, you lead with suit preference to that trick.
North
♠Q6
♥KJ98
♦Q52
♣QJ64
West East
♠J9754 ♠1082
♥Q ♥5432
♦A109 ♦J8743
♣AK95 ♣8
South
♠AK3
♥A1076
♦K6
♣10732
Auction:
South West North East
1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass
2♥ Pass 2NT Pass
4♥ Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: ♣A or ♣K
West starts with the ♣AK and then leads the ♣5 to show an entry in the lower suit, diamonds, for the second ruff. The ♣9 would show a spade card
5. Playing Third Seat from AK
The order in which you play from an A-K combination is often showing suit preference. Playing king then ace shows either no preference or the lower of two suits, neither this suit nor trump.
North
♠876
♥K65
♦QJ93
♣J106
West East
♠10 ♠AK9542
♥Q1074 ♥AJ93
♦86542 ♦10
♣A75 ♣98
South
♠QJ3
♥82
♦AK7
♣KQ432
Auction:
South West North East
1♠
1NT Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: ♠10
West leads a spade. By winning the ace and then the king, East asks for the higher suit, hearts. West asks for the club lead with the “upside down” ♣5, so West can lead the ♥Q.
6. Trump Suit Preference
When leading or following to the trump suit you can often give suit preference as long as you don’t give up a trump trick.
North
♠Q5
♥972
♦J973
♣KQ102
West East
♠98432 ♠KJ1076
♥AJ3 ♥Q1084
♦862 ♦1054
♣93 ♣A
South
♠A
♥K86
♦AKQ
♣J87654
Auction:
South West North East
1♣ Pass 1NT DBL
2♣ 3♠ 4♣ Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: ♠3
After the opening spade lead, declarer leads a club. Assuming West has at least two clubs, playing the ♣9 first shows cards in the higher suit, hearts. If West plays the ♣3, that would indicate no preference or cards in diamonds.
7. No More Tricks in a Suit
Against a suit contract when it becomes obvious the defenders can win no more tricks in a side suit, one or both defenders should give suit preference. Partner will give suit preference for the two remaining suits outside trump.
North
♠A643
♥KQ
♦Q1097
♣J109
West East
♠9 ♠Q102
♥AJ1032 ♥98642
♦J65 ♦843
♣A654 ♣K8
South
♠KJ875
♥7
♦AK2
♣Q732
Auction:
South West North East
1♠ 2♥ 3♥ 4♥
4♠ Pass Pass Pass
Opening Lead: ♥A
On the ♥A lead East plays the ♥2, showing a club card. A low club to the ♣K and the ♣8 back to West’s ♣A for a club ruff defeats the game.
Partnership
If you aren’t currently playing some of these suit preference methods, give them a try with a partner who watches the cards, and can play in tempo.