Effective defense relies on coordinated efforts between you and your partner. This coordination hinges on timely and accurate communication about your hand’s key honors and distribution. In essence, you must send clear and meaningful signals to your partner.
We have already discussed signaling agreements regarding specific honors and suit lengths in the context of opening leads and third-hand play. Defensive signals are an extension of these same principles, applied throughout the hand to convey critical information.
By using these signals effectively, you can guide your partner’s decisions, helping both of you anticipate Declarer’s strategy and adjust your defense to maximize your chances of success. Understanding and applying these defensive signals is essential for achieving a higher level of teamwork and precision in your defensive play.
There are three main kinds of defensive signals:
- Attitude Signals tell if you like or don’t like a suit.
- Count Signals tell how many cards you have in the suit.
- Suit Preference Signals tell which other suit you want Partner to lead.
Of these three kinds of signals, attitude is by far the most common and the most useful. That’s where we’ll start.
Attitude Signals
Showing attitude when following suit
Your attitude toward a suit that your partner has led communicates whether you value that suit and want your partner to lead it again or if you would prefer your partner to shift to a different suit.
When you like the suit—perhaps because you hold an honor or potential winning cards in it—your signal indicates encouragement for continued play in that suit. Conversely, if you dislike the suit—either because it lacks strength in your hand or you see greater potential in another suit—your signal suggests a preference for a switch.
These attitude signals are an essential part of defensive communication, allowing you and your partner to coordinate your efforts effectively. By interpreting and responding to these signals, you can create opportunities to maximize your combined tricks and disrupt Declarer’s strategy. Clear and consistent signaling strengthens your defensive play and improves overall outcomes.
How do you show attitude?
- high spot card = something good in the suit, usually an honor card
- low spot card = nothing good in the suit
Example 1
| Partner ♥ Q | |
| Declarer ♥ ? | Dummy ♥ K 8 4 |
| You ♥ A T 9 3 | |
Your partner leads the ♥Q, which promises the ♥J, and Declarer chooses to play low from the Dummy. This lead works well for you because you hold the ♥A, ready to capture Dummy’s ♥K at the right moment.
You could say you have a very favorable attitude toward the suit your partner has led. It sets up an excellent opportunity for your side to win additional tricks while limiting Dummy’s contributions.
By showing your support for this suit through signaling, you can encourage your partner to continue leading hearts, maximizing your defensive strength. Coordination and communication in situations like this are key to an effective defense.
How do you “tell” Partner to continue hearts?
Example 2
| Partner ♣ K | |
| Declarer ♣ ? | Dummy ♣ T 6 4 |
| You ♣ J 8 7 3 | |
Partner leads the ♣K, and you have a filling honor. Good news! Play an encouraging spot card to tell Partner your attitude.
Which spot card do you play?
The most effective signals are those that your partner can easily interpret. For a negative attitude toward a suit, play the lowest spot card you hold. Conversely, to show a positive attitude and encourage your partner to continue the suit, play the highest spot card you can afford.
Using middle spot cards can create ambiguity and may confuse your partner about your intentions. By choosing your spot cards carefully, you can clearly communicate whether you support the suit or prefer a shift to another one. Precise and consistent signaling ensures smoother communication, helping your partnership work together more effectively to counter Declarer’s strategy.
Example 3
| Partner ♦ K Q T 5 | |
| Declarer ♦ A J 6 | Dummy ♦ 9 7 4 |
| You ♦ 8 3 2 | |
Partner leads the ♦K, but this time you do not have a filling honor. Play a discouraging spot card to tell Partner your attitude.
Which spot card do you play?
If Declarer wins this trick, your partner’s ♦Q-T will remain positioned over Declarer’s ♦J-6, effectively blocking Declarer from making any future diamond tricks.
However, consider what happens if Declarer plays the ♦6 on the first trick. If your partner mistakenly leads a second diamond into Declarer’s ♦A-J, Declarer will successfully make two tricks in the suit. This tactic, known as the Bath Coup, is a clever ploy to lure a misstep from the defense.
This is why it is crucial for your partner to carefully observe the attitude signal you provide when leading from a sequence like K-Q. Your attitude card will inform your partner whether you hold a supporting honor, such as the ♦J, making it safe to continue the suit. If your signal indicates a lack of support, your partner should consider switching to another suit to avoid giving Declarer unnecessary tricks. Clear and timely communication through signaling is essential to counter such strategies effectively and to maintain control of the defense.
Showing attitude with discards
When you run out of a suit you can discard any card in your hand. That gives you an opportunity to send Partner an attitude signal about the suit you choose.
Example 4
| Partner ♠ ♥ ♦ J ♣ | |
| Dummy ♠ 9 6 4 ♥ 9 6 4 ♦ T 6 ♣ A J T 6 4 | Declarer ♠ ♥ ♦ Q ♣ |
| You ♠ J 8 5 3 ♥ A J T 5 ♦ 8 7 4 2 ♣ 6 | |
You lead the ♦8 against 3N.
You can see there is no future in Diamonds, because Partner fails to play a big diamond on the first trick. (Declarer has all of the big diamonds.)
How does Partner also know there is no future in diamonds?
When Declarer plays clubs, you can discard on the second round. How do you tell Partner that you prefer hearts to spades? (two correct answers)
You can always signal a negative attitude toward a suit you don’t want your partner to lead by discarding a low card from that suit. Since you’re not relying on those cards to win tricks, signaling your lack of interest is straightforward.
However, showing a positive attitude for a suit you prefer may be more challenging. Discarding a high card from the desired suit could weaken your ability to win tricks in that suit later. In such cases, you’ll need to find alternative ways to communicate your preference, such as through suit selection or other defensive signals.
Balancing the need to signal with the importance of retaining key cards is a critical part of effective defensive strategy. By carefully managing your discards and considering the overall context of the hand, you can guide your partner while preserving your own winning potential.
A special case…
When leading the fourth-best card against a notrump contract, it’s standard practice to retain your remaining spot cards as potential winners later in the play. These cards, often referred to as “future winners,” are critical for setting up tricks in your suit.
If, however, you choose to discard one of these spot cards, it serves as a negative attitude signal about your own suit. This signal indicates to your partner that you are no longer interested in developing tricks in that suit. Importantly, it doesn’t matter whether the discarded spot card is high or low; the act of discarding from the suit itself communicates your disinterest.
Such a discard might arise when you perceive that continuing to establish your suit is unlikely to succeed, or when shifting focus to another suit appears more promising for the defense. By discarding strategically, you provide valuable guidance to your partner, helping them adjust their play to align with the changing dynamics of the hand.
Showing positive attitude with a doubleton
Example 5
| Partner ♠ A | |
| Declarer ♠ ? | Dummy ♠ Q 5 4 |
| You ♠ 9 3 2 | |
In a trump contract, your partner leads the ♠A, which promises the ♠K.
If you have no useful cards in spades, you follow with a low spot card as a negative attitude signal, indicating to your partner that you don’t have support for the suit. Based on this signal, you expect your partner to shift to a different suit rather than continuing with spades. Continuing with spades would only serve to establish Dummy’s ♠Q, ultimately benefiting Declarer.
Now, let’s consider a slightly different situation where you hold only a doubleton in spades. This changes the dynamics of the play. Discarding your low spade may suggest to your partner that continuing spades could still be worthwhile if your doubleton offers potential for a ruff later in the hand.
In situations like this, defensive communication becomes even more critical. The signals you send not only guide your partner’s decisions but also influence how effectively your side counters Declarer’s strategy. Balancing your signals with the broader context of the hand ensures the partnership works cohesively to maximize defensive opportunities.
Example 6
| Partner ♠ A | |
| Declarer ♠ ? | Dummy ♠ Q 5 4 |
| You ♠ 9 2 | |
In this situation, you want your partner to cash the ♠K and then lead a third round of spades, allowing you to trump and eliminate Dummy’s ♠Q.
To communicate this, play a high spot card in spades as an encouraging signal, indicating that you want your partner to continue leading the suit. Without this signal, your partner might not know whether you plan to win the third round with a trump or if you already have the ♠Q to win outright. This clarity is crucial for effective defensive coordination.
However, the strategy changes if this were a notrump contract. In that case, encouraging your partner to continue leading spades would only help set up Dummy’s ♠Q for Declarer’s use. Instead, you would play the ♠2, signaling discouragement and indicating that another suit might be more profitable for defense.
These distinctions highlight the importance of adapting your signals to the contract type and the specific hand dynamics. Clear, purposeful signaling enables better teamwork and strengthens your side’s ability to counter Declarer’s strategy.
Example 7
| Partner ♥ A | |
| Declarer ♥ ? | Dummy ♥ 9 5 4 |
| You ♥ Q 2 | |
Recall the principle of Third Hand Play: when your partner leads the Ace, you only play the Queen if you also hold the Jack. Playing the Queen in this situation conventionally promises the Jack, signaling strength in the suit.
In this hand, since you don’t have the ♥J, you cannot play the ♥Q under your partner’s Ace. This is a frustrating scenario because you are forced to play the ♥2, which indicates to your partner that you have no support in hearts, even though you actually do.
This situation underscores the importance of clear communication through conventions, but it also reveals one of their limitations—sometimes the rigid rules of signaling don’t fully convey the hand’s potential. In such cases, your partner must rely on additional context from the bidding and play to interpret the situation accurately. With experience, you and your partner will become more adept at understanding these nuances and making informed decisions.
Beginners often find it frustrating when they can’t fully communicate the strength of their hand to their partner through their play. However, consider this perspective: it’s far better to play the correct card and experience a bit of personal frustration than to play the wrong card and leave your partner feeling deeply frustrated because they were misled.
Accurate signaling is essential for effective teamwork, even if it means holding back information in certain situations. By consistently following conventions and playing in line with established agreements, you build trust and clarity with your partner.
Over time, as you gain experience, you’ll become better at navigating the limitations of signaling while still making thoughtful, strategic plays that enhance your partnership’s success. Trust the process and remember that precise, reliable communication is always worth prioritizing.
Example 8
| Partner ♦ K | |
| Declarer ♦ ? | Dummy ♦ 8 5 4 |
| You ♦ 9 2 | |
Partner leads the ♦K. You’d like to trump the third round of diamonds. But wait…
What do you promise if you play a high spot card in this situation?
Recall the lesson from example 3: if Declarer holds the ♦A-J, your partner must avoid leading a second diamond, as doing so would hand Declarer the opportunity to win a second trick in diamonds. This is why your attitude signal is particularly critical when partner leads from an A-K combination—it should indicate whether you have a doubleton, potentially setting up a ruff.
When your partner leads from other honor combinations, your attitude signal serves a different purpose. In these cases, it communicates whether or not you hold a supporting honor in the suit—something that could help establish additional tricks for your side.
Understanding the specific context of your partner’s lead and tailoring your signal accordingly ensures that your defensive play is coordinated and effective. By sending the right signals at the right time, you help your partner make informed decisions, maximizing the partnership’s chances of successfully countering Declarer’s strategy.
Count Signals
Learn count signals – a powerful tool
Count Signals enable you to tell Partner if you have an even or an odd number of cards in a specific suit. Partner can then figure out how many cards Declarer has in that suit, and plan her defense accordingly.
Playing a high card followed by a lower one indicates an even number of cards. Playing a low card followed by a higher one indicates an odd number of cards.
- high-low = even
- low-high = odd
Usually Partner can figure out your even-or-odd message after you’ve played the first card. Like this…
Example 9
| Partner ♣ 2 | |
| Dummy ♣ K J T 6 4 | Declarer ♣ Q |
| You ♣ A 9 3 | |
Dummy leads a club and partner gives a count signal with the ♣2.
How many clubs does Partner’s count signal show?
How does it help your defense to know the count?
If you play your Ace too early, Declarer will still have a small club to lead to Dummy, enabling them to cash additional club winners later in the play. Instead, your goal should be to hold off on playing your Ace until Declarer leads their last club. This timing prevents Declarer from accessing Dummy’s remaining club winners and disrupts their strategy.
Let’s examine a complete deal to better understand why this timing can make such a significant difference. By strategically delaying the play of your Ace, you can maximize your defensive position and limit Declarer’s ability to capitalize on their resources.
This concept highlights the importance of carefully planning your defense to anticipate and counter Declarer’s moves.
Example 10
| Partner ♠ K Q T 4 ♥ 7 5 2 ♦ J 9 2 ♣ 8 5 2 | |
| Dummy ♠ J 6 2 ♥ K 4 ♦ T 6 5 ♣ K J T 6 4 | Declarer ♠ A 9 7 ♥ Q 9 3 ♦ A K Q 7 3 ♣ Q 7 |
| You ♠ 8 5 3 ♥ A J T 8 6 ♦ 8 4 ♣ A 6 3 | |
Against a 3NT contract, you lead the ♥J, which Dummy wins with the ♥K.
At trick two, Declarer plays a club to force out your ♣A.
If you win this trick immediately, Declarer will be able to cash four club tricks, resulting in a total of 11 tricks. However, if you hold off and win the second club instead, Declarer will lose the ability to access Dummy and score no additional club tricks. This defensive move prevents Declarer from making their contract. The result is a stark difference: Declarer could end up with 11 tricks or just 8, thanks to your partner’s count signal and your timing.
Waiting to win your ♣A until Declarer has no clubs left (on the third round) allows them to make their 3NT contract. This delay would enable Declarer to score 1 heart trick, 1 spade trick, 5 diamond tricks, and 2 club tricks, totaling 9 tricks—just enough to fulfill their contract. Proper timing and signal interpretation are crucial to turning the hand in your favor.
How do you know when a signal is attitude and when it’s count?
- Attitude applies after defenders’ leads.
- Count applies after Declarer’s leads.
Neither applies when you’re trying to win the trick.
Count Signals – Learn Them Now. Use Them Later.
Count Signals are a powerful addition to the defenders available tools. Advanced players use them frequently.
However…. I recommend that beginners use count signals in only one specific situation – when Dummy has a long suit and no side suit entry (see example hand 10).
In fact, you may be wisest to ignore count signals all together.
Why would I say that? Because beginners can be overwhelmed by too many things to think about.
It’s difficult enough learning to use attitude signals to place the honors, while simultaneously thinking about declarer’s plans and how to counter them.
Not to mention the clues that come from the bidding, and negative implications from bids and plays not made…
When is the right time for a beginner to start using count signals? The answer is: only after you have become comfortable and proficient with attitude signals and begin finding yourself wanting additional information during the play of a bridge hand.
However, it’s important to add that count signals should only be adopted when both you and your partner feel ready and desire more detailed communication in the middle of a hand. Defensive coordination depends on mutual understanding and agreements, so both players need to be on the same page for these advanced signals to be effective.
Mastering attitude signals first ensures you have a strong foundation in defensive signaling, while incorporating count signals later allows you to refine your defense and gain deeper insights into the distribution of suits. This gradual approach ensures that your signaling system evolves naturally, enhancing both your partnership’s effectiveness and your overall enjoyment of the game.
Suit Preference Signals
Suit preference signals when partner trumps
When you lead a card for your partner to trump, the specific spot card you choose acts as a suit preference signal, guiding your partner on what suit to return after winning the trick.
A high spot card suggests that your partner should lead back the higher-ranking suit, while a low spot card indicates a preference for the lower-ranking suit. This subtle signal helps coordinate your defense and ensures that your partner understands your intentions. For example:
- If you lead a high spot card, you’re indicating interest in the higher-ranking suit remaining in play.
- If you lead a low spot card, you’re suggesting that the lower-ranking suit is the one to focus on.
This method of signaling becomes especially useful when defending against tricky contracts, as it provides your partner with valuable clues about how best to proceed. The more effectively you and your partner use these signals, the stronger your defensive strategy will become.
Example 11 an obvious singleton
| Partner ♠ ♥ 4 ♦ ♣ | |
| Declarer ♠ ♥ 5 ♦ ♣ | Dummy ♠ A J 6 2 ♥ K Q 8 ♦ 9 7 5 ♣ 9 7 5 |
| You ♠ T 7 ♥ A J 9 6 3 2 ♦ A T 8 ♣ J 8 | |
The contract is 4♠.
Partner leads the ♥4, and you win with your ♥A.
How do you know Partner’s ♥4 is a singleton?
Which heart do you return?
Partner returns the ♦3. You asked for a diamond, so the choice of suit doesn’t tell you anything. But what does Partner’s choice of a low spot card mean?
Example 12 – a potential problem
| Partner ♠ ♥ ♦ A 3 ♣ | |
| Dummy ♠ A Q T 7 ♥ 6 4 3 ♦ Q T 7 2 ♣ 9 8 4 | Declarer ♠ ♥ ♦ 4 ♣ |
| You ♠ J 8 4 ♥ T 9 8 7 5 ♦ 5 ♣ K J 6 2 | |
You lead your singleton diamond against a spade contract. Partner wins and returns the ♦3 for you to trump.
Who has the ♦K?
What do you infer from Partner’s lead of the ♦3?
It’s crucial to consider each situation from your partner’s perspective. For example, did your partner anticipate that you would trump the second round of diamonds, or did they interpret your opening lead as a low card from a suit headed by the ♦K?
Understanding how your actions and signals might be perceived by your partner is essential for effective communication and coordination in defense. If your intentions aren’t clear, your partner may make decisions based on a different assumption, potentially missing an opportunity to strengthen your side’s position.
By consistently viewing the play from your partner’s point of view, you can make adjustments to your signals and leads, ensuring that your intentions are as transparent as possible. This mutual understanding builds trust, minimizes confusion, and enhances the overall effectiveness of your defensive strategy.
If your partner didn’t recognize that your lead was a singleton, they might not have considered the possibility of a suit preference signal. In that scenario, your lead of the ♦3 would not be interpreted as a request for a club return. If your partner then mistakenly leads a club based on this misunderstanding, it could cost the defense a trick—particularly if Declarer holds the ♣A and ♣Q.
This highlights the importance of clear communication through both your initial lead and subsequent play. When your partner understands the context of your lead, they can make better-informed decisions about which suit to return. Misinterpreting signals can give Declarer an unnecessary advantage, so ensuring clarity in your intentions is key to effective defensive play.
By staying in sync, you and your partner can work together to maximize your side’s trick potential and neutralize Declarer’s strategy.
Often the bidding makes it obvious when a lead is a singleton. For example, if Declarer had bid diamonds, Partner would know your ♦5 was a singleton. There’s no other justification for leading Declarer’s suit.
If your partner didn’t recognize that your lead was a singleton, they might not have considered the possibility of a suit preference signal. In that scenario, your lead of the ♦3 would not be interpreted as a request for a club return. If your partner then mistakenly leads a club based on this misunderstanding, it could cost the defense a trick—particularly if Declarer holds the ♣A and ♣Q.
This highlights the importance of clear communication through both your initial lead and subsequent play. When your partner understands the context of your lead, they can make better-informed decisions about which suit to return. Misinterpreting signals can give Declarer an unnecessary advantage, so ensuring clarity in your intentions is key to effective defensive play. By staying in sync, you and your partner can work together to maximize your side’s trick potential and neutralize Declarer’s strategy.