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CARDING

Let us start with signalling on partner’s lead

What has he led?

An ace……. then you show him if you like the lead or not. This is known as ATTITUDE showing. Playing standard carding you play a high card to show a liking for the suit, and a low card if you want him to switch.

A king? (this could be from a holding of AK or KQ) which ever it is…..then you show COUNT. You are also asked to unblock with your highest card. This is of paramount importance if you hold the Jack. Partner may be leading from KQ10. He will now know it is safe to continue

Play high card for even number, and a low card from odd number.

Another card? Show attitude.

This is standard carding. If you play UDCA then the card you play is the exact opposite of the above.

Discards.

Lavinthal

A suit is being led and you are out of the suit, and so have to find a discard.

Throw a card from a suit in which you have no interest. You can throw any card from this suit right? Either a high one or a low one. This will depend on which of the other two suits you want your partner to lead when he gets in. A High card asks for the higher of the other 2 suits, and a low card asks for the lower.

Spades are being led and you have a discard to find. Your Diamonds are 9.6.3. Throw the 9 if you want a Heart, or the 3 if you want a Club.

Odd/Even

Sometimes it is difficult to find the right card to discard, so to make life easier, Odd/Even discards were invented. This is just a development of Lavinthal.

ODD

ANY odd card you discard shows you like the suit.

EVEN

An even card shows you do not like this suit……so leaves 2 other suits right? Which two? NOT the suit being led (you have no cards in this suit) or the suit you are discarding an even card from. So is the even card high or low? Your choice: Higher of the other 2 suits or the lower?

Let me give example. Hearts being led, you have none. You discard a spade.

3 of Spades (or ANY odd spade)…… shows a liking for spades.

4 of spades……….calls for Clubs (lowest of other 2 suits

10 of Spades……..calls for Diamonds (Highest of other 2 suits.

Give this some thought. To signal a suit, you can signal with an odd card of the suit, OR an even card of another suit. Gives you options in case you do not have a suitable odd or even card.

NOTE.. odd/even discards ONLY apply to the first discard.

Following suit

Sometimes, and only sometimes, it is helpful to let partner know how many of the suit you hold. I am referring of course to following suit in defence.

The prime example is when an otherwise entry-less dummy holds a long suit headed by the KQ. You play before dummy, and hold precisely 2 cards. Start a "peter" this is the play of high/low.

Partner holding the ace will know how many times to hold up, in order to kill the dummy. There are other times too when it would be helpful to signal to show an even number by Petering.

However don’t get into the habit of always signalling without any thought. It may help declarer as well.