[diana_eva]

Phil, on 2012-March-14, 13:47, said:

Wow, blew the dust off of this sarcophagus.

This could have been a pinned thread though.

It's featured in the BBO News.

[klozetia]

hey
really ? your lead against 3nt from 4 cards is higher without sequence ? with 10 is to accept yet but from J9xx lead J only making mix in head your part , try like all 4th and your part will count by use rule we all good knows

EarlPurple, on 2004-June-30, 08:19, said:

These lists are useful, though I think the hands you displayed are not the simplest examples. (This is intended for beginners).

Also, I would encourage beginners (as well as any other players) not to go into "signal-mania". Not every card has to be a signal. If I follow 3-6-7 instead of 3-7-6 I am not necessarily signalling anything. I may vary the order so as not to help declarer, particularly with a higher sequence like JTx.

Here I will give a simple example of why lavinthal-style discards are a good thing.

You're defending 3NT after the auction 1NT pass 3NT, and you lead the SJ.

[space] [space] [space] [space] [space] [space] [sp] Axx
[space] [space] [space] [space] [space] [space] [he] Qxx
[space] [space] [space] [space] [space] [space] [di] QJxxx
[space] [space] [space] [space] [space] [space] [cl] Jx

[sp] J9xx
[he] xxx
[di] Axx
[cl] xxx

You try a spade lead, which goes to your partner's queen and declarer's king, and declarer starts playing diamonds (king from hand first). You hold up, not because you can block off dummy, but because you want to get a signal from partner.

Second round your partner shows out - so his first diamond can't be a signal!.

Partner's discard should here tell you what to lead. You may need to cash out fast. Maybe he has AKQx(x) in clubs or AKQx(x) in hearts. Or perhaps he has stoppers in both hearts and clubs and wants spades continued, so you can set up tricks.

(Some examples)

Partner's (whole) hand is: ♠Qxxx ♥Axx ♦x ♣Axxxx

You must continue spades and your side will get 2 spades and 3 other aces. But if partner has thrown a spade, declarer will hold up the next round and your side will get just 1 spade trick and 3 aces.

Partner's (whole) hand is: ♠Qxxx ♥AKJx ♦x ♣xxxx
You must lead a heart and grab those tricks now.

Partner's (whole) hand is: ♠Qxxx ♥xxx ♦x ♣AKQxx
A club lead for 2 off

[Zelandakh]

I am interested as to why this thread was featured given that there were 2 recent threads on similar themes (and no doubt countless others since 2004):-
http://www.bridgebas...fense-attitude/
http://www.bridgebas...uit-preference/

Also, once it was known that this thread was going to be featured why noone bothered to move it to the N/B forum in advance. After all the title does say "Beginner's Guide to..."

[diana_eva]

Zelandakh, on 2012-August-06, 06:35, said:

I am interested as to why this thread was featured given that there were 2 recent threads on similar themes (and no doubt countless others since 2004):-
http://www.bridgebas...fense-attitude/
http://www.bridgebas...uit-preference/

Also, once it was known that this thread was going to be featured why noone bothered to move it to the N/B forum in advance. After all the title does say "Beginner's Guide to..."

I just picked one to cover the basics. It links players to the Forums too so they can run a search if they want to find out more.

[jillybean]

Bump an oldie but a good thread.
I am playing with another exciting partner today.
I am dusting off my Smith Echo and Lavinthal discards skills (tempo).

[strong 1c]

strong 1c, on 2026-September-18, 05:37, said:

https://shugartgenea...er%20Update.pdf

Here is a link to my write up on carding and signaling. I wrote this to give to my non-playing son and daughter - so its a beginner guide-. I think it will be useful

[bluenikki]

inquiry, on 2003-June-14, 09:25, said:

QUESTION? When is the 3rd hands spot card not your agreed preference (attitude, count, or suit preference)?

At other times when dummy is short in the suit lead, the dummy will have plenty of late entries and the trump spots clearly indicate that no trump promotion is going to be possible. It is in these situations, where the "attitude" clearly no longer makes bridge sense.

Ben

What if you believe that a shift would help declarer more than the defense?