Suit Preference Signal
This signal is used infrequently. When it is clear that the choice of lead is between two suits, the play of a high card on a previous trick suggests the lead of the higher-ranking suit and a low card suggests the lower-ranking suit. There are four common cases:
- When following suit on partner's lead (complement to the attitude signal): In situations where partner has made an opening lead and an attitude signal would not be meaningful, such as when dummy displays a singleton or void in the suit being led, a suit preference signal is used to indicate which of the other two suits to lead - excluding trumps and the suit originally led. The signal can also be useful when a switch to a side suit is not desired, since there are hands in which continuing the original suit or switching to a trump is the right thing to do. In this case, a middle card is often used to indicate this situation, but it can be hard to read.
- When leading in a suit partner is expected to ruff: The rank of the card led suggests a preference for the suits to be returned by partner after the ruff. Letting partner know this may allow one to regain the lead for another ruff. For example, in each of the two hands below, partner has led what is likely a singleton club against a 4♥ contract. After winning the ♣A, the lead of ♣10 for the first hand and ♣2 for the second hand indicates which suit partner should return.
- ♠ A964 ♥ 104 ♦ 765 ♣ A1062
- ♠ 765 ♥ 104 ♦ A964 ♣ A1062
- When following suit on declarer/dummy's lead of a long suit (complement to the count signal): When partner has a single honor, a suit preference signal shows which of dummy's side suits is preferred for partner to return after winning a trick. If there is no side entry, the card is a count signal to show your partner when best to win or duck a trick.
- When discarding - see below
Read more about this topic: Signal (bridge)
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