[DK Lillee]

My partner and I are evaluating our signalling and we believe that sometimes u want count sometimes attitude and so on with preference and are trying to make a signal system that is flexible so we can get the info that we need in that situation. We play reverse signals.MDU.2nd lowest from 4,revolving odd even discards. I am interested in any comments or books or site recommendation. Thank you

[the hog]

Look at Slawinski's "Systems in Defence". This is the best book on signalling I have ever read; unfortunately it is VERY difficult to get hold of.

[1eyedjack]

Helge Vinje had some useful comments to make on the matter in "New Ideas in Defensive Play". Er, not that new now, published in the mid '70s I believe, and doubtless out of print now. A search of Amazon throws up the odd reference.

[dogsbreath]

hi .. Slawinski's "Systems in Defence.. is not only hard to get hold of but may cause permanent brain damage if you DO get hold of it (i've got it:))
If anyone has a perfect solution to this question it's news to me .. I've always prefered primarily distributional signals on the basis that if you dont have a count then you are defending in the dark .. but you DO need preference on occasions ..maybe 'Smith' helps here .. If you cant devote unlimited time to your bridge, I guess you gotta find a workable compromise.
Rgds, Dog

[inquiry]

I like Vinje's book, it is nice, and still modern if you ask me. I haven't read Slawinski's "Systems in Defence" so I can not comment. I sort of like Kantar's (I believe) huge red workbook thing called something like "bridge defense complete".

I addressed the question a little bit about when a signal should be count, when it should be attitude, and when it should be suit preference in one post in a longer thread introducing signalling to beginners here in the Beginner/Intermediate forum. The link below (should) jump you into the middle of that thread to see the post on the changing meaning of third hand carding at trick one. You can of course go up and down to see the rest of the thread. Clear a five or paragraph description will not tell you all you need to know, but will get you thinking (hopefully) along the lines that I think are right. Or, will at the very least get you to disagree with me, but then formulate your own opinions about these situations I discuss in that post.

Beginner's guide to signalling <<--- click to go there....

Ben

[Flame]

I play ovious shift which is almost attitude only, i had enough years of experience with those 3 ways of signals and i think you can live pretty well with just atitude and count on rare predefine sutiuations.

[mishovnbg]

Signaling in defense begins with lead. I found playing 2/4 or 3/5 most of time helpful for declarer instead for partner. Most important in defense is to switch first lead or not, because losing tempo in defense most of time critical. The way I play lead show general preference to continue or not lead. "Continue" doesn't mean you have a honour in suit, it only show to your partner your general idea for defense. This way often lead to "killing defense", due to else impossible changes of lead, esp at MP, but is available only for experienced players. It is not so easy for them too as looks like... Example:
N

Jxxx
xxx
xxxx
AQ

Bidding:

E - S - W - N
1♠-p-1NT-all p

My p lead ♦, but the question is what signal he must give me? He lead card that mean "do not continue", I changed to ♣ and we quickly establish opps ♣. When I asked him about, he answer that he "didn't know what he want". The righit answer was, that he want me to continue ♦, because form his hand and bidding he can't see for now need to change lead.

If somebody like I can describe my way in forum.

Misho

[MarceldB]

inquiry, on Apr 22 2004, 05:17 PM, said:

I haven't read Slawinski's "Systems in Defence" so I can not comment.

This book is mostly mathematical stuff (very dry... but indeed fundamental).
For Slawinski's final conclusion regarding the leads see

http://www.new-bridge.net/Combine.htm

[Flame]

little bit off topic,
Don't mistake signaling as the soul of the diffence signaling is a very small part of good diffence and there are experts who think you shouldnt signal at all, especially at IMP. Diffence is about picturing the declearer hand, this is here you should put your hard work.

[Gerben47]

A Shift in Time, Granovetter.

That's a great book and they also have rules when they give count (not a lot). It depends on what you feel comfortable with. Some want to play count all the time, some want to give more suit preference.

Gerben

[Trpltrbl]

Only time I signal is when dummy comes down with either singleton or doubleton in suit lead by pd. Count I never use, just a waste of time, if you can't figure it out, maybe Bingo a better game. Atittude is nice against NT, but against suit you very rarely need it. So we are left with suit preference, and why let opps know what you have ? Against NT it's a little different, but I play a different leading system against that, where if i lead a certain card I request a certain action by pd.

Mike