Forum Question 1

Which defensive signal?

This question was asked to: Julian Pottage

Question

Hi Julian, This was from a recent pairs game. We were playing standard count, standard attitude and mcKenny for suit preference. My partner led the HA and I had a choice of heart to play. Should I play the H2 to suggest a club switch or the H8 to suggest a diamond switch?

Answer

With what you can see in dummy (the trumps and especially the singleton heart) you are right that this is a suit preference situation. Much of the time it is not going to matter what you do but if declarer’s shape is 7-3-1-2 (when one of the clubs could go away on a top diamond if you do not cash out) or if partner holds a singleton club (and at least one trump) then you would like a club switch.

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