Goren on Bridge

Today’s deal features Joe Grue and Brad Moss, East and West respectively, who are one of the USA’s top partnerships. They play “upside-down” signals, meaning that a low card is encouraging and a high card is discouraging — exactly the opposite of standard signaling. The advantage of this method is very tiny, allowing you to keep your high cards in your good suits and not use them for signaling. In the world of tournament bridge, however, competitors want every edge they can get, and upside-down signaling is very popular.

Grue, East, played the discouraging three of clubs on the first trick, and then the two when partner continued with the king of clubs. Moss, West, knew that his partner had false carded, as Grue would have played the seven on the first trick if he had it. The only reason Grue would do that was if he was void in trumps. A third round of clubs was pointless, so Moss shifted to the queen of diamonds, denying the king. Grue won with his ace and “knew” there were no more minor suit tricks available to the defense, so he shifted to a heart as the only chance. Moss ruffed for down one. Very nice defense.

Playing standard signals, East would also false card, playing the two and then the three. West, thinking East held the seven of clubs, would shift, but to the king of diamonds — not the queen. Would East have overtaken and led a heart? There is a good case for doing that, but it would have been a problem for East to solve. Here, West did almost all the work.

Bob Jones welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency, LLC., 16650 Westgrove Dr., Suite 175, Addison, TX 75001. Email responses may be sent to tcaeditors@tribune.com.

© 2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.