When two signals are unnecessary

WUMO® PEARLS BEFORE SWINE® GARFIELD® BIG NATE® ARLO & JANIS® ZITS®

P.D. James, the English whodunnit author, wrote, “Metaphysical speculation is about as pointless as a discussion on the meaning of one’s lungs. They’re for breathing.”

This week, we have been looking at signaling, with a stress on suitpreference. However, both attitude and count must be either already known or pointless before one can give a suitpreference signal. Also, it matters who starts the trick. If it is a defender, third hand will make one of the three signals. But if declarer leads a suit, a defender does not give an attitude signal, unless he plays top of an honor sequence. He might give count, if he thinks partner would like that information, or send a suit-preference signal.

What happens in this deal? South is in four spades, and West leads the heart ace.

North does not have the normal count for a vulnerable three-level overcall, but with presumably seven winners, he must bid. Perhaps South can take a shot at three no-trump, which would have been the winner here. But South did not seriously consider it with his club void.

After West leads the heart ace, and the dummy appears, both defenders should realize that a second round of hearts at trick two is very unlikely to be the best defense. But should West shift to a diamond (where East has high cards) or clubs (where East has a void)? West does not know, but East does. This is an opportunity for a rare trick-one suit-preference signal. East should drop the heart 10 under partner’s ace, asking for a diamond shift. Then the defenders take one heart, two diamonds and a diamond ruff for down one.