By Val Rhead
It’s important to study partner’s leads. He may be sending you a message.
Partner could be leading a singleton planning to get a ruff when you return his lead. But how do you know when your partner is leading a singleton? Sometimes, it’s a sheer guess. Sometimes, though, there are clues in the bidding that will suggest that his lead might be a singleton. Perhaps one of your opponents has bid that suit during the auction, or perhaps you hold a string of cards of that suit in your hand, so it is possible that your partner is short-suited and his lead may well be a singleton.
Sometimes, you can’t learn the meaning of his lead until he plays a second card. A player recently asked me if I liked my partner to lead the TOP OF NOTHING. For example, your partner has the Seven, Five, Two of Spades and following this system, he leads the Seven. I explained that I preferred MUD leads. No, I don’t mean the gooey stuff in your garden after an August rain. I mean that first you lead the MIDDLE card, then the UPPER card and then the DOWN card. This way, when your partner plays a card that is higher than his initial lead, you know that he doesn’t have a doubleton and it’s not worthwhile to try for a ruff. With MUD, though, it is very clear that he has a doubleton, if his second card is lower than his first lead.
But, not all Bridge players play the same way. Barbara Seagram teaches an acronym “BOSTON” BOTTOM OF SOMETHING – TOP OF NOTHING. Some like the TOP OF NOTHING system because it is easy for a player to realize that his partner doesn’t have anything worthwhile in that suit. To be a bit contrary, perhaps, I do like the BOTTOM OF SOMETHING lead. A two of Clubs clearly promises an honour in that suit.
In bridge, partnership agreements like these are also known as “carding” or “signaling”. Your opponent is entitled to know your carding agreements and may ask “What is your carding?” or “What are your signals?” Don’t be like one beginning pair that I played against in Texas. When I asked “What was her carding?”, she replied indignantly, “Well, that’s between my partner and me.” Well it isn’t!
If you wish to promote an activity in your bridge group or ask a bridge question, send the information to vrhead23@gmail.com and I will include it in this column.
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games for the Huntsville Club are Tuesdays, 7:15pm, Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time. Contact Jan Roberts 705-635-2522 or [email protected] for information and partnerships.
The following winners are for Tuesday, Sep 20 with 7 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Mary Simonett and Kel Andresen; 2. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell; 3/4. Chris Karn and Vern Foell; 3/4. Beryl Clayson and Paul Clayson; East-West 1. Liz Barnes and Bev Howard; 2. Art Insley and Don Norman; 3. Mary Whitehead and Helen Pearson; 4. Betty Rintoul and Bev Parlett
MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)
Games at the Bracebridge Club are at the Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road 7pm Monday evenings. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time.
The following winners are from Monday, Sep 19 with 9 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 2. Pamela Jardine and Ralph Mitchell; 3. Gail Lederer and Hazel Bowes; 4. Bev Parlett and Vern Foell; 5. Kel Andresen and Jim Smith; East-West 1. Liz Barnes and Lyn Walisser; 2. Art Insley and Don Evans; 3. Joanne Garvey and Betty Rintoul; 4. Mary Mitchell and Susan Maddocks; 5. Gerry Flaherty and Ralph Hair
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