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Monmouth Bridge Tips Page

“Signalling Through Discarding”

 

The term discarding in the game of bridge generally refers to one’s attempt to communicate information to partner when discarding a card from a different suit to that being played.
To discard is to fail to follow to the suit that declarer or partner has led and thereby playing a card from another suit; not a trump. The discarded card and suit can be used to pass, to partner, some specific information. 
There are many types of signalling methods through discarding.... All intend to convey information and to ask Partner to lead a specific suit or not.
There is no ideal discarding system and each method suffers from some inadequacy to convey the intended information under certain hand card content and configuration conditions. 

It’s always best to remember that while keeping partner informed with your agreed method of discards, declarer has the advantage of seeing them too. You, or your partner, must explain your method of discarding, when asked by the opponents.

Listed below, are the most known and most practiced methods of signalling methods through discards. Choose the system that is easy for you and your partner to remember and which best suits your style of play and defence.

 

  1. Random Discards; This is the beginner’s way of doing things. “I throw any card that comes between my fingers”, he/she says. The partnership, obviously, has no signal scheme going. This is not a real bridge player way of signalling.

As it is random, the is no meaning to the card discarded. And as far as the partner thinks, any car played from any suit is as good as any...What a losing type of thinking.!!!

 

  1. “What I don’t want” discards;

This forms a step up over the first type of discarding method. It differentiates against one suit and says” I do not like this suit and please do not lead it”. Here we have a one- step forwards towards signalling...This gives the partner a choice as the signal can mean. 1) I do not like this suit and please do not lead it back, 2) I obviously do not have the suit I just discarded on. And (in a suit contract) 3) must not lead the trump suit...That leaves one suit only...Not a bad signal. In a NT contracts, however, there are two suits to choose from and the partner’s choice is no better than 50% ...

 

  1. Attitude Discards; This is mostly known as “HELD” for “High Encourage and Low Discourage”. This is the simplest method of signalling. If you use standard signals a high card in the suit discarded encourages that suit and a low card discourages it. In my opinion, this method seems limited and wasteful, as it on the discarded suit only and discards the high cards that could become potential winners.
    The reverse to HELD is the upside-down signals; a low card in the suit discarded encourages that suit while a high card discourages it. The upside-down or reverse attitude signals tend to work best as you do not need to throw potentially useful cards to encourage a suit. This method is referred to us LEHD; “Low Encourage and High Discourage.”
  2. The Dodds Discards; This uses the Odd and Even numbers of the cards for specific information signalling. An Odd number card asks Partner to lead this same, discarded, suit. An Even number card asks Partner to lead another suit of the same colour as the discarded suit. This has the problems when there are no odd or even cards in the hand and you often confuse the Partner. It also considers two suits, the discarded suit through the odd card and another the same colour through discarding the even card.
  3. Lavinthal/Mckenney Discards; are one of the most widespread and easiest to use methods. It is a form of a suit preference discards. The discard is in the suit you do NOT want led. A low card in the suit suggests interest in the lower ranking of the other suits. Similarly, a high card suggests interest in the higher ranking of the other suits. For example, discarding a low Heart on a spade would suggest a club (the lower suit), while discarding a high Hearts would suggest a Diamond (the higher suit). This method considers two suits in the discards. The HELD or LEHD methods only consider one suit.
    There is at least one problem with Lavinthal discards and that is the inability to make a neutral card, can give no preference. When you have no preference for a switch, there is no card in your hand which does not carry a message; However, some players overcome this problem by keeping the discard of a 5 or 6 or 7 as a neutral card which conveys no positive message to partner. Partners will have to agree on that.
  4. The Roman or Odd-Even (Italian) Discards; This gives different meanings to the odd and even cards. This allows you to combine attitude and suit preference signals. An odd card encourages the discarded suit while an even card is a Lavinthal signal or suit preference. A high even card is asking for the higher suit and a low even card is asking for the lower remaining. Therefore, three suits are considered in this method. More useful than Dodd's or Leventhal's!
    The only problem with this method is that sometimes you don’t hold the odd cards needed to encourage or the even cards needed for the proper suit preference signal.
  5. The Revolving Discards; is a simple and effective method that is relatively easy to remember. A high card discarded from a suit shows interest in the next higher suit, while a low card shows interest in the next lower suit. At the same time, it shows no interest in the discarded suit. For example, a low heart asks for diamond while a high heart asks for a spade. And a low club asks for a spade, and a high club asks for a diamond...It is revolving like a clock; Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, Spades, etc.  A high spade asks for a club and a low spade asks for a heart suit. Therefore, to ask for a particular suit a player has two choices of discard; A low card from the higher-ranking suit or a high card from the lower ranking suit. 
    This system is my favourite. It is very flexible.

There is no right answer to choosing a discard system. Some work well on one hand but not on another. Sometimes it is more useful to know the shape of partner's hand (count) so that you can cash the right number of winners before switching. On the other hand, it is often more useful to know which suit partner would like for you to lead or not to lead. Whichever method you are playing, make sure that Partner is on the same wave length. As with so many ambiguities in bridge, effective signalling and discards are a partnership concern. With the suitable and agreed signalling method, the message will be clear more than 80% of the time.
Bridge is easy to learn and easy to play, it is however, not easy to play well. With agreed systems of bidding and signalling, players will pave the road to reach higher levels of performance.

CAT; June 2017.

 

 

The McKendrick Convention

The Mckendrick Convention.pdf

Churchill's Tip - Click on the link above

 

Play better bridge

 

Hand Evaluation

How can you tell if your bridge hand is worth opening the bid or not? This little write up will give you good ideas.


Background
 

The Point Count. Virtually all bridge game authorities agree on the 4-3-2-1 count for high card points (HCP).The Ace is valued at 4 points and downwards to the jack at 1 point. The ten, however, although an important card and sometimes play a significant role in the game, especially when coupled with the J and 9, is not counted in the point count…A good player takes notice of the tens in the hand.

And...

With a total of 40 points in the pack of cards, each hand is expected to contain an average of 10 points. Any hand, containing more than 10 points, is considered as an above average hand...And the higher the points count, the better the hand is and the more above average it is... However, hands that may contain the same points, can have varying potential as playing hands, by the nature of their distribution...Therefore, hands such as these:-
 

          A) ª K J 10 6 5 © A K 7 4 ¨§ 10 7 2 …15 points… Can open 1S.

          B) ª K J 8 © A K 7 4 ¨A 6 5 § 10 7 2 ; …15 points… Can open 1H.

          C) ª K J 10 8 7 2 © A K 7 4 ¨A 10 5 …..15 points… Can open 1S or ?

     

All the hands contain fifteen points, and a player can open the bidding with any one of them…The question is, “Are these hands equal in their playing strength and trick taking potentials”…Are they good to play as declarer hands or are they better to play as defensive hands?

Think about it for a while….          

The distributional Count

Many methods of a bridge hand evaluation have been generated to cater for the shape or distribution of the hand. The ways to give value for the distribution vary. I studied this area in depth by examining over 20,000 hands, when I had time on my hands... (Get it...on my hands). I, finally, discovered the most accurate hand evaluation one can make. I called it the “New Code” method of hand evaluation. I hope I can convince you, eventually, to adopt it and bid accurately, by using it and increase your average percentage result in the game.
First, let us briefly examine the mostly followed four ways to evaluate the distributional strength of a hand. Assume you are deciding whether to open in first or second seat you evaluate your hand according to;

1- The Long-suit Method

A widely used method is to count the cards in each suit. The rule is to count your high card points add one point for each card over four in any suit. Hence a five-card suit is worth an extra one point, a six-card suit two points, etc. An opening bid, generally, requires 12 or more points. No points are added for singletons or voids, since the lengths in the other suits cater for the shortage in the remaining suits. And a little bridge game sense...

2- The Short-suit Method

40 years ago, Charles Goren made this method popular; it counts points for short suits. The rule is to add one point for a doubleton, two for a singleton, and three for a void. One point is deducted if an honour is unprotected; that means a singleton king or a doubleton queen are counted as 2 and 1 respectively. A no point is given to the jack with two other cards in a suit... Again, an opening bid, generally, requires 12 or more points. And a little bridge game sense...

3- The Rule of 20 Method

More recently, a popular method suggested by Marty Bergen in his book “Points Schmoints.” It is to add your HCP to the length of your two longest suits. If the total is 20 or more, you should open the bidding at the one level. If you are a gambling player, you may consider 19.A more conservative player would consider 21...Notice there is no overall HCP value mentioned...You simply open the hand when the rule of 20 is satisfied bid your longest suit...You may have a hand like this:-
          D) ª K 10 8 6 5 © A K 7 4 3 ¨2  § 10 7 … Bid 1ª                

          E) ª K 10 8 6 5 © A Q 7 4 3 2  § 10 7 …Bid 1H…

4- Pavlicek Method

This is based on the short suit method, but includes a better adjustment for wasted honours: A wasted Honour is an honour card unprotected; A singleton King or a doubleton Queen. If a short suit has a wasted honour, you may count its HCP or its shortness (i.e. one point for a doubleton, two for a singleton), whichever is greater, but not both.

Pavlicek also introduced the idea that the 10s and the Aces are undervalued in counting the HCPs. We all know that, don’t we? Experts agree that aces are undervalued slightly at four points, and anyone would agree that the 4 tens must be worth something, especially when they are coupled with jacks and nines In order to increase accuracy, Pavlicek method incorporates another rule: If your hand contains the sum of “four” in aces and tens (in any combination) add one point. So if a hand contains 3 tens and an ace or two tens and two aces or 3 aces and one ten…you add one point…very interesting!!!...To open the bidding you require 12 points. It works!

Actually you need to open your mind to all of the above methods...I recommend to consider them all...Chose the one that you fancy and feel comfortable with...Compare them with various hands. One may give you a higher distributional strength than the others. Adopt it and take it under your wing, if you are a bird...!..

Let us look at the hands above and examine their distributional strength..

      A)    ª K J 10 6 5 © A K 7 4 ¨§ 10 7 2; …. 15 HCPs…
i) Long suit Method ; 16 points (one point added for the 5 cards suit)
ii) Short suit Method ; 17 points (two points added for the singleton Ace)
iii) Rule of 20 : 24 ; much higher than average. 
iv) Pavelicek Method ; 18 points (short suit method plus one point added for the 4 aces (2) and tens (2))

       B)    ª K J 8 © A K 7 4 ¨A 6 5 § 10 7 2, …..15 points…
i) Long suit Method ; 15 points (No  5 cards suit)
ii) Short suit Method ; 15 points (a ballanced hand))
iii) Rule of 20 : 22
iv) Pavelicek Method ; 15 points
This is a weaker hand than A ; a NT hand

      C)    ª K J 10 8 7 2 © A K 7 4 ¨A 10 5 …… 15  High Points… 
i) Long suit Method ; 17 points (Two point added for the 6 cards suit)
ii) Short suit Method ; 18 points (Three points added for the void)
iii) Rule of 20 : 25 (This hand qualifies you to open 2C, as the Rule of 25 applies)
iv) Paveleick Method ; 19 points (one point for the aces and tens)
I would open 2C…aiming for a Spades or a Hs  contract.

      D)    ª K 10 8 6 5 © A K 7 4 3 ¨2  § 10 7 …10 HCPs
i) Long suit Method; 12 points (one point added for each of the 5 cards suits)
ii) Short suit Method ; 13 points (two points added for the singleton and one for the doubleton.)
iii) Rule of 20 : 20…It is an average hand to open
iv) Pavelicek Method ; 13 points
I would open the bidding with 1S…My second bid would be Hs.

      E)     ª K 10 8 6 5, © A Q 7 4 3 2,  § 10 7 …
i) Long suit Method; 12 points ( 9 HCP + one point added for the 5 cards suit and 2 for the six cards suit) ; open 1H.
ii) Short suit Method ; 13 points (three points added for the void and one for the doubleton.)
iii) Rule of 20 : 20…It is an average hand to open 1H
iv) Pavelicek Method ; 13 points…Open 1H and do not mention spades unless your partner does.

Of all the above choices of evaluating the hand, I prefer the Pavelicek method...It gives you more courage to bid...as you can have one more point at hand...However, I have my own Hand evaluation Method...the “New Code” ,the fifth method of evaluation...This employs the losing trick counts and “The RULE of 4”... A new concept in hand evaluation, which was discussed well at the ”Monmouth Bridge Club” in the past.
This “New Code” method, was statistically researched, and proved to be more effective. In my opinion, it is more accurate than the four afore mentioned methods ...However, please remember we are talking statistics...

Hand Valuation

5-The “New Code” Method of opening the hand with the Rule of 4

This method utilizes the “Losing Tricks” Count and the “High Card Points” of the bridge hand.

It correlates the number of losers in the hand to the “High Card Point” Count. From that it evaluates the strength or the weakness of the hand.

You just counts the high card points (P) and the number of losers (L) in the hand...And subtract them. (P-L=N)…

Without going into the depths of the mathematical proof and the statistical analysis, all you need to know is the following:-

     1. Count the points in your hand, count the number of losers in your hand and subtract them…If the number of points is P, and the number of losers is L, then P-L is the number N…If N is 4, think !!!!…the hand is a border line. If    more than 4, bid your longer suit…irrespective of the points…

      2. If the number is 4, observe the Jacks and the Tens in the hand and the distribution of suits…If the hand contains 5 + spades bid 1S…to pre-empt the opponents.

      3. If the number N is 3 or less and the hand contains a 6 card suit, think of a Pre-empt; Weak 2s or weak 3s.

     4. If the number N is 5+ bid on…The higher the number the stronger is the hand.

     5. If the number N is 10+, you have a strong hand which you can reverse bid with on the next round…And note the response of you partner, you may have a slam.

      6. If the number is 12+, think of a slam, and force your partner to respond with unnatural, or unusual, bids.

 

Examples;
1) Imagine you hold one of the following 7 loser Hands (which hand would you open the bidding with ?):

     a)      Zero Points; xxxxxx, xxxxxx, x

     b)      10 Points; Axxxxx, Axx, Qxx, x

     c)      11 Points; Axxxx, AJxx, Qxx, x

     d)      11 Points, AJ109x, A10x, Q10x, x

     e)      12 Points; Axxx, Axxx, Axxx, x

     f)      18 Points; AQx, Axx, Axx, Axx

     g)       23 Points; AKJ, AJx, AJx, AJx

2) Imagine you have one of the following hands with 8 losers (which hand would you open the bidding with?):

 

     a)      Zero Points; xxxxxx, xxxxx, xx, void.

     a)      9 Points; Kxxxx, Kxx, Kxx, xx

     b)      11 Points; Axx, Axxxx, QJx, xx

     c)      12 Points; Axxx, Axxx, KJx, Jx

     d)     13 Points (KJxxx, KJx, KJx, Jx)

     e)      16 points (Axx, Axx, Axx, Axx)

     f)       20 Points (AJxx, AJx, AJx, AJx).

3) Imagine you have one of the following hands with 11 Points (which hand would you open the bidding with?):

a) 9 Losers; KJx, KJx, Kxx, xxxx,.

b) 8 Losers; Kxxxx, Kxx, Kxx, Qx

c) 7 Losers; Axxx, Axxxx, QJx, x

d) 6 Losers; Axxxx, Axxx, Kxxx, void

e) 5 Losers (Kxx, KQxxx, Kxxxx,)

f) 3 Losers (Axxxxxx, AKxxxx, Void, Void.)