Bridge Lesson 26: Defensive Signals for Beginners

A defensive signal is the spot card you choose to send partner a message when you are not trying to win the trick. In standard methods, a high card on partner's lead says "I like this suit" (attitude), and when declarer leads a suit, playing high then low shows an even number of cards (count).

Defense is the hardest part of bridge because you cannot see partner's hand. Signals are the legal way to tell partner what you hold: only through the cards you play, never through your face or your timing.

Attitude is the first signal to learn. When partner leads a suit and you cannot or should not win the trick, your spot card says whether you want that suit continued:

• High card (a 7, 8 or 9) = encourage. "Keep leading this suit."
• Low card (a 2 or 3) = discourage. "Try something else."

Partner leads the ♥A against 4♠. Holding ♥Q93, play the ♥9: you have the queen, so a second heart may set it up. Holding ♥832, play the ♥2: you have nothing to add.

Two cautions. Never signal with a card that may take a trick later. With ♥QJ2 under partner's ace, play the ♥Q: by agreement it shows the jack too (or a singleton), and it costs nothing because the jack does the same job. And with a doubleton, high then low (an echo) asks for the third round so you can ruff.

Many experienced pairs play upside-down attitude, where low encourages and high discourages. Both work; agree on one.

When declarer leads a suit, attitude makes little sense: you are not choosing what partner leads. Instead, show how many cards you hold:

• High then low = an even number (two or four cards).
• Low then high = an odd number (three or five).

Count helps most in notrump. Dummy has a long suit and no entry, and declarer leads it. Partner holds the ace and wants to take it on the last round when declarer has no more cards. Your count tells partner which round that is.

Suit preference is the third signal, used when attitude and count are clear from the cards. The classic case: you lead a card for partner to ruff. A high card asks partner to return the higher of the two other side suits; a low card asks for the lower. Trumps never count as one of the two suits.

Partner leads the ♥A. Dummy has ♥QJ97, so partner can see that a third heart will run into dummy's honors. You hold ♥82: play the ♥8. When partner continues with the ♥K, follow with the ♥2. High then low says "I have two; give me a ruff."

Partner leads a third heart, you ruff with a small spade, and your ♠A is the fourth trick for the defense: down one. Double-dummy analysis agrees: after the ♥A and ♥K, a third heart beats 4♠, and a club or diamond switch lets it make. Without the echo, partner has to guess, and switching looks safer when dummy holds the queen and jack.

Signal honestly. Declarer watches your cards too, and now and then a false card fools declarer. But partner needs the message far more often than declarer gains from it, so in the long run honest signals take more tricks.

You now have the full beginner course: from the first trick to opening leads, the play of second and third hand, and signals. To go further, read the full guide to bridge signals and the Rule of 11, which helps third hand read partner's fourth-best lead.

The best way to build a defensive memory is to play many hands. Every BridgeDummy lead puzzle shows sample deals after you answer, so you can follow how the defense plays out from your lead. For casual games with friends, try Bridge for Fun tables.

Previous lesson: Lesson 25: Second Hand Low, Third Hand High. This is the last lesson of the course: go back to Bridge lessons for beginners for the full list and any lesson you want to review.