North-South vulnerable. South deals.

February 24, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

NORTH

xJ 7 6 5

uA K 5 2

v9 7 4

wJ 10

WEST EAST

x10 9 2 xA Q 8 4

u9 7 6 3 uJ 8

vA J 6 v10 8 5 3

wA Q 7 w9 5 2

SOUTH

xK 3

uQ 10 4

vK Q 2

wK 8 6 4 3

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1w Pass 1u Pass

1NT Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ten of x

For years, the standard method of signaling to was to play a high card if you liked the suit led; a low card was discouraging. However, in recent years more and more players have switched the meaning of the signals — low is encouraging, high not. The logic is that you often cannot spare a high card if you want partner to continue the suit, but you can from a worthless holding where you want to discourage partner. This deal, highlighting the method, is from last year’s world championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Sitting East-West were Mehli Ozdil of New York and Mark Lair of Canyon, Texas.

Against South’s one no trump, Lair led the ten of spades. Dummy played low and East, playing upside-down signals, was able to encourage with the four! Declarer won with the king and led a low club from hand. West rose with the queen and East dropped the nine as a suit preference signal for a spade continuation.

West continued with the nine of spades, East overtook with the queen and led a low diamond to the king and ace. The jack of diamonds was allowed to win and the diamond continuation lost to the queen. When declarer reverted to clubs, Lair rose with the ace and reverted to spades, allowing East to score two spade tricks for a two-trick set.

Note that, if East had to play the eight of spades at trick one to encourage a spade continuation, the defense would be able to score only two spade tricks. And if the four was discouraging, West might have shifted the attack, giving declarer the time to land the contract.

2010 Tribune Media Services