Review 155, Easy Guide to Defensive Signals at Bridge, Julian Pottage

Reviews

Easy Guide to Defensive Signals at Bridge
by Julian Pottage

Batsford, £12.20 inc p&p from the Mr Bridge Mail Order Service Tel 01672 519219 (code BK34)

You are about to play your first session with a new partner. 'What signals do you like?' you say. 'Attitude on our leads, count on declarer's leads, and suit preference when it's obvious?' For many players, that is as far as the matter goes. 'How on earth could anyone write a 160-page book on signalling?' they would say.

Julian Pottage has concentrated on defence during his writing career and his expertise in this area is constantly on display in this excellent book. This is an early deal in Chapter 1 on Attitude Signals:

A Q 10 6 A 10 5 J 8 5 A 8 7
	J 9 7 2 Q J 9 8 9 4 3 J 6

South has bid hearts and clubs and West leads the A against 4. Suppose you discourage with the 3. Partner may switch to a spade, hoping to set up your K before declarer establishes a spade discard on the diamonds. Away will go South's Q and the game will be made. Instead you must encourage a diamond continuation by signalling with the 9.

In a later chapter on the 'Basics of Leading New Suits', Pottage covers this common position:

	Q 8 2
A 6 5		K J 10 3
	9 7 4

Sitting East, you decide to seek tricks from this suit. Which card should you lead? It may seem obvious to lead the J but look at the problem this gives your partner! If you are leading from J-10-9-3, West does best to play the six, retaining the ace over South's presumed king. Instead, you should switch to the 3. After all, you are assuming that partner holds the ace to make the switch worthwhile.

The very next hand in this chapter delivers another important lesson:

	10 2 8 7 A J 6 Q 10 9 7 4 3
J 8 7 4 A J 6 5 4 2 8 K 6

South opens 2NT, raised to 3NT. You lead the 5 to partner's ten and South's king. Declarer crosses to the A and runs the Q to your K. How will you defend?

East's play of the 10 places South with both the Q and the 9, so you must seek an entry to partner's hand for a heart return. You should lead the 8! If you lead a careless 4, partner may place you with K-J-7-4 and return a spade rather than a heart.

This book is not just about signalling - it teaches you how to defend! It is clearly and economically written, with several examples per page and plenty of quiz material. I am happy to recommend it to you.

David Bird