Carding Signals Summary

GENERAL RULES OF DEFENSIVE SIGNALS

 • When following to a suit or when discarding in a suit, the relative height

     of a card is used to send signals.

 • Signals are usually given with cards from two to nine.

 • A signal can be fully interpreted from the bidding, from the cards seen

     on the dummy and from the cards held in your hand.

 • It is sometimes necessary to wait until partner plays to the second round

     in a suit to fully understand a signal.

 • It is not always appropriate to signal, especially with a strong defensive hand.

 • It is not mandatory to follow your partner's signals when not suitable

     given the context of a hand.

 • It is usually profitable to signal as much as possible against less experienced players.

 • It is recommended to always signal on the opening lead.

ATTITUDE SIGNAL

The attitude signal indicates the level of interest toward the suit in which the signal is given. Common practice are positive and negative attitude signals.

 • A relatively high card shows positive attitude toward the suit being led, or

 • A relatively high card shows negative attitude toward the suit being led,

 • An echo is a positive attitude signal consisting in a high card followed

    as soon as possible with a lower card.

COUNT SIGNAL

The count signal is used to show the number of cards held in a suit being led.

 • A relatively high card shows an even number of cards in a suit being led,

 • A relatively low card shows an odd number of cards in a suit being led.

Count is given by playing high-low from two cards, low from three or five cards and second-high followed with third-high from four cards.

PREFERENCE SIGNAL

The preference signal is used to show a preference for one of the two suits outside the trump suit and the suit being led.

 • A relatively high card shows a preference for the higher-ranking suit

     outside the trump suit and the suit being led,

 • A relatively low card shows a preference for the lower-ranking suit

     outside the trump suit and the suit being led.

PRECEDENCE WHEN SIGNALING

a) When following to a suit led by your partner:

 • signal attitude with your first card,

 • signal preference with your second card.

b) When following to a suit led by the declarer:

 • signal count with your first card,

 • signal preference with your second card.

c) When discarding in an suit not led yet:

 • signal attitude with your first card,

 • signal present count with your second card.

d) When discarding in a suit already led:

 • signal present count.

ROMAN DISCARDS (ODD/EVEN)

a) An odd discard encourages continuation of a suit being led.

b) An even discard discourages continuation of a suit being led.

c) A relatively high even card suggests a shift to the higher-ranking suit

     other than the trump suit,

d) A relatively low even card suggests a shift to the lower-ranking suit

     other than the trump suit.

Advantages:

When wishing continuation of a suit but lacking an odd card to encourage, trying to give a preference signal would look inconsistent.

LAVINTHAL DISCARDS

a) A relatively low card shows a preference for the suit ranking immediately

     below the suit being discarded (clubs ask for spades),

b) A relatively high card shows a preference for the suit ranking immediately

     above the suit being discarded (spades ask for clubs).

Advantages:

 • Allows suggesting a shift to a given suit from two other suits,

 • Avoids wasting a high card in a suit you wish your partner to shift,

 • Reduces the possibility of false carding by declarer.

REVERSE SIGNALS (UDCA)

a) A relatively low card encourages the continuation of a suit being led

b) A relatively high card discourages the continuation of a suit being led

Advantages:

 • Avoids wasting a high card to signal positive attitude in a suit,

 • reduces the possibility of false carding by declarer.

RUSINOW LEADS (JOURNALIST LEADS)

Lead the second higher-ranking honor from a sequence of two or more honors. Applies only against suit contracts in suits not declared by your partner during the auction. Leads other than the opening lead are standard.

Advantages:

 • Reduces the ambiguity of leads from ace-king or king-queen.

MUD LEADS

MUD means Middle-Up-Down (when leading from xx x). MUD leads do not apply to suits declared by your partner during the auction.

JOURNALIST (LEAD OF AN HONOR AGAINST NOTRUMP)

Each lead of an honor has a special meaning:

 • the lead of a jack denies a higher-ranking honor,

 • the lead of a ten promises the ace, the king or the queen,

 • the lead of a nine promises the ten or no higher-ranking honor or

     a doubleton (lead the eight from 987),

 • the lead of an ace shows AKJxx or AKQ10x or AK109x,

 • the lead of a king shows AK or KQ,

 • the lead of a queen shows QJ10 or KQ109 and requests unblocking the jack when held.

Advantages:

Journalist leads eliminate the ambiguity of leading from the top of inner sequences (lead of the jack from KJ109).

CODED NINES AND TENS

Coded nines and tens leads are used against notrump contracts.

 • The lead of a ten promises the jack plus another non-consecutive

     higher-ranking honor or shows top of a sequence without a higher-ranking honor,

 • The lead of a nine promises the ten plus another non-consecutive

     higher-ranking honor or shows top of a sequence without a higher-ranking honor.

Further Reading:

Prism Signals