Chapter 5: Smith Signal. Part II
What is the Smith signal? When to give it?The Smith signal is an attitude carding signal. Smith signal is given at trick 2. It can be given by any of the two defenders, either the one who is on lead, or his partner. Smith is used to show attitude, unless when looking at the dummy and declarer's play it is clearly more important to give count (will refer to that in a later example).
So, playing Smith, a defender will follow with a low card to the 2nd trick if he is not interested in the opening suit, and will play a high card if he likes the suit attacked by the opening leader.
We will continue with examples.
Example h)
| ♠A542 ♥65 ♦Q1095 ♣A83 |
||
| ♠KJ3 ♥K9742 ♦A3 ♣1072 |
♥ 10 |
Against 3NT you lead the ♥4. Partner played the ♥10 and declarer won with the ♥Q. Declarer continued with the ♦K at trick 2, and you won with the ♦A. Partner followed with the ♦9. What does he signal, and what will continue? Partner is signaling you he has interest in heart! Since he can't have the ♥A (else he would have played it at trick 1), he must have the ♥J (and played the ♥10 from ♥J10), an important card for you! Continue with ♥2 to develop the heart suit. This can be the heart situation:
| ♥65 | ||
| ♥K9742 | ♥J103 | |
| ♥AQ8 |
Hopefully, your spade suit might provide an entry to the last hearts.
Example i)
| ♠A542 ♥65 ♦Q1095 ♣A83 |
||
| ♠KJ3 ♥K9742 ♦A3 ♣1072 |
♥ 10 |
| ♥65 | ||
| ♥K9742 | ♥1083 | |
| ♥AQJ |
Notice that if you play another heart, declarer will get freely his ♥J too while another suit will hold him on 2 heart tricks.
As mentioned in the beginning, Smith signaling works for both defenders.
Example j)
| ♠A32 ♥432 ♦432 ♣AK32 |
||
| ♠954 ♥AQ976 ♦J75 ♣64 |
♥ J |
| ♠A32 ♥432 ♦432 ♣AK32 |
||
| ♠954 ♥AQ976 ♦J75 ♣64 |
♠K76 ♥J5 ♦Q1098 ♣J1075 |
|
| ♠QJ108 ♥K108 ♦AK6 ♣Q98 |
Partner wins the ♠K, continues with the ♥5 and defense wins their 5 tricks.
Example k)
| ♠A32 ♥932 ♦432 ♣AK32 |
||
| ♠94 ♥107654 ♦AQ95 ♣64 |
♥ J |
Against 3NT you lead the ♥7 (2nd best). Partner played the ♥ J and declarer won with the ♥ K and continued with the ♠Q. You must play the ♠4, telling partner that you are NOT interested in a heart continuation. Partner will look for another suit, normally the weak suit of the dummy, and play accordingly:
| ♠A32 ♥932 ♦432 ♣AK32 |
||
| ♠94 ♥107654 ♦AQ95 ♣64 |
♠K765 ♥J8 ♦J107 ♣J1075 |
|
| ♠QJ108 ♥AKQ ♦K86 ♣Q98 |
Partner gets the ♠K, switch to the ♦ J and defense gets their 4 diamonds and a spade trick to set.
Example l)
| ♠754 ♥105 ♦A863 ♣Q752 |
||
| ♥ 4 | ♠J10932 ♥Q96 ♦K5 ♣643 |
Against 3NT partner lead the ♥4. You tried the ♥Q but declarer won with the ♥A and played his ♦Q to your ♦ K, as your partner gave the ♦2. What now? Switch to the ♠J as partner is signaling a poor heart suit:
| ♠754 ♥105 ♦A863 ♣Q752 |
||
| ♠AQ6 ♥J8743 ♦92 ♣J108 |
♠J10932 ♥Q96 ♦K5 ♣643 |
|
| ♠K8 ♥AK2 ♦QJ1074 ♣AK9 |
A "normal" heart return will give away the contract as declarer have 4 diamonds, 2 hearts and 4 clubs = 10 tricks. ♠J switch will set the contract by 2 tricks: 5 spades and ♦K for the defense!
Example m)
| ♠754 ♥105 ♦A863 ♣Q752 |
||
| ♥ 4 | ♠J10932 ♥Q96 ♦K5 ♣643 |
Against 3NT partner lead the ♥4. You tried the ♥Q but declarer won with the ♥A and played his ♦Q to your ♦K, as your partner gave the ♦ 9. What now? Partner is showing interest in heart, the suit he led. Continue with the ♥9:
| ♠754 ♥105 ♦A863 ♣Q752 |
||
| ♠Q6 ♥KJ8432 ♦92 ♣J108 |
♠J10932 ♥Q96 ♦K5 ♣643 |
|
| ♠AK8 ♥A7 ♦QJ1074 ♣AK9 |
A heart return will set the contract by 2 tricks: 5 hearts and ♦K for the defense. A spade switch will be bad this time, and declarer will make 11 tricks (2spades, 1 heart, 4 diamonds and 4 clubs).
Example n)
| ♠K62 ♥986 ♦A62 ♣8732 |
||
| ♥ 5 | ♠A73 ♥Q73 ♦J8753 ♣K4 |
Against 4♠ partner lead the ♥5. You played the ♥Q and declarer won with the ♥A and continued with the ♠Q. Partner followed with the ♠4 and you won with the ♠A. Now what? Switch to the ♣K as partner is signaling a poor heart suit:
| ♠K62 ♥986 ♦A62 ♣8732 |
||
| ♠94 ♥10542 ♦1094 ♣A1065 |
♠A73 ♥Q73 ♦J8753 ♣K4 |
|
| ♠QJ1085 ♥AKJ ♦KQ ♣QJ9 |
Only a switch will set the contract: ♠A, ♣AK, and club ruff.
Example o)
| ♠K62 ♥984 ♦A62 ♣8732 |
||
| ♥ 5 | ♠A73 ♥Q73 ♦J8753 ♣K4 |
Against 4♠ partner lead the ♥ 5. You played the ♥Q and declarer won with the ♥A and continued with the ♠Q. Partner followed with the ♠9 and you won with the ♠A. Now what? Partner ask for heart, so no reason to switch:
| ♠K62 ♥984 ♦A62 ♣8732 |
||
| ♠94 ♥K1065 ♦1094 ♣Q965 |
♠A73 ♥Q73 ♦J8753 ♣K4 |
|
| ♠QJ1085 ♥AJ2 ♦KQ ♣AJ10 |
Continue heart and defense will win 2 heart tricks, 1spade and 1 club to set. If you try a club switch, declarer will be able to throw a heart loser on the ♦A.
When not to signal Smith at trick 2:
1.) When our holding in the suit is clear, say we lead the K , showing a sequence
2.) When it's essential to give count:
| ♠543 ♥54 ♦543 ♣KQJ107 |
||
| ♠Q | ♠987 ♥KQJ10 ♦1092 ♣952 |
Against 3NT partner lead the ♠Q. Declarer won your ♠7 with the ♠K and continued with the ♣4. Partner gave the ♣3 and dummy played the ♣10. What do you signal?
| ♠543 ♥54 ♦543 ♣KQJ107 |
||
| ♠QJ102 ♥876 ♦876 ♣A83 |
♠987 ♥KQJ10 ♦1092 ♣952 |
|
| ♠AK6 ♥A932 ♦AKQJ ♣64 |
Spade position is clear as partner led from the top of sequence. He also knows that declarer has the ♠A else you would play it at trick 1. But even if all this is unclear, it is more important to give count in club so that your partner will know how many times to hold up the ♣A. Play low here, indicating an ODD numbers of clubs (see previous article on count) and partner will count declarer for 2 club cards and hold up just once to kill dummy. If he holds up twice, declarer has 9 tricks: 2 spades, 1 heart, 4 diamonds and 2 clubs.
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