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Detail specifications 72EA - Level 1 ★
Preference carding
Preference carding
When you understand that showing count is of no interest to your partner...Use carding to show preference
This card always shows preference for a suit other than the one played or trump.
Example You are in South: In this ♠ contract, North, your partner, lead the Ace♥, and the dummy has a singleton in ♥. Your count is irrelevant to your p !
But you'd like him to return ♣ for your tenace...
In that situation, it is a preference carding : If you play the 3 ♥, You are calling for ♣, if you play the 9♥, he'll return ♦
When you understand that showing count is of no interest to your partner...Use carding to show preference
This card always shows preference for a suit other than the one played or trump.
- A high card calls for the highest of the remaining suits
- A low card calls for the lowest of the remaining suits
Example You are in South: In this ♠ contract, North, your partner, lead the Ace♥, and the dummy has a singleton in ♥. Your count is irrelevant to your p !
But you'd like him to return ♣ for your tenace...
In that situation, it is a preference carding : If you play the 3 ♥, You are calling for ♣, if you play the 9♥, he'll return ♦
| S | W | N | E |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Pass |
3 |
|
Pass |
4 |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
| | |||||||||||
| |
| K 10 7 6 J 9 7 K Q 7 4 2 | |||||||||
| 8 4 3 J 8 7 3 A Q 8 7 6 5 |
Exercise 4868 Showing count is not useful for your partner as the dummy will ruff. Play the3 ♥ appel showing preference for ♣
When should you use preference carding ?
You should use preference carding when the count is known or irrelevant.
Most frequent opportunities to show preference :
Example
You are in South, leading against the 3NT contract played by East . Your lead of the Jack ♥ is taken by East with the King (You know the declarer also has the Queen...).East plays ♠ for the Queen at the dummy. Then draws the Jack ♠ Your partner plays the 8 and you take it with the Ace. Which card will you play ?
You should use preference carding when the count is known or irrelevant.
Most frequent opportunities to show preference :
- On trump contracts
- When the dummy has a singleton, The level of your card must help your partner find the best counter-attack
- When you are giving your p a ruff, Show your p how he can get back to you so you can give him a 2nd ruff
- Preference carding in NT :
- To show in which suit you have an entry to get back in hand after your long suit has been established
Example
You are in South, leading against the 3NT contract played by East . Your lead of the Jack ♥ is taken by East with the King (You know the declarer also has the Queen...).East plays ♠ for the Queen at the dummy. Then draws the Jack ♠ Your partner plays the 8 and you take it with the Ace. Which card will you play ?
| S | W | N | E |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
|||
2 |
X |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
| | |||||||||||
| 6 K J 5 4 K Q 8 7 2 |
| | |||||||||
| 6 A 10 9 8 10 9 10 9 |
Exercise 4869 LYour partner's 8♠, on the 2nd round in that suit is clearly a preference for CA: Your ♦ return will put him in hand so he can play ♥ to your tenace and capture the Queen..
How to show preference in a trump contract ?
Example
You are in South, leading against a 2 ♠ contract; Xhich card will you choose ?
- On the lead of an Ace
- If the dummy has a doubleton, show count on the first round, then preference on the 2nd when your p plays the King
- If the dummy has a singleton , directly show preference
- When you are giving your partner a ruff, choose the card to show him where to get back to you so you can give him a 2nd ruff
- When you lead trump, choose your card to show your p in which suit to counter-attack
Example
You are in South, leading against a 2 ♠ contract; Xhich card will you choose ?
| S | W | N | E |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
|||
Pass |
2 |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
| | |||||||||||
| | | | |||||||||
| 8 4 2 A Q 10 Q 6 5 K 4 3 2 |
Exercize 2809 You can't sacrifice your Queen by playing ♣, nor play ♥ with your tenace , nor lead ♦ ! There is only trump left ! Here, you should play the 8♠ so your partner plays ♥ (the highest remaining suit) .When playing trump, show preference with the level of your card.
Other czses of preference carding in trump contracts
Depending on the bidding and cards visible at the dummy, you can clearly show preference.
For example :
You are leading against 4 ♥. You lead the Ace ♠ followed by the King and the Queen . You partner plays the 2 (that shows 3 cards), then the 7 and finally the 8.What can you conclude?
Depending on the bidding and cards visible at the dummy, you can clearly show preference.
For example :
You are leading against 4 ♥. You lead the Ace ♠ followed by the King and the Queen . You partner plays the 2 (that shows 3 cards), then the 7 and finally the 8.What can you conclude?
| S | W | N | E |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Pass |
1 |
|
Pass |
2 |
Pass |
4 |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
| | |||||||||||
| J 10 9 A K 10 9 6 4 K Q 7 2 | | | |||||||||
| A K Q 6 9 6 4 3 5 3 J 10 9 |
Exercise 27489 Your partner is not interested in ♦, the only promising suit in this contract. Had he had the Ace ♦ he would have played the 2, the 8 and finally the 7. This "abnormal " order would have caught your attention and you would have returned ♦ !
FR version