www.ibridge.co-Play with a World Champion as coach and partner
72LZ - Discarding -
level 1 ★
Discarding
Before you discard, you should ensure that you aren't giving away a trick. You and your partner have previously agreed which discard convention you are going to play. The main discard conventions are :
The French System (champions play this...)
Attitude
Roman Discard
Laventhal
Attitude
This is the simplest system :
A high card means you like/want the suit. Holding similar cards, play the highest.
A low card means you don't like the suit.
Roman Discard (Italian discard)
The rules are simple : when it's your 1st discard
play an odd cardto show interest for the discarded suit
play an even card if you are not interested in the discarded suit. In this last case, you can add an information.high even is a preference signal for a "high" suit, low even is showing preference for the lowest suit.
Lavinthal discard.
Lavinthal discard is used in NT contracts, in order not to sacrifice a trick (that might be the case with attitude system)
Discard a suit you don't want
The card will show a preference : a high card for a high suit, a low card for a low suit.
S
W
N
E
1NT
Pass
3NT
Pass
Pass
Pass
K
Q
6
A
K
Q
3
Q
9
6
9
5
2
7
5
A
K
J
8
You're East, defending. The declarer plays ♠ for the 4th time and you have to discard. You don't want ♣ nor ♥. Discard a high ♥ card. Your partner when in hand will play the strongest of the remaining suits : ♦. So discard the9 ♥