Defensive Signals in Bridge

Defense is a partnership game. You and partner need to work together, but you can’t talk. All you have are the cards you play. Those cards send signals.

The three main types of signals are attitude (do I like this suit?), count (how many do I have?), and suit preference (which suit should you lead next?). Knowing which signal to send when is what separates good defenders from average ones.

Attitude Signals: Like It or Not

Attitude signals are the most common. You’re telling partner whether you want them to continue a suit.

High card = encouraging (I like this suit)
Low card = discouraging (try something else)

When partner leads a suit, your first play in that suit shows attitude. If you like it, play your highest affordable card. If you don’t, play your lowest.

Partner leads the ♠K against a notrump contract. You hold ♠Q84. Play the 8 (high) to encourage. You want partner to continue spades because you have the queen.

Same situation, but you hold ♠742. Play the 2 (low) to discourage. You have nothing in spades. Partner should try something else.

When to Encourage

Encourage when you have:

An honor that helps the suit (the queen when partner leads the king)
The ace (you can win the next round)
Length in the suit (six small cards are worth something against notrump)

Don’t encourage just because you have one spot card higher than the one you’re playing. From 963, playing the 6 isn’t encouraging. The high-low needs to be meaningful.

When to Discourage

Discourage when:

You have nothing useful in the suit
You’d rather partner switch to something else
You’re worried declarer will make tricks if partner continues

If partner leads the ♥Q and dummy has ♥AJ10, you’d better have the king to encourage. Otherwise, declarer’s getting cheap tricks.

Count Signals: How Many Do You Have?

Count signals tell partner how many cards you hold in a suit. This helps them figure out declarer’s shape.

High-low = even number (2, 4, or 6 cards)
Low-high = odd number (3, 5, or 7 cards)

Count signals come up most often when:

Declarer is drawing trumps
Declarer leads a suit from dummy or hand
You’re discarding and can’t follow suit

Partner doesn’t lead a suit and ask for count. Count signals happen when declarer plays the suit.

The High-Low Echo

From ♣84, play the 8 then the 4. That’s a high-low, showing an even number. Partner now knows declarer started with an odd number in that suit.

From ♣864, play the 4, then the 6, then the 8. Low-high shows odd.

This matters most in trumps. If declarer draws three rounds and you show out (can’t follow suit), but you gave count correctly, partner knows if declarer started with 4 or 5 trumps.

Why It Matters

Declarer is in 4♥. They pull trumps, playing three rounds. You started with two hearts and gave count (played high-low). Partner started with three hearts. Now partner knows declarer started with exactly 5 hearts. That means they’re 5-3-3-2 shape, not 5-4-2-2.

That might tell partner what to do next. If partner needs to guess which minor suit to lead, knowing declarer is 3-3 in the minors (not 4-2) could matter.

Suit Preference: Which Suit Next?

Suit preference signals tell partner which of two other suits you’d like led. These are the most specialized and least used signals, but when you need them, they’re perfect.

High card = higher-ranking suit
Low card = lower-ranking suit

Suit preference comes up when:

Partner is about to give you a ruff
You’re returning partner’s suit and want to show where your entry is
It’s obvious from the situation that attitude and count don’t matter

The Classic Ruff Situation

Partner leads a singleton ♠3 against 4♥. You win the ace. You’re going to give partner a ruff, but then what? Partner needs to know where your entry is so they can give you the lead back for a second ruff.

You hold the ♦A. Return the ♠9 (high) to show your entry is in diamonds (the higher of the other two non-trump suits). After partner ruffs, they’ll lead a diamond to your ace, and you’ll give another spade ruff.

If your entry were in clubs instead, you’d return the ♠2 (low) to show clubs (the lower suit).

Hearts is trump, spades is the suit being ruffed, so the choice is between diamonds (higher) and clubs (lower).

Returning Partner’s Suit

Partner led the ♠K against 3NT. You have ♠A43. You win the ace and return a spade. Which spade?

If you want a heart switch when partner gets in, return the ♠4 (high for hearts).
If you want a club switch, return the ♠3 (low for clubs).

Partner will continue spades if they have more to cash. But if they need to switch, your return told them which suit.

Don’t Confuse Them

Suit preference only works when the situation is clear. If partner can’t tell whether you’re showing attitude, count, or suit preference, you’ll just confuse them.

Use suit preference when it’s obvious that’s what you’re doing. Otherwise, stick to attitude and count.

Priority: What Signal When?

You can’t give all three signals at once. Which one matters most?

First time in a suit partner led: Attitude
Partner wants to know if you like their suit. That’s the priority.

First time in a suit declarer led: Count
Partner wants to know how the suit splits. Give count.

When giving a ruff: Suit preference
Partner wants to know where your entry is. Use suit preference.

When discarding: It depends

If you’re throwing away cards from a suit declarer or partner hasn’t led yet, you’re showing attitude in that suit. Throwing high means you have something there. Throwing low means you don’t.

If you’re pitching on a suit that’s already been played, you might be showing count in the suit you’re discarding.

This is where partnership agreements matter. Discuss with your regular partners what your discards mean.

Standard Signals vs. Upside-Down

Everything above assumes “standard signals” where high-low is encouraging for attitude and even for count.

Some partnerships play “upside-down signals” where low is encouraging and high is discouraging for attitude. Count stays the same.

Upside-down has advantages. When you want to encourage, you play low, which saves your high cards. When you want to discourage, you play high, which uses up a card you don’t need.

But it’s also harder to remember and easier to have a misunderstanding. Most casual partnerships stick with standard signals.

Whatever you play, make sure you and partner agree before the game starts.

Common Mistakes

Signaling when declarer is watching

Don’t give away information declarer can use. If you high-low with Qx in a suit, you just told declarer where the queen is. Only signal when it helps partner more than it helps declarer.

Signaling with cards you can’t afford

Don’t encourage with the 9 from Q93 when the 10 is in dummy. You need that 9. Play the 3 and let partner figure it out.

Giving the wrong signal in context

If partner leads the ace and dummy has KQJ10, don’t encourage just because you have four small cards. Declarer has the suit. Let it go.

Following rules instead of thinking

Sometimes you have to break the rules. If encouraging with a high card would blow a trick, play low even if you like the suit. The goal is beating the contract, not following signaling rules.

Playing with New Partners

With an unfamiliar partner, keep it simple:

High = like it, low = don’t (attitude)
High-low = even, low-high = odd (count)
Save suit preference for obvious situations

Don’t try fancy signals. Clear, simple communication beats clever stuff every time.

The Real Secret

Signals only work if you watch them. You can give perfect signals all day, but if partner isn’t paying attention, it doesn’t matter.

When you’re not playing a card yourself, watch what partner plays. Their cards are trying to tell you something.

And remember: declarer is watching too. Sometimes the best defense is not signaling at all. Save your information for when it helps partner make a decision they can’t make without it.

Defense is about communication, but smart communication. Tell partner what they need to know when they need to know it, and don’t hand declarer any gifts along the way.