Attitude Signals — Do I Like This Suit?

🎯 Learning Objective: To send and read the everyday signal that tells partner whether to keep leading a suit — and to know exactly when a card is asking that question rather than another.

💡 Key Idea: Attitude is the first signal you reach for and the one you will use most. In Standard signalling, a high spot card encourages — “I like this, carry on” — and a low spot card discourages — “don’t waste your time here.” That is the whole rule. Everything else is knowing when it applies.

When attitude is the question

From the Choosing Your Signalling System lesson: the situation decides which signal you are giving, not you. Attitude is the answer in two situations. First, when partner leads a suit and you are following — your card tells them whether to continue it. Second, when you make your first discard — the suit you throw a card in, and whether that card is high or low, shows whether you want it led.

High and low are relative

“High” does not mean a specific card — it means the highest you can spare. Partner leads the ♥K against 3NT and you hold ♥9-6-2. The 9 is a clear encouraging card: it is obviously high relative to your others, and it says “I have something useful here — keep going.” Hold ♥8-6-3 instead and there is no genuinely high card to send; the 3 discourages plainly. The reader’s job is easier when your lowest card is a 2 or 3, because a low card is unmistakable. Play the highest you can afford when encouraging and the lowest you hold when discouraging — the clearer the card, the fewer accidents.

Why you encourage — and why it is usually safe

You encourage because you hold something that makes continuing the suit pay: the missing honour, a doubleton wanting a ruff (in a suit contract), or length that will set up. You are not promising a specific card — you are promising that the suit is worth partner’s next lead more than any other. If you have nothing to say for the suit, discourage, and let partner look elsewhere.

Returning partner’s suit. When you win and lead partner’s suit back, the card you return also carries a message about your length. From a remaining doubleton, return the higher card. From three or more, return your original fourth-highest — the same card you would have led yourself. That lets partner apply the count they already have and read how the suit lies. (This is a length message, not attitude — but it lives here because it happens the moment you take charge of partner’s suit.)

If you play the upside-down method

Everything above reverses: a low card encourages, a high card discourages. The advantage, as noted in the system lesson, is that you keep your high spot cards in the suits you like. The mechanics of when to signal are identical — only the direction flips. Agree with your partner which way you play before the first board, not during it.

⚠️ Common Mistakes:

Signalling when it is not an attitude situation. When declarer leads the suit, your card shows count, not attitude. Throwing a “high” card to declarer’s lead because you like the suit tells partner nothing useful and may cost a trick.

Encouraging with a card you cannot afford. If your only high card is a working honour or a card that will win a trick, do not burn it to send a message. A signal is never worth a trick.

Signalling out of tempo. A pause before you play a discouraging card, or a flourish before an encouraging one, tells declarer as much as it tells partner. Decide before it is your turn, then play smoothly.

🧠 Memory Tip: High is happy. Partner’s lead, or your first discard — a high card smiles “keep going,” a low card frowns “look elsewhere.” (Playing upside-down? Then low is loyal.)

Summary

Attitude is the workhorse signal. It applies when partner leads a suit and when you make your first discard. High encourages, low discourages — relative to the cards you hold, and always the clearest card you can spare. Return partner’s suit with the higher of a doubleton or your original fourth-highest from length. Never spend a working card on a signal, never signal in the wrong situation, and never let your tempo do the talking.

 

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