Discard systems
#1
Posted 2017-October-25, 11:52
The system I prefer (and I can’t find where it originated from) is very simple. The card I discard signals that I want the suit above (skipping the missing suit). Therefore, if I want a spade, I discard a heart; if I want a heart I discard a diamond, if I want a club I discard a spade. This is somewhat like revolving discards, but doesn’t involve the option of low or high discards.
It seems to me that discarding a high card in a suit that you want to take tricks in is wasteful. And the various options in other systems mean partner has to work out what you want led.
So, what is wrong with a very simple system? Where does it fall down?
#2
Posted 2017-October-25, 11:57
#3
Posted 2017-October-25, 12:31
why not just play standard attitude discards (high encouraging, low discouraging) - but with the general approach that you will usually discard a low card in a suit that you don't want. You will rarely discard a high card and never a high card that you consider important. Partner will make sensible decisions, knowing which suit you don't want and eliminating other suits based on his hand, dummy's hand and the bidding.
#4
Posted 2017-October-25, 13:23
If you are concerned about wasting high cards in a suit you want led, just play upside down attitude (low encourage), you can usually afford a low card in that suit, or a high card (discourage) in a different suit, and partner can usually figure out what shift makes sense. Or play odd even, can usually find a low odd or appropriate even to show the suit you want.
#5
Posted 2017-October-25, 13:43
Stephen Tu, on 2017-October-25, 13:23, said:
If you are concerned about wasting high cards in a suit you want led, just play upside down attitude (low encourage), you can usually afford a low card in that suit, or a high card (discourage) in a different suit, and partner can usually figure out what shift makes sense. Or play odd even, can usually find a low odd or appropriate even to show the suit you want.
Thank you for this. I know partnerships that play the upside down attitude, and it does seem to be the most inexpensive method. I've been trying to find a system that requires the minimum of options...
#6
Posted 2017-October-25, 13:54
#7
Posted 2017-October-25, 21:27
goggleboxw, on 2017-October-25, 11:52, said:
goggleboxw's method is new to me. Sometimes, he will have to hunt for an appropriate discard but his method does seem simple and playable.
We play a method that goggleboxw would hate:
- Low shows like (interest in the suit discarded).
- High shows odd-even suit-preference (odd for higher suit, even for lower suit).
#8
Posted 2017-October-25, 22:47
Any discard system, even the basic high encouraging, low discouraging still requires a modicum of common sense to prevail. What if you can't spare a high card, etc.
From your post you say that what you want to be simple, so why not use a basic form of UDCA (low encouraging, high discouraging) as a starting point, and then build on it if you wish, reading up further on UDCA, or even incorporating the basic part of UDCA with maybe another discard system?
#9
Posted 2017-October-26, 02:44
The_Badger, on 2017-October-25, 22:47, said:
Any discard system, even the basic high encouraging, low discouraging still requires a modicum of common sense to prevail. What if you can't spare a high card, etc.
From your post you say that what you want to be simple, so why not use a basic form of UDCA (low encouraging, high discouraging) as a starting point, and then build on it if you wish, reading up further on UDCA, or even incorporating the basic part of UDCA with maybe another discard system?
Thanks for your suggestion, and I shall look at UDCA, which I know is popular with other partnerships. The reason I've been looking for something simple is that I am playing with a new partner and we're trying to establish a bidding system together (Andrew Robson looms large), and we need a discard system, and my brain is now full up!.........
#10
Posted 2017-October-26, 04:34
nige1, on 2017-October-25, 21:27, said:
The hunting part is why odd/even discards were illegal in England for a long time. I am not positive why this changed; it was possibly the observation that all players take a bit of time over their first discard.
Quote
- Low shows like (interest in the suit discarded).
- High shows odd-even suit-preference (odd for higher suit, even for lower suit).
Does this often leave you with no suitable cards to discard?
#11
Posted 2017-October-26, 05:34
Vampyr, on 2017-October-26, 04:34, said:
In our system (Low encouraging. High-odd or high-even shows suit preference), if you lack cards of the appropriate parity, then you can try discarding high-cards, upwards, in the wrong parity. We're less likely than most partnerships to encounter this problem, however, because we can signal for any suit in 3 simple ways.
#12
Posted 2017-October-26, 09:55
That could be a medium honour in each or none of the above and partner can work it out from the auction.
My partnership has never had a tempo issue once we got used to this and it is a definitive signal and I have played against world class players where they get a lead through a Kx(x) and take forever to play the J from AJ(x) with no concern.
What is baby oil made of?