Attitude Problem
I played with my long-suffering regular partner last night and tonight. Last night was shaky, but we managed to come in second. Tonight I finally felt like our new defensive conventions were working, but nothing else was and the result was pretty damn bad. At least I can comfort myself that I may finally be getting the hang of our new defense. (It only took four bad sessions.)
In the book that convinced me we should stop using standard signals, the author, Marty Bergen, claimed “most players take to (odd-even discards) as easily as ducks to water”. Up until tonight I had been taking to them like a hydrophobic duck — lots of flailing. Of course, simultaneously switching to upside-down count and attitude wasn’t helping matters.
Last night I asked my teacher about a particular situation and whether or not my signal should be count or attitude or suit-preference. In the course of the discussion he made the remark, “You should give your partner attitude.” My reply, “I always give my partner attitude.” His response, “I mean with your cards.” He knows me so well.