The Penguin Book of Card Games: Everything You Need to Know to Play Over 250 Games (195 page)

given a bad distribution.

It is up to the partners to use discretion in fol owing these signals

strictly or modifying them in the light of known information,

strictly or modifying them in the light of known information,

whether visible in the hands already played, or deduced from how

the opponents fared in the previous hand.

Straight flush signals Cal for a straight flush if holding three or

more cards in suit and range. Show your holding by playing

upwards or downwards and with one or more gaps (designated x)

as fol ows:

signal

e.g. meaning (and example)

L x x x H A-5 5 held, 5 in sequence (A-2-3-4-5)

L x x H 2-5 4 held, 4 in sequence (2-3-4-5)

L x H

3-5 4 held, 3 in sequence, 1 higher or lower (3-4-5 & A or 7)

LH

4-5 3 held, 2 in sequence, one higher (4-5-7 or 4-5-8)

HL

5-4 3 held, 2 in sequence, one lower (5-4-2 or 5-4-A)

H x L

5-3 3 held, 3 in sequence, no other (5-4-3)

H x x L 5-2 4 held, 1 missing between (5-4-2-A)

H x x x L 5-A 3 held, none consecutive (5-3-A)

Some holdings can be shown in more than one way. Thus 5-4-2-A

could be signal ed 5-2 or 4-A, or even 5-A, since, if your partner

holds the missing 3, he wil know it cannot mean 5-3-A and wil

therefore play it. Use your discretion, but, wherever possible, try to

avoid playing across a gap.

Same rank signals Cal for four of a kind or a ful house by playing

first and second cards as fol ows:

from this

play this

four of a kind same rank, then

three & three different rank, same colour

full house

different rank, different colour, from threes first

threes only red and pass ( if possible)

two pairs

same rank, black–red or minor–major, or if out of