Hybrid reverse Smith...

[akhare]

In the past paragraph about Smith Echo, David Bird's book mentions a hybrid reverse Smith echo where opening leader's partner plays high-low to (sometimes?) encourage continuation of the opening suit. The purported advantage is that both players follow up the line on declarer's suit all the time (unless giving count) and the high-low functions as a wake up all.

 

In regular reverse Smith echo, both players play low-high to encourage continuation of the opening lead (or deny interest in a switch) and a high-low by either side actively encourages a switch.

 

Does anyone know how this hybrid scheme works? Is it just inverting the high-low by opening leader's partner to emphatically ask for continuation of the opening lead (and therefore low-high is either neutral or asking for a switch)?

[EricK]

The system I have seen (and I think it is the same as what you describe) is based on the theory that if leader's partner gets in first he will usually continue the suit, whereas if opening leader gets in first he will often switch (unless his suit is strong enough to continue) in order to get partner on lead to play through declarer.

 

A high Smith echo by either player says not to do this. i.e when opener does it, he is saying he does not want the suit returned (usually because he is very weak in the suit), but if the leader's partner makes the signal it is because he thinks it is a good idea for leader to continue the suit (usually because he is unexpectedly strong in the suit.

 

I suppose the advantage is that when neither player makes the signal, it doesn't matter if either player doesn't notice, or forgets that they are playing the system, as the normal defense is what is being requested. But a high card from either player might cause the other to stop and think was is being requested.