You’ve probably heard of signals in bridge. Depending on the situation, you may be telling partner whether or not to continue a suit, give suit preference for a future lead or show count in a suit. But what about signals to declarer when you’re defending?

Come again? You want to give your opponents helpful signals? Of course not. As long as you’re not confounding partner in the process, feel free to give declarer misleading signals.

Two such examples highlighted play at Martha’s Vineyard Bridge Club on August 23. On Board 19 North was dealing, with East-West vulnerable:

NORTH
♠ K Q 6 4 3
♥ K J 9
♦ Q 8 3
♣ J 8

WEST               EAST
♠ 10                   ♠ A J 8 5 2
♥ A 6 5              ♥ 4 3 2
♦ J 9 7 6 5 4       ♦ 2
♣ 10 9 7             ♣ 5 4 3 2

SOUTH
♠ 9 7
♥ Q 10 8 7
♦ A K 10
♣ A K Q 6

The bidding proceeded as follows:

North          East           South          West
1♠               Pass           3NT•           All Pass

• 16-18 high-card points

Opening lead: ♦ 6

Declarer won with the king and led a spade. East smoothly played low, apparently signaling that the ace was in the West hand, and allowed the king to win. Back came the diamond to the ace.

Now South confidently led another spade and gasped when West showed out. East cashed the jack and ace and led a heart to West’s ace. Declarer eventually made four for +430 but collected only two of a possible seven matchpoints when others made five. “I was sure the spades would set up,” South said.

With the benefit of hindsight, South should have switched to hearts to set up three certain tricks rather than continue to play spades, which would produce at best only three.

On the next board West was dealing, with both sides vulnerable:

NORTH
♠ J 10 8 7
♥ 10 2
♦ A K J 9
♣ A 5 3

WEST               EAST
♠ K Q                ♠ 6 5 3
♥ 8 7 4 3           ♥ K Q 9 6 5
♦ 8 6 4              ♦ Q 5
♣ J 10 9 6         ♣ K Q 8

SOUTH
♠ A 9 4 2
♥ A J
♦ 10 7 3 2
♣ 7 4 2

The bidding proceeded as follows:

West           North          East           South
Pass            1♦              Pass            1♠
Pass            2 ♠             Pass            4 ♠
All Pass

Opening lead: ♣J

East underbid by passing initially. By contrast, South bid optimistically, sensing a two-suited fit in spades and diamonds, plus no more than one heart loser.

On the opening lead, South went up with the ace and let the ♠J ride. Normally you should win with the lowest possible card, but West again false-carded, playing the misleading king. A club to East’s king-queen yielded two more tricks. East led the heart king to the ace. By now declarer was calculating how far he’d go down. A diamond to the ace was followed by the ♠ 10 with a ticket to ride. Declarer gagged when West won with the queen. Only by refusing the diamond finesse did declarer go down two for -200. This time South’s reward was only one matchpoint.

“I didn’t think you had both spade honors,” South told West.

“It’s what the Fool said in King Lear,” South replied. “Have more than thou showest.”