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Scanian Signals


Scanian signals are situational upside-down attitude signals by third hand. They may be used when following suit, or when making the first discard in a suit. Scanian signals are used when one of these conditions exist:

  • Dummy contains a "finessable" honor card.

    The Encyclopedia of Bridge provides this example layout:

    Dummy
    J742
    WestEast
    AKT5Q83
    Declarer
    D96

    West leads the DA and East encourages with the D3. Now West can continue with the DT to smother declarer's D9 and finesse dummy's DJ.

  • Partner has 4+ cards in the suit.

    This may be known either by the bidding or when counting the distribution during the play of the hand. Again from the Encyclopedia of Bridge:

    Dummy
    AJ
    WestEast
    873KQT2
    Declarer
    C9652

    West leads a club and declarer puts up dummy's ace. East can signal with the C2, thus preserving the CT as a potential fourth-round winner.

In all other situations, standard attitude signals are used.


Origins

Scanian signals were created by Swedish expert Anders Wirgren. His writeup first appeared in the July 1991 edition of Bridge World magazine.