THE POINT COUNT POINTS PERFECTLY

Iam like a dog with a favorite toy, always stressing counting. In today's deal, South is in four spades. West leads the diamond nine (top of nothing). How should East plan the defense?

It is rare that a game is bid against a strong-notrump opening, and it is true that South might have passed over one notrump, hoping that the North and West hands were interchanged. Then three no-trump would have failed, South taking five heart tricks, and two hearts doubled by South would have gone down three, minus 800. After South did overcall, North's raise was understandable.

East wins the first trick with the diamond jack, then continues with the diamond king and ace.

South ruffs the third diamond high, draws trumps in two rounds and leads a spade to the eight and jack. What should East do now?

The defenders need one more trick. Declarer is known to have started with five hearts and two diamonds. No matter how his six black-suit cards are divided (unless he made a very strange twoheart bid with 5-5 in the majors), East will get the setting trick if he returns a spade!

After cashing his spade tricks, declarer must have two clubs left in his hand, and East wins a trick with the club king.

If instead East shifts to a club, declarer puts up his queen and claims. A diamond return is also fatal if South has only two spades because he will ruff in his hand and sluff dummy's club loser. Then he will take a ruffing spade finesse. East's opening bid has told South where the missing kings are located.