GET TO 10 BEFORE THEY CAN TAKE FOUR

When you are in a suit contract, start by checking losers. But if you can do it in a timely fashion, count winners as well. On about 20% of deals, checking winners will point you in the right direction more clearly than worrying about losers.

In today's deal, South was in four hearts. He won the first trick with dummy's diamond ace and cashed the two top trumps, but East discarded a spade. How should declarer have continued?

In the auction, North made a transfer bid, then offered his partner a choice of games. South, with 4-3-33 distribution, was tempted to opt for three no-trump, but was worried about diamonds. (Here, three notrump ought to be defeated.)

South saw four losers: two hearts and two diamonds. But before throwing in the towel, he counted winners. Declarer had two spades, two hearts, one diamond and three clubs in top tricks. (If West had fewer than three clubs, the contract was hopeless.) That was a total of eight. How about trying to get two more by ruffing losers?

Right -- after the top trumps, South cashed his high spades, ruffed a spade on the board and took the three club winners. Then declarer led his last spade. What could West have done?

Nothing! If he pitched a diamond, South would have ruffed on the board for his 10th winner. But when West ruffed, declarer discarded a diamond and had to get one more heart trick.

bridge

Where did the defense's fourth trick go? At trick 13, West had a high trump and East had the diamond jack. Two winners took one trick.

Copyright United Feature Syndicate (Asia Features)