When does declarer start counting?

FRANK-N-ERNEST® GRIZZWELLS® BIG NATE® ARLO & JANIS® ZITS®

John J. Plomp, an author, wrote, “You know that children are growing up when they start asking questions that have answers.”

Last month, a friend asked me, “Do you count out a deal from the beginning or only when you realize that it is necessary?”

I answered that I count from the start because, strange as it might sound, it is easier that way. Trying to remember after, say, trick nine exactly who played what is harder.

In today’s deal, South is in four spades. West cashes the heart ace and heart king, everyone following suit, and shifts to the club seven. What happens after that?

A four-level opening pre-empt would usually be made with an eight-card suit, but with that extra distribution, it was reasonable, especially at favorable vulnerability, for West to put a diamond amongst his hearts!

North’s double is ill-defined. Yes, it shows a good hand, but could be short in hearts and long in the other three suits, or a balanced hand with too many points to pass. South either passes with a balanced hand or shows a long suit. If South had passed, North ought to have led a trump, resulting in down three.

In four spades, South took trick three with his club queen and played a trump to learn about the 4-0 split. Now declarer had to find the diamond queen. To help his count, he drew three rounds of trumps, then cashed dummy’s top clubs. Here, declarer learned that West had begun with no spades, seven hearts, two clubs and, therefore, four diamonds. South played a diamond to his king and ran the diamond jack.