Obeying the ‘Law’

Let’s subject today’s deal to the “Law of Total Tricks.” The Law (which is not a law but a statistical quirk) states that the number of tricks available to both sides in their best trump suit equals the number of trumps they hold. NorthSouth have a nine-card heart fit, East-West have an eightcard club fit. Sayeth the Law, 17 tricks should be available at heart and club contracts.

Players often use the Law to make competitive decisions, and North was willing to bid three hearts because he knew his side had at least nine trumps. It is often correct to compete to the three level. If you don’t make your contract, perhaps the opponents could have made theirs.

Against three hearts, West led the queen of spades, and East took the ace and cashed the K-Q of clubs. On the third club, South ruffed with the king of trumps. He next took the A-Q, but when West discarded, South conceded a trump and a spade: down one.

“The Law was off target,” South said. “There were 17

trumps, but only 15 total tricks. We should have defended. With best defense, we could be plus 200 against three clubs.”

That was hard to tell, but South certainly could have made three hearts. On East’s third high club, South could discard a spade instead of ruffing. Even after he ruffed with the king, he could succeed by taking the A-Q of trumps, the king of spades and three diamonds. If East refused to ruff, South could exit with a trump, and East would have to concede a ruff-sluff.

The LOTT was off by one trick. And deals are played at the table, not in theory.