Defenders should count winners also

George Steinbrenner said, “Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next.”

East needs to keep breathing while he counts winners to be a winner on this deal. What should he do against three no-trump after his partner leads the heart three?

South’s negative double showed exactly four spades. Then North, who wanted to get into three notrump if his partner had a heart stopper, cue-bid two hearts. This both forced to game and asked South to bid no-trump with something useful in hearts. Note that if North had a heart stopper, he would have bid no-trump himself. He who knows goes. South did have a stopper, so North-South ended in three no-trump.

Next, note West’s lead. When you lead the suit your partner bid and you did not support, you lead high from shortness (singleton or doubleton) and low from length even without an honor in the suit. It is more important to give length information than strength information.

From the bidding, East knows that South holds the heart king. So, if East continues hearts, South will have at least nine winners via one heart, six diamonds and two clubs.

The only chance is to take four spade tricks now. East wins with his heart ace and shifts to the spade two, low from length guaranteeing at least one honor in the suit. West takes the trick as cheaply as possible and returns the spade four. East wins with his second ace and pushes his last spade through declarer to achieve the desired result.