January 2025 - 56

Intermediate Players
Counting Culture
BY MATTHEW GRANOVETTER
Bridgetoday.com@gmail.com
Bridgetoday.com
L
et's begin the new year with a
resolution to count declarer's
high-card points as soon as
dummy comes down (if not before).
This is a basic preparation for defense,
because it keeps you mindful
of how many points partner has. This
hand, like most of the hands in this
column, is from real life. Put yourself
in the East chair:
North (Dummy)
Dlr: West s K 10 8
Vul: Both h 7 6 2
d Q 10 7 4
c 9 6 5
East (You)
s 7 4 3
h A J 9
d J 9 8 3
c A 10 4
West North East
Pass Pass
Pass 3NT
Pass
All Pass
Opening lead: s6.
Here's the method I use. I give
declarer the minimum for his bid, in
this case 20 points (though some will
open a good 19 these days). I have
10 points, so before dummy comes
down, I've counted to 30. The lead is
made, dummy has 5, and I think to
myself that partner has about 5, at
most. Now just keep it in the back of
your mind.
Your primary goal is five tricks
before they make nine. Trick one is
the best time to think and plan. What
is that s6 lead? It could be fourth
best or it could be second highest
from a poor suit. Some use the rule of
11 (6 from 11 is 5, which means there
are five higher cards out. You can see
56 | Bridge Bulletin | January 2025
South
2NT
four of them.) Declarer plays the king
from dummy, you follow with the 3
(using standard count), and South
plays the jack.
Logic time. Can declarer have
the sJ x x in his hand and play the
king from dummy? Answer: No.
All declarers would play low from
dummy with such a holding, so that
6 lead was not fourth best: It was
second highest from a weak suit:
9-6-5-2.
Declarer leads a heart from dummy
at trick two. There is a general idea
on notrump defense for second hand
to win the trick and return his partner's
suit. But is there any danger in
following suit with the 9? Will declarer
take the next eight tricks? Answer:
No. The best declarer can have is
three spades, one heart and three
diamond tricks: seven tricks. If partner
has led from three low spades,
declarer may have eight tricks. I suppose
if partner has led a doubleton
spade, declarer may take nine tricks
if you play low on the heart lead. (Do
your partners lead a doubleton spade
against 2NT-3NT auctions?) So you
play the 9, and declarer wins the
king.
In fact if you did decide to play the
ace, you have already worked out
that partner has four low spades, so
the suit where you can possibly take
tricks is the club suit. Maybe partner
has the K-J- x-x and chose to lead a
spade instead. Some partners do that.
If partner is not the type who leads
a doubleton against 3NT, you can
play the h9 at trick two and watch
for more clues. Declarer will win the
king, lead dA K and a diamond to the
queen, as partner discards a spade.
Next comes another heart lead from
dummy. By this time, even the caddy
who doesn't play bridge knows the
4 or 5 points in partner's hand is in
clubs, so you win the hA, cash the
dJ and shift to the cA followed by
the c10. Down two.
All 52 cards:
s K 10 8
h 7 6 2
d Q 10 7 4
c 9 6 5
s 9 6 5 2
h 8 5 3
d 5 2
c K J 7 3
s 7 4 3
h A J 9
d J 9 8 3
c A 10 4
s A Q J
h K Q 10 4
d A K 6
c Q 8 2
Tips for defense
1 Make it a habit to estimate partner's
point count as soon as possible,
before trick one is completed. This
will get easier and easier as you practice
it.
2 Discuss with partner your leads
versus notrump with four low cards.
The best method is to lead second
highest, unless the two top cards are
equal (like 9-8) in which case lead
the highest.
3 At one table in a team match,
West led the s6, and at trick two
East won the hA to return a spade
(-600). I was East at the other table,
and my favorite partner led the c3
(+100). Fourth from your longest and
strongest may not always work, but
it's so much easier on the partnership.
2
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January 2025

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