Count every hand.
Bridge Column for January 7, 2001, By HARVEY BERNSTEIN
North-South vulnerable.  West deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: A 5 4           
                              H: 9 7 6       
                              D: K 10 7 4 2  
                              C: J 3     
            WEST                             EAST
            S: 8 3                           S: Q J 10 6 2   
            H: A J 10 8 5 4                  H: K          
            D: Q                             D: J 9 6 5 3         
            C: 10 9 7 6                      C: Q 5         
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: K 9 7 
                              H: Q 3 2      
                              D: A 8       
                              C: A K 8 4 2
          The Bidding://
                   WEST    NORTH    EAST   SOUTH                  
                    2H     Pass     Pass    2NT  
                   Pass     3NT     Pass    Pass
                   Pass
     This hand comes from the Life Master Open Pairs contested at
the Fall North American Bridge Championships in Birmingham,
Alabama last November.  Barry Rigal of New York City watched the
player in the South seat play three no trump and wrote the hand
up for the Daily Bulletin after the contract was successfully
made.
     West led the jack of hearts and had East held more than the
singleton king, there would be no story.  East returned the queen
of spades and declarer won the king.  A low club went to the jack
and queen.  
     East returned the jack of spades.  Declarer won the ace and
played a club to the ace and king.  East discarded a diamond on
the king of clubs.  Now came the key play:  Declarer cashed the
ace of diamonds and then led the four of clubs to West's ten. 
Here is the five card ending:
                              NORTH
                              S: 5           
                              H: 9       
                              D: K 10 7   
                              C: Void     
            WEST                             EAST
            S: Void                          S: J 6   
            H: A 10 8 5 4                    H: Void          
            D: Void                          D: J 9 6             
            C: Void                          C: Void        
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: 9  
                              H: Q 3        
                              D: 8       
                              C: 8    
     West had no choice but to cash the ace of hearts and lead
another heart.  Declarer called for the nine of hearts and then
the five of spades from the dummy.  East discarded the six of
spades and the six of diamonds.
     After winning the queen of hearts, declarer played the eight
of clubs.  East was destroyed.  No matter what he selected to
discard, declarer would be able to win the rest of the tricks.
     In all, declarer lost two hearts and two clubs.  Making
three no trump was worth 59 out of a possible 64 match points. 
While many pairs did not get to three no trump, many of those
that did were not able to find the winning play.  It's a matter
of counting.  At trick two declarer knows that West has six
hearts.  West has followed to two spade tricks (playing the eight
and then the three).  East had to discard on the third round of
clubs, so West started with four.  That means he couldn't have
more than one diamond, therefore, the ace of diamonds has to be
played before the fourth club.
     Notice that you don't have to count both defender's hands. 
If you can count one, the other falls into place.  This is the
edge that the experts have.  They do this exercise on each and
every hand.  If you are looking for a tip to improve your game in
the new year, here it is:  Try to count the opponents cards on
each and every hand.  If you are declarer, figure out how many

cards one of the defenders has in each suit.  The other defenders
hand will become self evident.  If you are a defender, try to
count declarers hand.  Your partner's holding will then be easier
to determine.  In either case, your game will move to the next
level, no matter what level you are at.
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