BRIDGE NOTES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21376, 19 January 1935, Page 9

BRIDGE NOTES

♦ COUNTING THE CARDS IN EACH SUIT < (IPICIALLT WBITTCM 10* TM rMSS.) [By WILLIAM SHACKLE.] How often do we hear the expression "If I had only known that you held no more of a certain suit," or "How was I to know he held no more cards of that suit." Yet with a little practice it is often possible to count the number of cards held by each player, in each of the four suits before a card has been played. After the opening lead has been made and dummy has been put down one can indeed often count with absolute accuracy. Naturally the more bidding that has taken place, the easier it is to "place" each card. Remember it is only necessary to count three hands, as the fourth can be made up by subtraction, and that your own hand and dummy's are before you. Thus actually there is only one hand which must be "guessed," and of course one has the choice of two hands to work on Take for example such bidding as the following, the first hand of the evening. "Z" deals:— Z A Y B 1 Spade 2 Hearts 2 Spades 3 Hearts 3 Spades 4 Clubs No bid 4 Hearts 4 Spades No bid No bid No bid Z held— S A 10 9 7 4 2 H 10 3 D A K 10 4 C 8 And dummy— SK J 5 H 9 5 DQJ 7 6 CJ9 7 5 Thus there are four spades, nine hearts, five diamonds, eight clubs, divided between the opponents. The only deduction Z can make from B's call would be that he probably held one more heart than club.

From A's bidding Z knows that he must have at least five hearts and five clubs. What are his other three cards? Perhaps either an extra heart or club, plus three diamonds, or two diamonds and one spade. It is almost a certainty that A has only one spade, and therefore if the queen does not fall on the first round he can safely assume it is with B, and ; play accordingly. Another example. Z. A. Y. B. 1 Spade No bid 2 Clubs 2 Diamonds 2 Hearts 3 Diamonds 3 Hearts No bid 4 Clubs No bid 4 Hearts All pass Either A or B could now work out that Z held either four or five spades, four or five hearts, three clubs, one or no diamonds. As spades was the original bid, Z probably held five, four three, one, or five, five, three, none. It is easy to realise how use ful such information may prove during the play of the hand, and therefore it is a quite worth-while effort to teach one's self to always make an attempt to count the cards immediately play commences. . A useful practice and one which is simplicity itself is to count the cards if a two is played as an opening lead against ano trump. It is at once patent that the one who leads has no five card suit, but holds either four, three, three, three, or four; four, three, two or four, four, four, one. Much can be made from such small beginnings, for it soon becomes a habit, and a very useful one. too.