count winners


THE COUNT

COUNT De BRIDGE

Bridge is a game of counting. Counting High Card Points; Distribution Points; and finally counting tricks. But how do you count tricks? There are two complementary approaches:


Count Winners \| Count Losers

When are they used? Usually like this:


NO TRUMP CONTRACTS count winners	SUIT CONTRACTS count losers

And when does the counting take place? The best time is before the first card is played from Dummy. (Sometimes it is beneficial to take stock and count during the play of the hand.) It is very difficult to formulate a plan or stategy without counting. Counting makes patent the Declarer’s overall approach to the hand.

COUNT WINNERS
in No Trump Contracts. Count winners off the top. That is, winners in a suit without having to give up the lead. If the opponents can win the first trick in a suit, then you have no winners in that suit. Always assume the worst possible distribution; and that all finesses will lose.


1. DUMMY K Q J HAND 10 9 6	2. DUMMY A K 3 HAND Q 8 7 6 5 4

EXAMPLE 1. There are no winners. You cannot take a trick without having to give up the lead. EXAMPLE 2. There are three winners. Assume the suit breaks 4/0 and four to the Jack are in one hand. If there are not enough winners off the top to make the contract then you have to create the winners. Good luck


QUIZ 11	COUNT WINNERS


	HOW MANY WINNERS DO YOU HAVE IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING HANDS?

1. DUMMY
A K Q J

DECLARER
5 4 3 2

______________
2. DUMMY
K Q J 10

DECLARER
5 4 3

_______________
3. DUMMY
A K 5 4

DECLARER
Q J 3 2

______________
4. DUMMY
A K

DECLARER
Q J

_______________
5. DUMMY
A K 3

DECLARER
Q J

6. DUMMY
A Q 8 3 2

DECLARER
J 10

______________
7. DUMMY
A K Q J 2

DECLARER
6 5 4 3

_______________
8. DUMMY
A K 3 2

DECLARER
Q 8 7 6 5 4

______________
9. DUMMY
A K 3

DECLARER
Q 8 7 6 5 4

_______________
10. DUMMY
A 8 3 2

DECLARER
K 9 5

THE CONTRACT IS 3 NT.
HOW MANY WINNERS DO YOU NEED TO CREATE TO MAKE IT?


11.	DUMMY A 6 7 4 2 A J 10 4 3 Q J 2 DECLARER K 8 5 3 A 9 8 3 K Q A 8 3

_______________
THE CONTRACT IS 2 NT.
HOW MANY WINNERS DO YOU NEED TO CREATE TO MAKE IT?

12. DUMMY
Q J 10
K J 9 8
K Q 9 5
Q 6

DECLARER
K 5 4
Q 3 2
J 6 3
K J 8 7

TIP: Count winners before playing a card from Dummy.

ANSWERS to Quiz 11