How many tricks does it take to make a major-suit game? You might say it’s a silly question, like “Who devised the Morse Code?” But declarers fail because they omit the simple process of counting their tricks.

At four spades, declarer took the ace of clubs and led a trump to dummy’s ace. When East’s queen fell, South could count 10 tricks: five trumps, two clubs, one heart after losing to the king and ace, one diamond and one diamond ruff in dummy. No problem.

But instead of counting winners, South tried to limit his losers. He threw a heart on the king of clubs and led the ten of diamonds: jack, king, ace.

West led a second trump, and South won with the eight. He cashed the queen of diamonds and ruffed a diamond in dummy. When East discarded, South led a heart from dummy — at that point, he had no winning play — and West took the ace and led his last trump, leaving South with two diamond losers. Down one.

As declarer, count your winners, then take them.

Daily question: You hold: ? 9 7 5 ? A 8 5 ? A 9 8 6 2 ? 10 5. Your partner opens one heart, you raise to two hearts and he bids three clubs. What do you say?

Answer: Your partner is trying for game. He wants you to bid game with any sound raise or with a fair raise containing help for his second suit. (If you have a fit in two suits, you can make game with fewer than 26 points.) Since you have two aces plus a possible ruffing feature in clubs, bid four hearts.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

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