BRIDGE NOTES: Counting the tricks that win

In Bridge, the play of the contract bid is usually the center of attraction for kibitzers and is an all important factor in the competitive field to determine the winner. So let us test your play on the following hand where south becomes declarer in 5D after west had opened with a bid of 1C:
The opening lead is KC. How do you plan your play?
At the table, south ruffed the KC in dummy and paused to review the prospects of making 11 tricks. On top, he had 2 spade tricks, 1 or 2 hearts depending on the location of the AH, which was more likely to be with west who had opened, 5 diamond tricks making a total of 8 or 9. Spade ruffs in hand could yield the extra tricks needed. So south cashed 2 top spades and ruffed a spade hoping to fell the queen and so setting up the spade suit for 2 extra tricks discarding hearts and thereby making 12 tricks.
But when west discarded the 10H, it was quite apparent to the declarer that no extra trick could be established in spades. Slightly ruffled declarer went back to his alternate plan. He had already discarded H6 from hand on his KS. He now played a heart from dummy to his QH going to west's ace. West returned a trump on which east discarded a heart. The adverse trump situation of a 4-0 break was now a little too much for the declarer.
South now attempted to cash his QH, but west ruffed and returned another trump - sealing south's fate with 2 down in a contract that could have made.
As south, would you have done better? Yes, certainly with a little precaution of cashing side suits first and then embarking on a sure cross ruff set up that would yield 3 spades ruffs in hand, 4 club ruffs in dummy, a trump trick, a heart trick, 2 spade tricks making up the 10 tricks needed.
The east west hands were as under:
Of course an opening trump lead would have cut your chances of making 11 tricks. But now the right play at trick 2 is to lead a heart to the king. One heart trick ensured leaves you with 8 tricks to be made in trumps for west will surely return a trump after taking your KH with his AH. But the trump switch comes too late. You can win in dummy. Play a heart to your queen. Cash the AK of spades discarding your heart loser and you are home. You cross ruff spades and clubs alternately and when you finish, the defenders are free to enjoy their last trick.
Can you ensure 10 tricks on the next illustration?
In a 4S contract south ruffs the opening lead of KH in hand. As south how would you play the hand? 10 tricks are there if trumps break 3-3. At the table seeing no better chance, south played off the AK of trumps, then the AK of clubs and to return to hand he had to ruff another heart. But when he played QS, he was appalled to see west showing but on the third round, east was now able to ruff the 3rd club and the contract was doomed with south losing 2 more hearts and 2 more diamonds for 2 down in a contract that could make on careful handling. Did you do better? Yes, you should first test the clubs with AK and when both stand up, he is through as west east held the following cards.
Now cashing AD, south can ensure the contract with the next 6 tricks coming on a high cross ruff with the defenders welcome to their 3 tricks at the end. In the end Bridge is all about counting tricks that win.

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     North

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 A K J 7 5

     8 5 3

 A Q J 8 4

         -

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     South

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         3

     K Q 6

  K 10 9 2

10 8 4 3 2

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West         East

10 8    Q 9 6 4 2

A 10    J 9 7 4 2

6 5 3           -

A K J 6 5   Q 9 7

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     North

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       A K

 J 8 6 5 2

   A 9 6 4

       A K

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     South

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Q J 10 9 6

         -

   7 5 3 2

  Q J 10 3

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West          East

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5 2        8 7 4 3

A K Q 10   9 7 4 3

Q 8         K J 10

9 7 5 4 2      8 6

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