Hatchable tricks may be continued

Aesop, in "The Milkmaid and Her Pail", wrote that well-known line: Do not count your chickens before they are hatched. In bridge, though, you can count some winners before they have been added to your batch. In fact, you should always start, before playing to trick one, by counting winners and losers. It would also be a good plan to assume the worst possible distribution of the defenders' cards.

In today's deal, South is in three no-trump. What should he do after West leads a low spade? On the second round of the auction, South might have bid two clubs, fourth-suit game-forcing. His side might have been able to make a slam in diamonds. But it is easy to understand plunging into our favorite contract.

West did very well not to lead a low club. After his excellent spade start, South saw overtricks. He anticipated winning the first trick with his spade queen, driving out the diamond ace and taking at least three spades, three hearts, four diamonds and one club. However, when he played low from the board, he got an unexpected surprise. East won with the spade king and shifted to the club jack. A second finesse lost, and West cleared the club ace out of declarer's hand. South, with egg on his face, cashed out for down two. Let's go back to trick one. Suppose South wins with dummy's spade ace and plays on diamonds. How many chickens does that hatch? Right - nine: one spade, three hearts, four diamonds and one club.