Ever wonder why some players always seem to find a better contract than you? The pros use many gadgets to get to the best contract, but two of them are relatively simple to learn and use. One is losing trick count and the other is called (Eddie) Kanter’s Rule of 7.

In losing trick count, the magic number is 24. There are four suits, each with an ace, king, and queen (jacks don’t count). Four times three = 12 x 2 (two partners) = 24. If the combined losing trick count for the partnership on a deal equals 14, subtract 14 from 24 and the team should take 10 tricks in a suit. For example, you hold: S-AKxxx, H-Kxx, D-Qxx, C-Qx (a seven losing trick hand). Your partner holds: S-Qxx, H-Axx, D-Kxxxx, C-Kx (also a seven trick losing hand). With a “normal” trump split, 4 Spades is a reasonable contract.

Kanter’s Rule of 7 is a little trickier and is employed only by the responder to partner’s opener. For example, partner holds the above spade opener. You hold: S-Qxxx, H-x, D-Ax, C-KJxxxx (10 HCP). Add the number of cards in your two longest suits (10) and subtract 7 (the rule). Add the resulting number to your HCP (10 + 3 = 13) and add 1 point for the fourth trump and 1 point for the singleton. In support of spades, your hand is worth 15 points (also called dummy points; thank you Carol Hargrave and Jim Logan). Although the above hand had 12 points, the second hand has better trick-taking potential because of its shape. By the way, a void (not in your partner’s suit) is worth 2 points.

Adam Kaplan and I are playing in a sectional in Clearwater. With both sides white, I hold: S-Kxxxx, H-Kxxxx, D-Kxx, C-void, and I bid 1 Spade. LHO passes and Adam bids 2 Diamonds (game forcing). RHO makes the best bid I can hear: 3 Clubs. I have only 9 HCP but with a six losing trick hand, I bid 3 Hearts. After LHO passes, Adam bids 4 Hearts. I am about to pass when I realize this is a computer-generated deal. I give slam one chance and cue bid 5 Clubs. Adam cue bids 5 Spades and I bid 6 Hearts. Adam puts down a dummy which includes: S-Ax, H-AQxx, D-A10xxx, C-xx. The play is easy: ruff the club lead and pull trumps in two swings. When I lead the King of Diamonds, RHO drops the jack. When I lead a low diamond to the ace, RHO plays the queen. I take 13 tricks with a 23 count - WOW!

Adam and I are playing in a STAC game in lovely Spring Hill. In third seat with both sides red, I hold: S-x, H-J10xxxx, D-KQJxxx (a five losing trick hand). Adam opens 1 Spade and RHO bids 2 Clubs. I bid 2 Hearts and LHO bids 3 Clubs. Adam jumps to 4 Hearts and RHO bids 5 Clubs. I read Adam’s distribution as: 5 Spades, 4 Hearts, 3 Diamonds and 1 Club. Now, comes the fun part. I bid 5 Diamonds and there is an audible gasp from the other three players. LHO bids 6 Clubs and Adam bids 6 Diamonds! After some soul-searching, I decide that hearts pays better than diamonds, so I bid 6 Hearts which LHO doubles.

LHO leads the Ace of Clubs and Adam tables this dummy: S-QJxxxx, K-Kxxx, D-Axx, C-void. I almost faint - we are both void in clubs. I ruff the lead in dummy discarding my singleton spade. Ruff a spade and lead the Heart 10. LHO plays low, so does dummy, and RHO shows out. When I lead a heart toward dummy, LHO jumps up with the ace and leads a diamond, hoping partner is void. She is not. The king of hearts drops the queen and I run the diamonds, losing only one trick. I take 12 tricks with a combined total of 17 HCP and missing three aces! Don’t you just love this game.

Sincerely, Jim Somma
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