In standard methods, count is shown by playing
your LOWEST card in a suit to show an ODD number of
cards in that suit. With an EVEN number of cards in
the suit, you "ECHO" or "HI-LO" by playing a high
one -- the highest you can afford -- and THEN your
lowest card.
H- K43 - Play the H-3 first.
H- K432 - Play the H-4 first, then the H-2.
"But what if I'm forced to play a HIGH card
on the first round of a suit and want to show count
on the SECOND round? Do I show how many cards I
STARTED with in the suit (which is called "ORIGINAL
COUNT") or the number I have NOW (which is called
"CURRENT COUNT")?" In standard practice, CURRENT
COUNT is orthodox: show how many you have NOW
in the suit.
To illustrate, partner leads a small Heart
and we are forced to play the H-K ("3rd hand HIGH")
on the first round with the two hands above. On
the second round of Hearts, we would play the H-4
from our remaining H-43 to show TWO remaining
Hearts. On the second hand, we would play the
H-2 from our remaining H-432 to show THREE (i.e.
an odd number) Hearts left.
Count in the opponents' TRUMP suit is shown
the other way around: a SMALL one shows an EVEN
number of their trumps, an echo shows an ODD
number of trumps (and suggests interest in ruffing
with the 3rd trump).
WHEN do you show count? The most common
instance is when PARTNER may be thinking of holding
up a boss card (the Ace, usually) in a suit to
deny Declarer an entry. For example, if Declarer
in 3NT leads a small Diamond toward Dummy's D-KQJ10x
(and Dummy has no side-suit entry) and you have D-542
you will play the D-2. Partner will, we hope, figure
out that you have THREE Diamonds (not one or five)
from the bidding, and hold up hir Ace until Declarer
is playing hir LAST Diamond. In this way, Declarer
can be prevented from stealing any extra Diamond
tricks. Meanwhile, partner, the one holding the boss
card, should be giving a FALSE count signal (i.e. LOW
from an EVEN number, echoing with an ODD number) to
mask your combined holdings so that Declarer will not
know which one of you is telling the truth. :)
A less common instance where count is important
is when defending a high level contract and Declarer is
running a long suit (and partner needs to know which
suits to keep). Here, your first discards in each suit
might be count in the suit you're pitching.
When partner leads SMALL and your RHO plays a
small card, you should play "3rd hand high". But what
if you don't HAVE a high card in the suit? THEN you
should show Count IF AND ONLY IF 2nd hand has not
played the Ace, King or Queen in the suit (otherwise,
show ATTITUDE about partner's lead).
S- 542
Partner leads the S-7 against 3NT. Dummy
contributes the S-6 for J86. You should put the
S-2 on the table to show an ODD number of Spades.
This may help partner (who may have lead from S-AQ973)
drop Declarer's hidden doubleton S-K if partner
regains the lead.
Some people play that you should show count
whenever partner plays an ACE from what might be AK.
This is part of "KATARACT" (see below).
Remember: ECHO EVEN (both words start with
"E" and have four letters), LOW ODD (both words have
an "O" and have three letters).
