markyears

I know my answer might disappoint you, but it's still a "no"... If you're short of sure winners, just try to establish the enough extra winners as you need to make the contract by choosing a method with the highest possibility. For example, you have 8 sure winners for 3nt, but you have two choices of finesse. Take the most possible one you think, and suppose you win, you have 9 tricks for sure, don't take another one. I know what you mean, it is very tricky, very complicated. That's why there are so many books discussing how to be a declarer. What we discuss-"make a plan" is a principle we should always follow. How to "make the plan" depends on the skill, both of us may not make the correct plan at most of time. But try to do it!

It's definitely very important to count winners before you play trick 1! Because in a normal bridge game, the aim is to make the contract rather than "win as many tricks as possible" as you said. For example, you are playing 3nt, you have 9 sure winners, then take it! You can win 400 (non-vul) or 600 (vul). But one overtrick is only 50 points. If you risk for this overtrick by a finesse for example, but you lose it, and your opp get the lead and run their long suit to defeat the contract. Too sad! So the only important thing is to make the contract, don't even consider overtrick if you're a beginner like me. :rolleyes:

Then I have a follow-up question now. I guess the 3S is called "limit-raise", which suggests an invitational hand and 3 cards or 4 cards support? I think 3 is enough based on what I learned. But many people don't agree, they said with only 3 cards support, I should start by a 2 over 1 with a minor.

I'm trying to answer even though I'm a novice myself. First I think 3S is not good, because the combined 25 points is enough for a game based on the modern theory. I guess 2nt is Jacoby 2nt, which shows at least a game forcing strength and 4 cards support (some people use 3 cards support though).

Thank you all very much for the advice!! And answer the question from Chris: My methods for counting one suit is that: first I count how many in this suit in two hands (myself+dummy). Suppose it is 8. Then once this suit is played, if both the two unseen hands follow, I count 9, 10, until I see one hand is empty. Then I can figure about how many left and in whose hand. Is that a good method?

I'm a novice in Bridge and a new member in BBO. :rolleyes: I started to learn and play Bridge by myself half a year ago. One thing I'm always struggling is "card memory", like how to count and figure out the card distribution in the middle of the play. So I have two questions: Is this considered as an intermediate or advanced skill I'm not supposed to worry about now? Or I should pay much attention on it. Is there any recipe or any training method to improve this?