Law of Total Tricks - Examples

Examples

For example, suppose that North-South have an eight-card heart fit and East-West have an eight-card spade fit. The total number of trumps is 16 so the "law" says the total number of tricks is also 16. That is, if North-South can take eight tricks playing in hearts, then East-West can take 16 - 8 (also eight) tricks playing in spades; if North-South can take nine tricks in hearts, LoTT says East-West can take only seven tricks in spades.

♠ K Q 8 5 3
♥ K 6 3
♦ 7
♣ J 10 4 3
♠ 10 7

N

W E

S

 ♠ J 4
♥ A 8 7 6 5 ♥ 10 9 2
♦ J 9 4 ♦ K Q 10 3
♣ K Q 9 ♣ A 8 7 2
♠ A 9 6 2
♥ Q J
♦ A 8 6 5 2
♣ 6 5

In the diagram, N-S have 9 spades and E-W 8 hearts combined. N-S can make 4 spades (conceding two clubs and heart ace) while E-W can make only 1 heart on a good defense (which takes a trump from QJ, two spades, diamond ace and two diamond ruffs)—the law holds, as the total tricks available is 10+7=17.

Note, however, how minor card rearrangements affect the law:

  1. If the N-S diamonds were divided 4-2 instead of 5-1, with clubs consequently divided 3-3, the available total tricks would be only 8 for N-S + 8 for E-W = 16
  2. If, on the other hand, the E-W spades were divided 3-1 instead of 2-2 (with appropriate minor-suit rearrangement), they could make 2♥, while N-S could still make 4♠, giving 18 total tricks.

Read more about this topic:  Law Of Total Tricks

Famous quotes containing the word examples:

    “There are many examples of women that have excelled in learning, and even in war, but this is no reason we should bring ‘em all up to Latin and Greek or else military discipline, instead of needle-work and housewifry.”
    —Bernard Mandeville (1670–1733)

    “In the examples that I here bring in of what I have [read], heard, done or said, I have refrained from daring to alter even the smallest and most indifferent circumstances. My conscience falsifies not an iota; for my knowledge I cannot answer.”
    —Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592)

    “Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.”
    —Alexander Pope (1688–1744)