Players frequently find themselves facing useful card combinations which aren't accurately measurable by Charles Goren's original Point Count system. So, after making several overtricks several hands in a row, it becomes clear that the combination of cards held between partner and oneself can be a whole that exceeds the sum of the parts; thus, the example hand here.

In the hand shown, North gave partner a simple raise based on Aunt Louise's limited lesson that it takes "6 to 9 points" to raise. It seems likely that even Aunt Loozie (as we used to call her when she was in a good mood) could muster ten tricks out of this combination, and on a good day, eleven. So if you believe in science, there must be some way to bid this laydown logically.

Responder Count Rules

1. Use Responder Count and revalue your hand the instant you realize you and partner have an eight-card or better fit. Speculation is not allowed.
Count your High Card Points in the usual way: ace, 4; king 3; etc. Exception: When you hold the queen or jack doubleton in an unbid suit, count only the shortness.
2. Revalue your shortness in the non-trump suits as follows: Doubleton: 1,
   Singleton: 3, Void: 5.
3. Subtract a point if you are raising with three spot card trumps opposite partner's five. (It won't play all that well.)
4. Give yourself one point for the "ninth" and each additional trump you know the partnership owns. Exception: When holding two worthless doubletons in unbid suits, don't bother.
5. Optional: Add an extra point when holding one or more high trump honors, but not if it would push the total valuation of the trump suit beyond four. This one is a bit controversial; some experts do it, some don't.
   
   * Also refer to the book mentioned below for differing expert variations on how to value distribution.

Using Responder Count, North revalues his hand to a more meaningful 12, comprised of 6 high card points, the ninth trump (+1), a void (+5). After giving partner a limit raise to 3, North-South reach their game. Notice though that this is not the end of the story.

If you swap North's diamond and spade holdings (putting Q J long opposite partner's bad doubleton and a void facing king third) or if you reverse South's black suit holdings (putting A K opposite a void and four losers facing two losers), a terrible duplication of value occurs; but that's why Mini Splinters were invented (a lesson for another day).

The next time you see Aunt Loozie, bring up Responder Count gently and politely, and don't sit within ear boxing distance. If she asks (and only if she asks), more reading on this topic is available as follows.

The Encyclopedia of Bridge. Third Edition. Richard L Frey, Ed. in Chief. Crown Publishing. 1976. ISBN 0-157-527243.
"Distributional Values" page 112.