Nine are easier to win than 11

Colin Mochrie, a Canadian on the funny improvisational TV show “Whose Line is it Anyway?”, said, “Nine out of 10 Americans believe that out of 10 people, one person will always disagree with the other nine!” If nine bridge experts out of 10 think that a bid or play is right, it is almost certain that the 10th is wrong.

Look at today’s North hand. South opens one club, and West overcalls three spades. What should North respond?

At the table, North, with his eye on a possible 4-4 heart fit, made a negative double. South rebid four diamonds, trusting that partner would continue with four hearts if holding five.

Here, North signed off in five clubs.

West did well to lead his trump. Declarer won with dummy’s nine and played a diamond to his king. Back to dummy with a trump to the ace, South continued with another diamond. However, East stepped in with the ace and returned his last trump. Suddenly the contract was unmakable. Declarer had to lose two hearts and one diamond.

South could have gotten home by using two dummy entries to ruff spades, then maneuvered an endplay on East in hearts — but that would have required guessing who held the heart jack.

An plus score would have been obtained if North bid three no-trump over three spades. With two spade stoppers, that was definitely the right choice. North would have had no trouble collecting nine tricks. The defenders couldn’t have taken more than two spades, one heart and one diamond.

It is usually easier to win nine tricks than 11.