The automatic or the pragmatic

The robot believes that this is the best of all possible worlds. The scientist fears it is. (This is a variation on the old joke about the optimist and the pessimist.)

When playing bridge, as a rule your analysis should be like the robot’s: cold and logical, relentlessly working toward finding the right bid or play, but occasionally you must be flexible in your thinking. You must be as imaginative as the scientist, refusing to follow the textbook’s rigid rules. On lead against three notrump, you have K-Q-J-10-9 in a suit. You lead the king, right? Well, most of the time you will, and usually you will be right -but not always.

When South opened with one no-trump, West decided not to overcall. Perhaps you agree; perhaps you don’t. When North raised straight to game, West was delighted he had passed. The spade king appeared on the table with almost indecent haste. However, equally quickly South won with the ace, tested both minors and claimed 11 tricks: one spade, five diamonds and five clubs.

“You’ve got the heart ace and king, partner?” asked East rhetorically. “We can take the first five heart tricks.” “But look at my spade suit,” replied West.

“It’s true,” conceded East, “that it looks tempting. However, once you’ve dislodged declarer’s ace, you need only one entry, not two. How can it cost anything to start with a top heart? If the suit looks unpromising, you can switch at trick two to the spade king. Here, though, I would drop the jack under your lead, and you know that we can run the suit.”