Bridge

What size glass?

I SUPPOSE I’m an optimist by nature. Cy the Cynic is a pessimist. “You people who think your glass is always half-full should buy smaller glasses,” Cy says.

Declarer must often be an optimist, assuming a favorable lie of the cards. Sometimes he must be a pessimist, protecting against a foul lie.

When West led a heart against today’s slam, South took the ace and cashed three diamonds to discard his last heart. He next led a trump from dummy, and when East played the six, South put in his ten as a safety play, guarding against all three trumps with East. FINESSE

West took the king and led another heart. South ruffed and drew trumps, but eventually he lost a club finesse to East.

South was too much of a pessimist when he played safe in trumps. After he discards on the diamonds, he should ruff dummy’s queen of hearts, cash the ace of trumps and exit with a trump. As it happens, East wins and is end-played: He must concede a ruff-sluff or lead a club to dummy. DAILY QUESTION You hold: J753 AQ K Q 10 AK J 4. The dealer, at your right, opens two hearts (weak). You double, and your partner bids three diamonds. What do you say? ANSWER: Bid 3NT. You must assume partner has a few points, otherwise you will be talked out of too many good games. In the methods some pairs use, partner’s three diamonds would show a few values (with a weak hand, he would bid an artificial 2NT), so you would have an easy 3NT bid. North dealer Both sides vulnerable