DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“Simple Saturday” columns are meant to help aspiring players improve technique and develop logical thinking.

I’ve heard that many pessimists got that way by financing an optimist. Do you approach the play as an optimist or a pessimist? Either way may be correct.

At four spades, South took the ace of diamonds and needed nine more tricks. He had five trumps and four hearts, if he could take them. South drew trumps, then cashed the K-Q of hearts. He next overtook his jack with dummy’s ace, hoping for a 3-3 break. When West discarded, South’s nine tricks became eight.

Last trump: Sometimes declarer must be a pessimist and cater to foul breaks. In this deal, South must be an optimist. He cashes only the K-Q of trumps, then the K-Q-J of hearts. If hearts broke 3-3, South could draw the last trump with the ace and take the ace of hearts.

East actually has four hearts but also has the missing trump. So South can still take the ace of trumps and ace of hearts to make his game.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ A62 ♥ A542

♦ AJ ♣ J 10 9 6. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

Answer: You might bid 3NT; you have balanced pattern with a stopper in the unbid suit. Still, I would be reluctant to commit to notrump with three aces, a useful jack of diamonds and four-card club support. Bid two spades, the “fourth suit,” and let partner make another bid. He might hold74,3,KQ1087,AKQ54. North dealer

Both sides vulnerable