It’s apparently twice as good

Do you watch CNBC, the financial channel? In bull markets, the ratings are much higher than in a decline. Understandably, viewers like to see good news and prefer to turn a blind eye to bad. The presenters also look at some numbers with unfounded optimism. A stock that goes from 50 to 25 is down 50%, whereas if it goes from 25 to 50, it is up 100%, which is “twice as good.”

Some bridge declarers are like that. They assume everything will be perfect: All finesses will work; all suit splits will be ideal. Like stockmarket investors, they are in for some disappointments. In today’s deal, how would you try to bond three no-trump after West leads his fourth-highest spade?

North was right to shoot straight into three no-trump. Show a minor suit only when either you hold enough power to have slam in mind, or you have a void or singleton (in which case safety in no-trump is a serious concern).

South played low from the dummy at trick one. However, East won with the king and switched to the club jack. Declarer finessed again, but that lost also. Back came a club to declarer’s ace. South tried his third finesse, this one in diamonds, but that failed as well, and East cashed three club tricks. Declarer had to bear down two.

Unlucky, it is true, but South should have locked in his profit. If he had won trick one with dummy’s spade ace, played a heart to hand and taken the diamond finesse, he would have had at least nine tricks: one spade, three hearts, four diamonds and one club.