When you say nine, do not think 10

H.L. Mencken said, “The cynics are right nine times out of 10.” When you are in the world’s most common contract, three no-trump, you are trying to win nine tricks. Hoping for 10 instead is not a good idea when the necessary play puts your contract in jeopardy. (Yes, if you are playing in a duplicate pairs event, and the chance for an overtrick is good, you should go for it. In that scoring system, overtricks can be very valuable.) In today’s deal, South should be happy with nine tricks. What ought he to do after West leads the heart nine? Not many pairs would end in three no-trump, but five of either minor ought to fail. In this auction, South ignored his diamond suit. Then, when North showed that suit, South temporized with three hearts, suggesting that he needed some help in that suit for no-trump. North, with good hearts and the spade void, bid three no-trump; and South was happy to pass. Declarer began with six top tricks: two spades, three hearts and one club. There were four more winners available in clubs, but communications were iffy. If South had immediately played the club ace and another club, West would have taken that trick and led another heart to strand declarer in the dummy and leave him with only eight tricks. So, South carefully cashed the spade ace first, getting his ninth trick in the bank. Then he played the ace and another club. But if he had greedily cashed both top spades, he would have lost one club, two diamonds and three spades.