How Greedy do You Need to Be?
By Mike Lawrence

This hand came up in a recent matchpoint tournament. East's three heart preempt gave South a difficult problem. He can bid three spades, three notrump, or double.

Do you know what you would do with this hand?

Three spades is an underbid and double runs the risk that North will respond four clubs. Three notrump is a compromise. North has a good hand but more or less has to pass. South's three notrump bid came under pressure. South might have a seventeen count in which case three notrump will be high enough.

When the dummy came down, South's worst fears were realized. Four spades is cold for five and six is fairly likely. Three notrump has nine tricks on top, a club finesse for one overtrick, and a miracle in diamonds for another overtrick. Rubber bridge players wouldn't think this a problem. They would take their nine tricks. If something happened along the way to create an overtrick, it would be viewed as a bonus.

Tournament players have different goals. If four spades is making eleven or twelve tricks, nine tricks at notrump won't be worth much.

West led the four of hearts to East's queen and South took the trick. Perhaps ducking would be better. South started on the spades and found they were two-two. With nine tricks in for sure, South had to decide whether to try for an overtrick by finessing in clubs. What do you think about that?