Sydney J. Harris, a newspaper journalist from Chicago who died in 1986, said, "An idealist believes the short run doesn't count. A cynic believes the long run doesn't matter. A realist believes that what is done or left undone in the short run determines the long run."

A bridge player knows that counting is important in the long run -- the 13 tricks of a deal. Here, how should South play in three no-trump after West leads the club 10?

If you were sitting South, would you have opened one diamond or one club, or passed?

With ace-king, ace, you should almost always open the bidding. It is textbook to bid one diamond because if West overcalls one spade and North makes a negative double, you can rebid two clubs. Note also that after you open one diamond, if West passes and North responds one heart, it is better to rebid two hearts (missing a fourth trump) than one no-trump (with no spade stopper) or two clubs (which promises five diamonds and risks ending in a 4-2 diamond fit).

In the given auction, two clubs was New Minor Forcing, asking opener to describe his hand further. Two diamonds denied both three spades and four hearts.

South has seven top tricks: one spade, two hearts and four clubs. If an idealist crosses to his hand with a heart to take a diamond or spade finesse, he will go down with this layout.

However, a realist would take the first trick on the board and play a diamond. He would be happy to sacrifice two tricks in the suit to establish two winners.

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