At some point in nearly every bridge hand, declarer faces a familiar dilemma:
play a safe line that protects the contract, or take a riskier line that might gain an extra trick—or more.
Both choices can be right. The challenge is knowing when.
What safety play means
A safety play is a line chosen to maximize the chances of making the contract, even if it sacrifices upside.
Typical safety plays:
avoiding a finesse that could lose control
giving up an overtrick to protect the contract
choosing a line that works against multiple bad layouts
Safety play is about probability, not fear.
What “greed” really means
Greed isn’t reckless play. It’s calculated risk.
A “greedy” line aims to gain extra value:
an overtrick
a better score than the field
a chance to beat most other tables
The risk is that if the line fails, the contract itself may be endangered.
Why scoring changes the answer
The correct choice depends heavily on how the hand is scored.
At IMPs:
making the contract is the priority
overtricks usually don’t matter
safety plays are often correct
At matchpoints:
extra tricks often decide the board
securing an average isn’t enough
calculated risk is frequently rewarded
This distinction is fundamental: IMPs vs Matchpoints: How Strategy Changes Everything
The role of the field
Even at matchpoints, the decision isn’t automatic. You also need to consider what others are likely to do.
If everyone can safely take the overtrick, a greedy line may not gain anything. If few tables are likely to succeed, the same risk can be decisive.
This is why comparison matters so much: How Comparing Results Across Tables Improves Your Bridge
Common mistakes
Players often make two opposite errors:
always playing safely, even when upside matters
always chasing overtricks, even when the contract is at risk
Both mistakes come from ignoring context.
This confusion often shows up here: Why “Making Your Contract” Isn’t Always Enough
Learning to choose better
Improving this judgment takes exposure to outcomes. Players need to see:
when safety was right
when risk paid off
when risk backfired
That kind of learning rarely happens at a single table.
Bringing this judgment home
With shared hands and visible results, tools like Bridge@Home help players see which lines actually worked across the field. Over time, instincts recalibrate.
Instead of guessing, players learn when to protect and when to push.
The takeaway
Safety and greed aren’t opposites. They’re tools.
Strong bridge players choose between them based on scoring, context, and comparison—not habit or emotion.