Event 3 - Match 8 - Board 5

Board 5
Our side vulnerable

♠ A K J 10 2 ♥ 6 4 ♦ Q ♣ A Q J 10 9

Partner opens one diamond, I respond one spade, and partner bids three diamonds.

Since we play Acol two-bids, this can be about half a trick lighter than a standard three diamonds. Still, it's highly unlikely we are off two fast heart tricks. It's probably less than 10%, so I'm not going to worry about it. I'm more worried that we belong in a grand.

My first thought is to bid Blackwood and bid seven notrump if partner shows three key cards. All we need is to run two of our three suits. Diamonds should run if partner has the jack or seven of them and might run even if he doesn't. I would estimate the chance that diamonds run at about 75%. That may seem low. Indeed, partner will try to avoid three diamonds with a textureless suit like ace-king empty sixth. But sometimes he has no choice. The fact the we play weak notrumps helps somewhat. Since our one notrump rebid is strong, partner might bid it with, say, a 1-3-6-3 pattern and a sub-par diamond suit. But if he has a club singleton instead of a spade singleton and too many high cards for a minimum rebid, what else can he do but bid three diamonds?

If diamonds run, then I need partner to have one of the missing black-suit honors. The chance of that happening is pretty good, too. But it's not certain. Partner might have ace-king or ace-queen of hearts and no black honor.

I would be willing to bid a grand opposite three key cards if I needed just for diamonds to come home or just for partner to have a black-suit honor. But I need both of those things. And gambling on a parlay is usually not a good idea. I could bid Blackwood, then, if partner shows three keycards, follow with five notrump to find out if partner has the club king. But Jack doesn't show specific kings over five notrump, so that won't work.

I can't bid a grand with any confidence, so I'll turn my attention to finding the right small slam. It's not hard to envision hands where we belong in six notrump rather than six diamonds. Imagine, for example, we have all the high cards except the heart ace and the diamond king. It's harder to construct hands where six diamonds is better. I don't particularly want to play six notrump from my side, however. If I bid three spades, perhaps partner will bid three notrump. Then I can raise it to six. Unfortunately, this won't work if partner has three spades or queen doubleton. In either case, he will raise spades.

What if I bid three hearts? Partner is even less apt to bid three notrump now, since three hearts suggests club weakness. Over three spades, partner will have no qualms about bidding three notrump without a club stopper, since my failure to bid three hearts suggests I'm not worried about clubs.

I bid three spades, and partner bids four spades. At least I can rule out a grand now. Partner would cue-bid with the spade queen and ace, ace-king in the red suits. So where do I stand? Six diamonds still looks better than six spades. Even if doesn't matter which side we play it from, a heart lead could easily kill the only dummy entry. The clearest way to suggest playing in diamonds is to jump to six diamonds now. Since I bothered to rebid spades, partner will know I have doubts that diamonds is the right strain.

I bid six diamonds, everyone passes, and RHO leads the deuce of clubs.

	NORTH Phillip ♠ A K J 10 2 ♥ 6 4 ♦ Q ♣ A Q J 10 9
WEST Christian ♠ 8 6 ♥ 9 7 5 3 2 ♦ 6 3 2 ♣ 8 6 2		EAST Floyd ♠ 7 5 3 ♥ A K Q 10 ♦ 8 7 ♣ 7 5 4 3
	SOUTH Jack ♠ Q 9 4 ♥ J 8 ♦ A K J 10 9 5 4 ♣ K

West	North	East	South
Christian	Phillip	Floyd	Jack
			1 ♦
Pass	1 ♠	Pass	3 ♦
Pass	3 ♠	Pass	4 ♠
Pass	6 ♦	(All pass)

Making seven. So it was important to play this from the right side, but we couldn't know what the right side was without looking at the opponents' hands.

I sympathize with the opening lead. If West's objective was to establish a trick and hope his partner has a spade or diamond entry with which to cash it, then the club was correct. A second round club trick is more likely to hold up than a second-round heart trick.

Was I wrong in my assessment that partner was 90% to have a heart control? Maybe 90% was high. But I still think the chance of being off two heart tricks was too slim to worry about, especially since I had other problems to solve. Besides, as we see, sometimes you make slam even if you are off two cashing tricks provided you don't pinpoint the lead. In addition, I think partner's three diamond bid was a bit thin. I won't go so far as to say that he overbid, but I don't think I would choose it myself.

A few weeks ago, I posted my hand as a bidding problem, giving the auction up to three diamonds. By far the most popular action over three diamonds was four clubs. I don't see how that bid solves any of the problems this hand presents. The second most popular choice was four diamonds. I"m not sure what that bid accomplishes either. Three hearts, three spades, and four notrump are the only bids that make any sense to me and the only bids I even considered. Yet, combined, they received only 14% of the vote. I think most of the respondents were thinking about the wrong things. They were asking "How can I describe my hand?" rather than "How can I find out what I need to know?" Which question is appropriate depends on the hand. But this hand surely falls into the latter category.

One person suggested an initial response of two clubs rather than one spade. I did briefly consider that. I know there is school of thought that you should respond two clubs with equal length in the black suits when your hand is in the slam range. It's easier to get a force established after a two-over-one, and the auction frequently times out better. I agree with that approach when you are four-four in the black suits, but I'm not so sure about it when you are five-five. In my experience, the auction doesn't always go as planned, and sometimes it becomes awkward to show the fifth spade.

Still, I thought it was worth a try, so I rebid the hand to see what would happen after a two club response. Partner still bids three diamonds. (Now I fully agree with his choice. The king of clubs is a bigger card on this auction.) Already we are better placed. Three diamonds promises better diamonds after a two-over-one than after a one-over-one, since opener doesn't need to jump just to show extra high cards. So my stiff queen should now be adequate to solidify his suit. Over three diamonds, I bid three spades, and partner bids four spades. Partner wouldn't suggest a four-three spade fit unless he didn't have a heart stopper, so I can practically call his hand. I bid five spades, just in case partner has a singleton heart. Partner passes, and we are plus 650. How about that? Here I was worried about losing the fifth spade. Ironically, concealing the fifth spade and discovering that partner was willing to play a four-three spade fit was the key to the auction.

Our opponents also reached six diamonds, but they were down one. Whether they had a more descriptive auction or whether my teammate guessed better on opening lead I can't say.

Table 1: + 1390
Table 2: +100

Result on Board 5: +16 imps
Total: +31 imps

Event 3 - Match 8 - Board 4

Board 4
Both sides vulnerable

♠ 8 ♥ Q J ♦ Q J 6 ♣ Q 10 9 7 6 5 4

One heart by partner; double on my right. I bid two clubs, which Jack plays as non-forcing.

Partner bids three diamonds, natural and game-forcing. I have a huge hand on this auction: four honors in partner's suits and a singleton in the unbid suit. I could show slam interest by bidding four hearts. Even if you play fast arrival after a fit has been found, fast arrival makes no sense in auctions like this. A preference to three hearts can't promise slam interest, because you need it as a neutral move, giving partner a chance to rebid diamonds, to support clubs, or to bid three notrump. So, if four hearts is weak, you have no way to show slam interest in hearts below game.

Does a jump preference do this hand justice? If not, I can make a more aggressive slam try by bidding three hearts, then bidding on if partner signs off. Given the opponents' strange silence, the singleton spade is going to be hard for partner to envision. So perhaps I should bid three hearts and follow with four spades over partner's next bid.

The problem is, I'm not used to non-forcing two-over-ones. So I'm not sure what partner needs to bid three diamonds. Does it show the same hand as a jump shift after a one-level response? If so, I'm certainly worth a bid past game. I might even be worth a slam drive. I can make six diamonds opposite as little as

♠ x x ♥ A K 10 x x x ♦ A K 10 x x ♣ --,

which doesn't even qualify as a jump shift. On the other hand, perhaps three diamonds simply shows enough to force to game opposite a light two-over-one. In that case, as the limited hand, I'm not even allowed to bid past game on my own initiative. That would be a violation of captaincy. The answer depends on whether two diamonds by opener would be forcing or not. I think it should be, which would make three diamonds a slam try. But who knows what partner thinks?

I settle for four hearts, although I'm a little nervous about it. Everyone passes, and RHO leads the ace of spades.

	NORTH Phillip ♠ 8 ♥ Q J ♦ Q J 6 ♣ Q 10 9 7 6 5 4
	SOUTH Jack ♠ 7 4 ♥ A 10 9 8 7 6 ♦ A K 4 3 ♣ A

West	North	East	South
Christian	Phillip	Floyd	Jack
		Pass	1 ♥
Double	2 ♣1	Pass	3 ♦
Pass	4 ♥	(All pass)
1Non-forcing

This doesn't look like a jump shift to me. So I gather partner thought two diamonds would not be forcing. Even so, two diamonds looks like enough. How unhappy would partner be if I passed it? If I had four diamonds, I would raise. If I didn't, I would show a preference to hearts with a doubleton. The only time I would pass two diamonds would be with a singleton heart, three diamonds, and a hand where neither two notrump nor three clubs appealed. If I have that hand, how high do you want to be?

The fact that partner doesn't even have his bid and we are still in no serious danger at the five level suggests I was too conservative. Three hearts, followed by four spades, was probably the right auction.

RHO plays the spade deuce, and I play the four. West shifts to the seven of diamonds. To eschew the obvious heart shift, West must have the heart king, doubleton or singleton. I play low from dummy, East plays the five, and I win with the king. I lead the seven of spades. West carefully covers with the nine, and I ruff in dummy as East follows with the three. I lead the queen of hearts; East plays the three.

It gains to finesse only if East has a doubleton king of hearts. I doubt that's the case, both from the auction and from West's failure to shift to a heart, so I go up with ace. The king doesn't drop, and no one can ruff a diamond. Making five.

	NORTH Phillip ♠ 8 ♥ Q J ♦ Q J 6 ♣ Q 10 9 7 6 5 4
WEST Christian ♠ A K Q J 9 6 5 ♥ K 2 ♦ 7 2 ♣ K 8		EAST Floyd ♠ 10 3 2 ♥ 5 4 3 ♦ 10 9 8 5 ♣ J 3 2
	SOUTH Jack ♠ 7 4 ♥ A 10 9 8 7 6 ♦ A K 4 3 ♣ A

Of all the ways to handle the West hand, making a take-out double and never bidding spades would not have occurred to me. I assume he intended to bid spades when he doubled. My partner's jump shift must have frightened him. (I don't blame him. It frightens me as well.)

Our teammates play four spades, down one. So we pick up 11 imps.

Table 1: +650
Table 2: -100

Score on Board 4: 11 imps
Total: +15 imps

Event 3 - Match 8 - Board 3

Board 3
Opponents vulnerable

♠ J 9 8 7 2 ♥ K 6 4 2 ♦ A K J ♣ 6

I open one spade, partner bids two notrump, showing a strong spade raise, and I bid three clubs, showing shortness in clubs. Partner bids Blackwood, I show my one keycard, and partner bids six spades.

West leads the club deuce. In theory, this is fourth best. Against human defenders, I wouldn't necessarily expect the deuce to be an honest count card, especially since I'm known to have a singleton. I would, however, expect West to have the king or queen. With neither card, he would presumably lead high to solve a potential trick-one problem for his partner.

	NORTH Jack ♠ A K Q 10 4 ♥ A 10 9 ♦ 7 4 ♣ Q 8 4
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ J 9 8 7 2 ♥ K 6 4 2 ♦ A K J ♣ 6

West	North	East	South
Floyd	Jack	Christian	Phillip
			1 ♠
Pass	2 NT1	Pass	3 ♣2
Pass	4 NT3	Pass	5 ♦4
Pass	6 ♠	(All pass)
1At least fourcard support, gameforcing
2Singleton or void
3Ace asking for spades
41 or 4 aces

That was quite an aggressive Blackwood call. I have a control-rich minimum and slam is still only a little better than a finesse. Take away the diamond jack or change the heart king to the queen, and slam would have almost no play.

I play low from dummy; East takes his ace and returns the club seven. I ruff with the spade nine, and West drops the club nine. It looks as if West has king-jack-nine-deuce and East has returned second highest from ace-ten-seven-five-three.

It is a little strange that East returned a club. A diamond looks more natural, regardless of whether East has the queen or not. Perhaps East simply doesn't trust me not to have psyched my three club bid. I'm flattered. I've seen people psyche splinters. But I don't think I've ever seen anyone psyche a rebid over Jacoby two notrump.

My primary chance to make this is the diamond finesse. I might also find a singleton heart honor somewhere, or queen-jack doubleton of hearts, or a red-suit squeeze. In any event, there is no reason not to start trumps. I lead the seven of spades--three--ace--club three.

The three-zero trump break doesn't present any major problems, but it does reduce some of my flexibility. If I ruff the club queen and draw trumps, for example, I must start hearts by cashing the king first. Otherwise I destroy my squeeze

I play the club queen--five--spade eight--club jack. I haven't seen anything to counter my assumption about the club split. I'm going to assume I'm right and that East started with ace-ten fifth.

I play a spade to dummy; East drops the diamond deuce. He wouldn't pitch a diamond from four, since that would allow me to establish a diamond trick via a ruff if I had ace-king fourth. He probably has three diamonds or five. For the time being, I'll assume he is either 0-5-3-5 or 0-3-5-5. Although I'm not sure why he would pitch anything other than a club from either hand.

On the third spade, East pitches the five of hearts. A heart pitch is dangerous from honor third. For all East knows, I have king fifth. And it is potentially revealing from three small, since I might have a guess for the queen. So it appears East is 0-5-3-5. His reluctance to pitch clubs is still puzzling.

I play a fourth spade. East finally pitches his club ten. I pitch the heart deuce; West, the diamond three. Now West gets into the act clutching his worthless clubs. West would be more hesitant to make a gratuitous diamond pitch from three than from five, so it appears West is 3-1-5-4 and East is 0-5-3-5. If so, this is the position I have reached:

(A)

	NORTH Jack ♠ 4 ♥ A 10 9 ♦ 7 4 ♣ --
WEST Floyd ♠ -- ♥ ? ♦ Q x x x ♣ K		EAST Christian ♠ -- ♥ Q ? x x ♦ x x ♣ --
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ -- ♥ K 6 4 ♦ A K J ♣ --

But wouldn't West have led his singleton heart with that hand? It seems strange that he would pitch a diamond from three. But perhaps he did. If so, then this is the position:

(B)

	NORTH Jack ♠ 4 ♥ A 10 9 ♦ 7 4 ♣ --
WEST Floyd ♠ -- ♥ Q J x ♦ ? x ♣ K		EAST Christian ♠ -- ♥ x x ♦ ? x x x ♣ --
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ -- ♥ K 6 4 ♦ A K J ♣ --

There is no red-suit squeeze in either position, since West, after his diamond pitch, can no longer guard both red suits. So there is no reason to worry about preserving my squeeze entries. I can afford to cash the heart ace first. If West plays an honor, then I can worry about what to do. (West, of course, should play an honor from (B) just to give me an option.)

I might as well cash the diamond ace before tackling hearts to gather more information. I play the four of diamonds--nine--ace--eight. The six and five are still out. Perhaps both defenders gave present count. I play the six of hearts--three--ace--eight. Since West did not play a heart honor, I must hope for (B) and guess the diamond queen. It's possible that West saw the squeeze coming and pitched a diamond early. But that's would require a parlay: He needs both heart honors, he needs the diamond queen (which the odds are 5 to 3 against all by itself), and he needs to have made a thoughtful play. It is surely more likely that East has the diamond queen.

I play a diamond from dummy, East follows with the six. I still haven't seen the five, and I suspect West has it. I play the jack. West follows with the five. Making six.

	NORTH Jack ♠ A K Q 10 4 ♥ A 10 9 ♦ 7 4 ♣ Q 8 4
WEST Floyd ♠ 6 5 3 ♥ Q 7 3 ♦ 8 5 3 ♣ K J 9 2		EAST Christian ♠ -- ♥ J 8 5 ♦ Q 10 9 6 2 ♣ A 10 7 5 3
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ J 9 8 7 2 ♥ K 6 4 2 ♦ A K J ♣ 6

As I said earlier, partner's Blackwood call was too aggressive. For slam to be cold, opener needs four controls plus a queen. Four controls all by itself is better than average for a minimum opening bid. With four controls plus a filler, opener would surely cooperate with a slam try even with bad trumps. So I would bid three hearts over three clubs with responder's hand. With something like

(A)

♠ J x x x x ♥ Q x x ♦ A K J x ♣ x

or

(B)

♠ J x x x x ♥ K x x ♦ A K x x ♣ x

opener will bid three spades, and I will give up. With

(C)

♠ J x x x x ♥ K Q x ♦ A K x x ♣ x

he will cooperate with four diamonds, and I will drive to slam. (I've changed opener's four-card suit to diamonds because that's his likeliest pattern opposite responder's 5-3-2-3. So that's what I would be envisioning as responder.)

What will partner do with the actual hand? Will he bid three spades or four diamonds? The truth is, I don't really care. Your objective in slam bidding is to reach slams that are cold and to avoid slams that are hopeless. If you can come anywhere near accomplishing that goal, then it won't matter much what you do on deals where slam is a near tossup. If you occasionally bid a 45% slam or miss a 55% slam, the effect on your score in the long run is negligible. Since I have a plan to avoid slam opposite (A) and (B) and to reach slam opposite (C), I'm happy. I'll let the chips fall where they may on hands in between those extremes.

Of course, the effect on your score in the short run is another matter. Since slam happens to make, I'm glad we bid it and disappointed to discover that our opponents bid it as well.

Table 1: +980
Table 2: -980

Score on Board 3: 0 imps
Total: +4 imps

Event 3 - Match 8 - Board 2

Board 2
Our side vulnerable

♠ 4 ♥ 8 5 3 ♦ K J 8 4 ♣ A Q 9 6 4

RHO opens one heart. I've had two hands recently where an apparently routine decision not to overcall when vulnerable worked out badly. On the first deal, after a one spade opening on my right, I passed at unfavorable with

♠ K Q 10 4 ♥ 9 5 ♦ K J 10 6 5 ♣ 5 2

The auction proceeded

LHO	Partner	RHO	Me
		1 ♠	Pass
1 NT	Pass	2 ♣	Pass
2 ♠	(All pass)

Making two. I commented that I considered a two diamond overcall with my hand clear if I weren't vulnerable. What I didn't say is that I replayed the deal, overcalling two diamonds to see what would have happened. The auction proceeded

LHO	Partner	RHO	Me
		1 ♠	2 ♦
D'ble	3 ♦	4 ♣	Pass
4 ♠	Pass	Pass	Double
(All Pass)

A few boards later, after pass--pass--one spade to me, I passed, both vulnerable, with

♠ A 5 2 ♥ K J 8 5 2 ♦ Q 3 ♣ K 6 4

I caught partner with

♠ 6 ♥ A Q 7 4 3 ♦ 10 9 8 5 ♣ Q 10 9

and we defended three spades down one, cold for four hearts. (The diamond sets up, so I don't need to guess the jack of clubs.)

These were pretty significant swings (or, more accurately, missed opportunities, since the other table did not overcall either). Two boards prove nothing, of course, but they did make me wonder. I doubt there are many experts who would even consider overcalling vulnerable with either of those hands. But perhaps we are wrong. Anyway, here is another vulnerable overcall no one in his right mind would make. So far, I'm still in my right mind. But if passing works out badly on this deal as well, that may change.

I pass, LHO bids two hearts, and RHO bids four hearts. Everyone passes.

I suspect most players would lead their singleton spade. But I think that's a mistake. You have both minors wired, and spades are breaking almost as badly as they can. When all declarer's side suits are breaking badly, it is often right to lead a trump. Hands like this are what Lowenthal's Third Law of Opening Leads--"The lead of a trump shows a side singleton or void"--is all about. The law is an exaggeration, but a singleton or void, when combined with tenaces in the other suits, often inspired John to lead a trump, and often to good effect. Frequently on a deal like this, declarer would win the trump lead and attack spades himself. Then John would get to ruff and lead another trump.

I lead the five of hearts.

	NORTH Floyd ♠ Q J 8 7 5 ♥ A 6 2 ♦ 10 7 5 ♣ 10 7
WEST Phillip ♠ 4 ♥ 8 5 3 ♦ K J 8 4 ♣ A Q 9 6 4

West	North	East	South
Phillip	Floyd	Jack	Christian
			1 ♥
Pass	2 ♥	Pass	4 ♥
(All pass)

Declarer plays the deuce from dummy and captures partner's four with his ten. Declarer rates to have at least three and a half honor tricks for his four heart bid. I must hope partner has at least the spade king, else declarer has ten tricks off the top. That gives declarer at most two honor tricks in the majors: king queen of hearts plus the spade ace. He must have at least one and a half honor tricks in the minors: ace-queen of diamonds or ace of diamonds, king of clubs. Either way, I must credit declarer with the diamond ace. This is an assumption of necessity. I have no particular reason to believe declarer has the diamond ace. But, if he doesn't, we probably aren't beating this. Partner is unlikely to hold both the diamond ace and a spade honor.

It may seem strange to count honor tricks instead of high-card points. But I find it a much faster way of constructing hands, at least at a first approximation. It's easier to count up to three and a half than it is to count up 16 or 17 or whatever I'm supposed to assume declarer has in terms of high-card points.One might think it wouldn't work, since, after all, most players aren't using honor tricks for their hand evaluation. But they aren't using high-card points either, at least not rigidly. They upgrade with concentrated values and downgrade with soft, scattered values. Counting honor tricks is a quick way of taking such adjustments into account.

Declarer plays the seven of hearts to dummy's ace as partner discards the three of diamonds. I can't tell if this is high or low. If it is high, then declarer has the diamond six. If it is low, declarer has the diamond deuce. Since I have already placed declarer with the diamond ace, declarer must have at least two diamonds. Partner would avoid pitching from queen third or queen fourth. Most likely, he has three small.

Declarer plays the heart six from dummy. He has squandered a dummy entry. So he can't have a holding where he needs to lead twice toward his hand. It is unlikely, therefore, that he has both the diamond queen and the club king.

Partner discards the diamond six. Partner might pitch one diamond from three small to let me know he can't guard the suit, but why pitch a second one? He must have a five-card suit he can pitch from, and he might need diamonds as exit cards. So I'm changing my mind. It now seems likely that partner has five diamonds. Since I know declarer has the deuce, that gives partner ace-queen fifth, which means he doesn't have a spade honor and we aren't beating this. I would have thought partner would pitch six-three rather than three-six from that holding. But perhaps he didn't want to tip declarer off about the location of the diamond ace.

Declarer plays the heart jack. Declarer will expect me to pitch from my five-card suit, so I won't. I pitch the diamond eight. Partner pitches the diamond nine.

Declarer leads the nine of spades--four--five--deuce. That pretty much confirms my construction. If declarer had honor-ten-nine of spades, he would lead the honor to guarantee a dummy entry. To lead the nine, he must have ace-king-ten-nine, which gives him

♠ A K 10 9 ♥ K Q J 10 x x ♦ 2 ♣ K x

He'll run spades, pitching a diamond, and lead up to the club king. I'll score two club tricks for minus 450. That's almost what happens. He has king-jack of clubs, so he leads to the club jack in the end position.

	NORTH Floyd ♠ Q J 8 7 5 ♥ A 6 2 ♦ 10 7 5 ♣ 10 7
WEST Phillip ♠ 4 ♥ 8 5 3 ♦ K J 8 4 ♣ A Q 9 6 4		EAST Jack ♠ 6 3 2 ♥ 4 ♦ A Q 9 6 3 ♣ 8 5 3 2
	SOUTH Christian ♠ A K 10 9 ♥ K Q J 10 9 7 ♦ 2 ♣ K J

I can't stand it! It happened again! I don't overcall, and we go minus 450 when we can make five of either minor. True, it's not a very good game, and it's unlikely we would bid it even if I overcalled. But I still think it's time to experiment a little. Fortunately, I have an understanding partner. From now on, colors are for children.

Table 1: -450
Table 2: +450

Score on Board 2: 0 imps
Total: +4 imps

Event 3 - Match 8 - Board 1

Board 1
Neither vulnerable

♠ K J 5 ♥ 10 8 6 2 ♦ 9 5 ♣ A 10 6 2

Partner opens one diamond, RHO passes, I respond one heart, and LHO bids one spade. Partner doubles, showing three-card heart support, and RHO bids two hearts, showing a contructive spade raise.

I pass, LHO bids two spades, and partner bids three diamonds. If the opponents had stayed silent after the overcall, three diamonds would show a good hand, roughly a hand that would have bid three diamonds over one heart in an uncontested auction. But a competitive three diamonds cannot promise extras. If partner has short spades, it is his job to compete. So, with a 1-3-6-3 pattern, he should bid three diamonds even with a minimum.

Since I'm limited by my pass over two hearts, partner might have a little extra. But he should have no game interest. If he thinks game is still a possibility, he must make a more aggressive call: an offshape two notrump, a double, or possibly three hearts. (Three hearts must invite game, since opener would never compete to the three-level in a four-three fit. And it suggests short spades, since, with a balanced invitation, double or two notrump would have more appeal.)

I pass, LHO passes, and RHO leads the three of spades.

	NORTH Phillip ♠ K J 5 ♥ 10 8 6 2 ♦ 9 5 ♣ A 10 6 2
	SOUTH Jack ♠ 4 ♥ A K 9 ♦ A Q 10 7 6 4 ♣ 5 4 3

West	North	East	South
Christian	Phillip	Floyd	Jack
			1 ♦
Pass	1 ♥	1 ♠	Double1
2 ♥2	Pass	2 ♠	3 ♦
(All pass)
1Support double
2Constructive raise

If you add the jack of diamonds to partner's hand, we belong in game. But surely with seven and a half playing tricks partner would have bid more aggressively.

I play the spade jack. East takes his ace and shifts to the queen of hearts. I assume this is a singleton or doubleton. There is little reason to shift to a heart otherwise.

What high cards can I place? West probably would have led a club with king-queen. So that gives him at best king-jack of clubs, the spade queen, and the heart jack. He needs the diamond king or a singleton diamond for his cue-bid.

I take the heart ace. West plays the seven. Presumably he is signaling to show the jack. If so, it's a foolish signal. I'm the only one who cares where the jack is. East, if he has a second heart, is more interested in where the king is, so he knows whether he can get a ruff or not. On a different layout, this signal could work out poorly. It might persuade East to hop up with the ace on the first trump play, taking a guess away.

I can take two hearts, a club, and a spade. I need five diamond tricks to make this. I have only one dummy entry, so one possible line is to cash the trump ace. If no honor drops, I cross to dummy with a club, take my pitch on the spade king, and lead the diamond nine, letting it ride if East plays small. If I'm right that West has a singleton diamond or the king, then this line loses only to a singleton eight on my left (of the holdings it's possible for me to pick up). If I'm wrong about West's diamonds, it will also lose to king third on my right.

Is there another plan that might allow me to pick up king third on my right? Suppose I cash the heart king. Then I cash the diamond ace and play another heart, driving the jack. I can then cross to the club ace, take a pitch on the spade king, and lead the good heart. East must ruff to stop my pitch. Now I pick up king third as well. This line works well if the heart king cashes. But it works out poorly if East ruffs the heart king. Since that is a serious possibility and since it caters to a lie of the cards I don't think is likely anyway, I revert to my first plan. I cash the diamond ace--deuce--five--eight.

I play the three of clubs--jack--ace--seven. I cash the spade king--deuce--club four--spade eight and lead the nine of diamonds. East plays the king, and West follows with the three. East plays another heart. I take the king and draw the last trump. Making three.

	NORTH Phillip ♠ K J 5 ♥ 10 8 6 2 ♦ 9 5 ♣ A 10 6 2
WEST Christian ♠ Q 10 8 3 ♥ J 7 5 4 ♦ 3 2 ♣ K Q J		EAST Floyd ♠ A 9 7 6 2 ♥ Q 3 ♦ K J 8 ♣ 9 8 7
	SOUTH Jack ♠ 4 ♥ A K 9 ♦ A Q 10 7 6 4 ♣ 5 4 3

It looks as if East did expect his partner to have the heart king. With king-jack third, it cost him nothing to hop and try for his ruff. I wonder if he would have saved me by hopping with king empty third as well. He might wonder why I gave him that opportunity when I didn't have to. But, if West had signaled properly, East wouldn't even be tempted to hop.

I misplaced the diamond king because I expected West to lead a club from that hand. And I still think a club lead makes more sense. Declarer rates to have a singleton spade. What's he going to pitch it on? It's club losers, not spade losers, that are going to disappear. A club lead certainly makes things harder for declarer, but I suspect he will succeed in the end.

I am a little concerned they will get propelled into three notrump at the other table. It's not much of a contract. But with spades, diamonds, and clubs all behaving nicely, it makes.

Not to worry. They stopped in three diamonds, and our teammates defeated it. Does a club lead give declarer more problems than I thought? Say he ducks the first club and wins the second. Then he plays a diamond to the queen and a spade to the jack and ace. East plays a low heart. Declarer wins and plays a third club. West wins and plays another heart. Declarer wins, cashes the diamond ace, and tosses East in with a third diamond. East must now play a spade to dummy's king, allowing declarer to pitch his heart. That seems like a pretty normal line. Of course, once you know all four hands, it's hard to see what might appeal to declarer on a single-dummy basis.

Table 1: +110
Table 2: +50

Score on Board 1: +4 imps
Total: +4 imps