ACES ON BRIDGE

“As soon as he saw the Big Boots, Pooh knew that an Adventure was about to happen, and he brushed the honey off his nose with the back of his paw, and spruced himself up as well as he could, so as to look Ready for Anything.” — A.A. Milne Even vulnerable, West’s three-club opening is sensible, since opposite a passed hand, the emphasis is often on obstruction. North could overcall four diamonds, Leaping Michaels, to show diamonds and a major, but he has support for spades as well, so he starts with a takeout double. East increases the barrage with five clubs, which sets up a forcing pass for North-south. When a passed hand raises a pre-empt, that player is normally saving — the opponents must surely have the balance of power. South passes in a sequence where double would be weakest. That encourages North to try a slam. He tries five no-trump, suggesting diamonds and a major, since he would bid six clubs with both majors. South stalls with six clubs, and when North bids six diamonds, South bids six hearts, happy to play in either major. West leads his singleton, and declarer must decide how to tackle the trumps. It seems normal to play the pre-emptor for shortness in an outside suit, but here, with the spade nine presumably being from shortness, the odds shift. East should have some shape for his venture to the five-level, vulnerable, and therefore probably has a redsuit shortness of his own. So declarer plays a heart to the king, then finesses against West. If East had the heart queen, the diamond finesse would be favored to win, with West holding at least three diamonds. After drawing trumps, South can take the diamond finesse for an overtrick.

ANSWER: Overcall one spade and try to forget temporarily about your suit quality. You have far too much playing strength to stay out of the auction — and with the boss suit, no less! However, you do not have enough for a Michaels cue-bid of two hearts, which would commit your side to the two-level or higher.