Overberried

“I should have known better,” a club player told me, showing me today’s deal. “I was North in a penny game, and my partner was the dreaded Joe Overberry.”

Joe is a notorious figure at my club. He believes it’s nobler to go down in dogged pursuit of overtricks than to make what he bid. That drives his partners to drink.

“When West doubled Joe at four hearts, I redoubled,” my friend said. “I thought Joe could make it; I had an ace and the queen of hearts. West led a spade, and East won with the ten and tried to cash a second spade. Joe ruffed, took the ace of diamonds and led ... the king. I feared the worst and, sure enough, East ruffed. He then led a trump. Joe won in his hand and ruffed a diamond with the queen of trumps, but he still had two low diamonds. Down one.

“I seriously miscalculated,” North told me. “I thought even Joe would play safe for 10 tricks at a redoubled contract. On the contrary, he was all the more determined to make an

overtrick. Instead of being plus a cool 1080, we were minus 400.”

Whether the contract was doubled, redoubled or undoubled, Joe should have played safe with money on the line. After he ruffs the second spade, he can lead the ace and a low diamond.

The defense can win and shift to a trump, but Joe wins and ruffs a diamond with the queen of trumps. He ruffs a spade, draws trumps and has 10 tricks.

Joe should have been even more content to settle for the contract since the defense misfired. A trump opening lead or shift at Trick Two beats four hearts.