IT IS WELL WORTH THE SLIGHT RISK

Sting, an Englishman who went from being a high school teacher to a rock musician with The Police, said, “A lot of people approach risk as if it’s the enemy when it’s really fortune’s accomplice.”

Bridge players take risks all the time, some more iffy than others. But it is pleasing when a gamble pays off exactly as you had hoped.

Look at the East hand in today’s diagram. With neither side vulnerable, your partner opens two spades, showing a six-card suit and 5-10 high-card points. North overcalls three spades, a Michaels Cue-Bid promising at least 5-5 in hearts and either minor. What would you do now?

Many experts these days use something called Leaping Michaels. North would jump to four clubs to show a heart-club two-suiter. North’s hand is light for that action, but it gives a better description than a three-heart overcall. (A three-spade cue-bid would show a long solid minor and ask partner to bid three notrump with a stopper in the opener’s suit.)

What should East do now? At Bridge Base Online, all five Easts who faced this problem bid the “obvious” four spades. Then, when South advanced with five hearts, everyone passed. West understandably led the spade ace, but declarer ruffed on the board, drew trumps and ran the clubs to win all 13 tricks.

East should anticipate this happening and not bid four spades; instead, he should interpose with four diamonds. Yes, this lets South bid four hearts, but East will then compete with four spades. The big plus, of course, is that West will now know what to lead against five hearts.