DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

“My partner said he overcalled ‘for the lead’ in this deal,” a club player told me. “It did us no good.”

When North opened one diamond, treating his hand as too strong for 1NT, East tried one spade. Against 3NT, West duly led the nine of spades.

“Dummy played low,” West told me, “and my partner took the queen and ace. Declarer won the third spade and led a diamond, and the contract was unbeatable. Partner won and led a fourth spade but couldn’t get in to take his good spade. My ace of diamonds won our last trick.

“What do you think of overcalling ‘for the lead’?”

I don’t structure my overcalls for lead-direction. Sometimes I will wind up on lead myself, or my partner will find a good lead unaided. Still, West’s spade lead beats 3NT if East plays low, preserving communication. Then West can win the first diamond and lead his second spade effectively.

A club opening lead also beats 3NT.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ AQ765 ♥ 875

◆ K32 ♣ J 9. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: This decision is close. A return to two diamonds would show at most nine points. Most pairs would treat a jump-preference to three diamonds as invitational, not forcing, but that call would be aggressive nevertheless. I would accept either call but not two or three spades, either of which would promise a longer suit.