BRIDGE

Sometimes I watch expert games on Bridge Base Online, a terrific internet site. In today’s deal, East was a national champion whose bidding is uninhibited.

Against four clubs, West led a trump. South captured East’s queen and let the queen of diamonds ride, and East won and returned a trump. South won, went to the ace of spades and pitched two spades on the A-J of diamonds. At Trick Seven, he ruffed a diamond with the nine of trumps.

West overruffed with his 10, but South ruffed the spade return and led the king of hearts to West’s ace. South ruffed the next spade, took the queen of hearts,

ruffed a heart in dummy and threw his last heart on the good diamond. Making four.

After a trump lead, South could always win 10 tricks (a spade lead would beat him), but as the play went, West prevails if he declines to overruff the fourth diamond. By overruffing, he gave South two tricks: a heart ruff in dummy and the fifth diamond.

Question: You hold: ♠ J6 5 ♥ KQ82 ♦ Q ♣ A K J 9 2. You are the dealer. What is your opening call?

Answer: This is a headache. Open one club. You will have an easy second bid if partner responds in a red suit. If he responds one spade, you will be stuck. A bid of two hearts would be a strength-showing reverse, two spades would be an underbid and three spades would show better support. I might try three clubs. A few players (not I) would open 1NT. West dealer Neither side vulnerable