What do you open?

If 100 experts were polled on South’s proper opening bid, they would be split. My guess is that 60 percent would open 1NT. They would point to the benefit of describing South’s strength and approximate shape in one bid, but concealing his precise shape from East-West. Moreover, if South opens one heart and hears a (likely) response of one spade, he has no satisfactory second bid.

The other 40 percent would rather have a root canal than suppress a good five-card major, which might lead to a silly contract. Experts have debated the issue; no consensus has emerged, nor does a correct answer exist. On a given deal, either action may come up a winner.

In today’s deal, South got to four hearts after opening one heart. (He would have reached the same spot after opening 1NT.) West led the queen of clubs. How would you attack the contract?

Declarer found a way to give himself an extra chance. He ducked the first club, won the

next club, ruffed his last club in dummy and drew trumps. South next led the ace and a low diamond, and when East followed low, South played his nine.

West won with the jack but was end-played. If he cashed the ace of spades, declarer’s king would score. If West led his last club, South would ruff with dummy’s last trump and discard a spade.

South would fail if he played the diamonds differently. If he took the A-K and led a third diamond, East would win and lead a spade. South’s actual play succeeds if diamonds break 3-3 or if, as in the actual case, West has a doubleton honor.