Simple bids are often the best bids. Consider this deal from a Bermuda Bowl tournament.

Bob Hamman opened a 14-16 one notrump, and Marcello Branco of Brazil overcalled two spades.

What is Soloway's best bid now?

These are the kind of auctions one hates to hear as the opponent; it's much better to hear a long, revealing auction so you know how to defend!

Meanwhile, put yourself in poor Branco's situation in pass-out seat. He tried a double to ask his partner not to lead a spade, which was a good call, because South can make the hand after a spade lead.

Sure enough West found a low heart lead - good! - to the jack and queen, but Branco tried to cash the ace, and that was the end of the hand. Soloway ruffed, cashed the ace of spades, went to dummy with the ace of diamonds, pitched two clubs on the king of spades and king of hearts, and took a club finesse for his slam.

At the other table, "scientific" bidding went astray. North opened one heart and East bid two spades. South bid three diamonds and heard North bid three notrump. South then tried a very subtle four-diamond bid, hoping his partner would understand this as a slam try.

But the North player for Brazil passed four diamonds, thinking it was not forcing and they languished in a partscore. Contrast Soloway's direct jump to six diamonds: simple and practical.