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I was East on this hand from the Lancia
match in New York City in 1975. When
I saw this hand recently in print, I
wondered if I would double 3 today. If
partner understands it as a purely
lead-directing call - and not an invitation
for West to bid again - the double is OK.
Even if West held the ace of diamonds, it
would have worked. My partner, Ron
Rubin, led a third-best diamond and my
queen was taken by Omar Sharif's ace.
Omar smartly played the ace of hearts
followed by the jack, in an attempt to
draw the trumps in two rounds. But I
won the queen and returned the 8 of
diamonds. My partner won, cashed the
ace of clubs and led a third round of
diamonds. Omar ruffed with the 8 of
hearts and I overruffed with the 9 to
set the contract. The 9 of hearts turned
out to be a very important card! In fact,
there was no way Omar could make the
contract after the diamond lead.

At the other table in the match, Benito
Garozzo, sitting West, chose not to
overcall 2, and when our teammates,
Alan Sontag and Peter Weichsel, bid to
4, Garozzo did not have the same
information my partner had. He led a
spade at trick one, and declarer made
the game.

Another way to find the killing diamond
lead would be to open the bidding 2
with the West hand, and for East to
raise to 3. But neither pair was using
2 as a natural weak two-bid in diamonds.

Have a nice weekend!