The year is 1980. You're playing in a British-USA match for the BBC-2
TV series, Grand Slam. Your partner is Jeremy Flint, an outstanding,
veteran player, who especially enjoys bridge tactics, so stay on your
toes!

After LHO opens 1, and Flint overcalls 1NT, you hear RHO double.
What is your call?

 South
   —
   —
   —
   —

There are too many points in this deck. Count them! South has at
least 11, North has at least 9, and you have 9. That's 29 minimum.
Partner didn't overcall 1NT with 11 points, did he? Sounds like our
man Flint is up to his old tricks. He probably has a long diamond
suit and a weak hand. Better to pass over the double than bid spades,
since partner may be short in spades.

Now South pulls to 2 and North bids 3. Could it be right to bid
now? Has South psyched (and Flint has a real notrump bid) or does
South hold a minimum opening bid with six or seven hearts? What do
you call now?

 South
   —
   —
   —
   —

You decide it is probably Flint who has the weak hand. Here's why.
Count the trumps (hearts). South must hold at least six. North holds
two or three. You hold three. That leaves partner with one or two
hearts at most. The odds are, therefore, that partner does not have a
real notrump overcall. Though he might hold doubleton king or ace,
you go with the odds and pass 3.

South continues to game, passed back to you. Do you bid 4,
double, or pass?

 South
   —
   —
   —
   —

You decide to pass. South obviously has some values to bid game,
maybe 10-11 points, which leaves partner with too little for a real
notrump bid. Flint leads the ace of diamonds and everyone follows. He
continues with the king of diamonds, and you discard a spade. Next
comes the jack of diamonds, ruffed in dummy with the 6 of hearts.
What is your defense from here?

 South
   —
   —
   —
   —

You overruff the dummy and return a spade! How many tricks does
declarer have? Count them! Declarer has six heart tricks coming, and
probably the ace of clubs. Add three spade tricks in dummy and that
makes 10. Your only hope, therefore, is if South holds a singleton
spade. By leading a spade at trick four, you take out his entry to
dummy. When he tries to cash three spade tricks, our man Flint ruffs
with the deuce of hearts, the setting trick.

Your role in real life was played by Claude Rodrigue. Bravo.

THE END

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 South
   9
   A K 9 8 7 4
   9 7 5 4
   A 2

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