The scene: The Willowbrook Psychiatric Center weekly duplicate

Loretta has arrived for the afternoon bridge event at Willowbrook. She
picks up a nice hand, but her husband, who is being treated for
schizophrenia, jumps to 3, spoiling the auction. Loretta's partner
(the chief psychiatrist of the clinic) passes, as does the nice man
in white sitting East.

What should Loretta do after two passes back to her?

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 South Loretta
   A K J 9 3
   7 5
   A K Q
   Q 6 5

Loretta's husband redoubles! Meanwhile, her partner bids 3.

What does 3 mean?

What should Loretta do now?

 South Loretta
   A K J 9 3
   7 5
   A K Q
   Q 6 5

It's close, but maybe Loretta is right to pass, since 3 didn't really
mean anything. If North passes over the redouble, it's a penalty pass,
saying that he wants to play it in 3 redoubled.

Therefore, a bid of 3 (or anything for that matter) has the same
meaning as if West had not redoubled - simply a forced bid.

Husband in the West chair begins to laugh and leads the king of hearts.

 South Loretta
   A K J 9 3
   7 5
   A K Q
   Q 6 5

Good luck to everyone, says the doctor as he tables the dummy.

Husband's king of hearts wins the first trick as East follows low.

Next comes the queen of hearts, overtaken by East with the ace.
East switches to a low diamond. How should Loretta proceed?

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 South Loretta
   A K J 9 3
   7 5
   A K Q
   Q 6 5

Loretta wins the trick with the ace of diamonds and leads a spade to the
queen and a spade back to the king.

If spades behave, she has at least nine tricks.

Everyone does follow, so she cashes two more spades, as West discards
two hearts. After the four rounds of trump, Loretta decides to cash the
rest of her diamonds. East has three diamonds to start with and West two.

On the last diamond, West throws another heart and starts to laugh again.

 South Loretta
   A K J 9 3
   —
   A K Q
   Q 6 5

It's just a question of an overtrick, Loretta says, trying to calm her
husband down. How should she continue?

 South Loretta
   9
   —
   —
   Q 6 5

Loretta leads the queen of clubs, hoping someone will win the ace,
but everyone plays low real fast. So Loretta doesn't know where the
ace of clubs is. She then leads a club toward the K-10 in dummy,
and, when her husband plays low, she must guess for the overtrick.

What should she do?

 South Loretta
   9
   —
   —
   Q 6 5

Loretta goes up with the king, playing her mad husband to have the ace.
I never thought he would have such a weak hand and redouble, she blurts
out. But my dear, says the doctor, don't you think your husband would win
the ace rather than risk two overtricks? After all, if the king of clubs wins,
you will discard your third club on the jack of diamonds.

Yes, doctor, she replies, but that's just what I thought he was thinking - that
I would think he would never risk it. But, of course, I applied double psychology
and played him to be double-crossing me.

Come to my office after the game, says the doctor, I would like to examine you....

THE END

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 South Loretta
   A K J 9 3
   7 5
   A K Q
   Q 6 5

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