This month's gem turned up at the July Long Beach Regional, in a Strati-flighted pairs game. With West dealer, and only N-S vulnerable, you are South. You pick up this hand:
♠ A Q 9 8 5 3 2
♥ 8 6 2
♦ A K
♣ K
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♥ | 2NT | pass | ? |
Well, whaddaya gonna do? Pard has asked you to choose a minor. You hate the minors, although ♦A K isn't anything to be ashamed of. Made your choice? Here's what happened:
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♥ | 2NT | pass | 3♠ |
| pass | 4♣ | pass | 5♦ |
| pass | pass | double | all pass |
West led ♥A, followed by ♣ A, and another heart. When the smoke cleared, you were looking at -1400, for this was the full hand:
♠ 4
♥ K
♦ Q 9 7 6 3
♣ Q J 9 7 5 3
♠ K J 6♠ 10 7
♥ A J 10 4 3♥ Q 9 7 5
♦ 4♦ J 10 8 5 2
♣ A 10 8 2♣ 6 4
♠ A Q 9 8 5 3 2
♥ 8 6 2
♦ A K
♣ K
Well? What would YOU have done? It looks like the best bet is to bid 3♦ and hope they end up in 3♥, because no one can make much of anything.