Asking or Telling?

Both Vul
IMPs
Dealer: East
Lead: 9

	cr-1 K J K 7 5 A Q 10 9 8 2 K 9
kopc A A Q 10 6 K 7 5 J 7 5 3 2		ufoved Q 10 9 7 6 5 9 3 2 4 A Q 6
	Maestro 8 4 3 2 J 8 4 J 6 3 10 8 4

West Pass Pass Dbl Pass

North 3 3NT Rdbl

East 2 Pass Pass Pass

South Pass 3 Pass Pass

Three spades is a remarkable bid. Asking? Telling? Psyche? I defer to the judgment of my readers. North, in any case, bid 3NT, for which it is hard to blame him, doubled understandably by West. North expects to make and redoubles. The pass of the redouble, though not in the same league with three spades, is noteworthy in its own right. Four diamonds is likely down three or so, but against 3NT East leads the H9, ducked to North’s K. Ace and another D to West’s K, a club return, a heart back through the J, and the defense runs 10 tricks. In fairness to Gerard this result is not entirely his fault. North misdiscarded and allowed East to make his last diamond at the end for 4000, when only 3400 was legitimately available.

Correction: Gerard asserts that the three diamond overcall was forcing. The editor was unaware that this game took place on Venus. He regrets the error.