“Information is the oxygen of the modern age. It seeps through the walls topped by barbed wire; it wafts across the electrified borders.” - Ronald Reagan

What a difference the choice of opening bid can make. Consider Italy versus USA 2 in the Bermuda Bowl at the 2005 World Championships. In the other room, Brad Moss opened the East hand with one spade. Norberto Bocchi overcalled two clubs and ended up in five clubs after East-West had bid spades violently. He eventually led his club ace and lost two trump tricks: down one.

In our room Fulvio Fantoni was required to open one no-trump as East, notwithstanding his five-card major. Eric Greco’s overcall of two no-trump showed at least 5-4 in the minors. After North bid three diamonds. South came in again with a four-club call, suggesting a six-carder and extra values. This was raised to five clubs by Geoff Hampson, so East-West’s 11-card spade fit never figured in the auction.

Claudio Nunes (West) led the spade ace. Greco ruffed, then considered the implications of the auction. Fantoni’s no-trump opening showed 11-14 points in a balanced hand, and West had already shown up with the spade ace. Therefore, East was marked with most, if not all, of the outstanding points – and certainly with the guarded club king.

Accordingly, Greco entered dummy in diamonds to play the club queen. When East ducked (covering would not have helped), declarer let it ride. Next came the heart queen, covered by Fantoni, so South could now claim his contract, losing just one club and one heart.

Bid with the aces

South holds:

Answer: Your partner’s sequence suggests extra values with 5-4 pattern in the black suits, about 17 or 18 points. You have enough for game and no reason to reject no-trump, since you apparently do not have an eight-card major fit. So just bid three no-trump.