This Real Deal comes from Carla and Paul

Vul:NS Dlr: East	A86  642  105  KJ1062
K102  85  AQ943  Q53		74  KQJ10973  76  74
	QJ953  A  KJ82  A94

Overcall or Double?

East opens 3 (the shape is poor, but with that great 7-card suit and at this vulnerability, it is routine to preempt to the 3-level). With a nice 15 HCP, surely South should come into the bidding, but with what?

With short hearts and support for the other 3 suits, a double is possible, but I recommend overcalling in the 5-card major. South isn’t strong enough to double and bid again, so double risks ending in a minor suit and missing a 5-3 spade fit. In fact, if South did double, North would take it out to 4 and South would pass. When faced with a choice (on any level) between overcalling or doubling, prefer to overcall in a 5-card major unless you are strong enough to double and then bid again (roughly 18 points).

Should North raise to game? Not clear, but a 3-level overcall shows a very good hand (especially vulnerable) and North has nice trump support and a source of tricks (clubs), so let’s go for it.

The Play

West makes the normal lead of his partner’s suit (the 8, high from a doubleton). In a trump contract, declarer starts by considering what he might lose. There are some lucky layouts where a spade loser might be avoided (picture East with 10x), but I’d anticipate at least 1 loser there. Nothing in hearts, 1 or 2 in diamonds and maybe 1 in clubs. Declarer wins the A and the first decision is whether or not to draw trump. Here, with no reason not to, declarer should play trump at trick 2.

Even without the preempt, the best start is the Q. With the preempt, it is likely that West (LHO) has the spade length, so leading high cards through him is a good idea. West probably covers the queen. Declarer wins the ace and plays another spade, happy to see East follow. Declarer could finesse against the 10, but let’s say he decides to win the J. Now what? Leave the 10 outstanding and work on clubs.

How should declarer play clubs? There is a 2-way guess for the queen, but with East likely to have 7 hearts and already 2 spades, the odds strongly favor West holding the missing Q. Furthermore, there aren’t entries to finesse clubs through East. So, declarer lays down the A and then leads the 9. If the finesse were to lose, declarer would have some problems (but still reasonable chances). But, here, the 9 wins. Declarer can run clubs and throw away 2 diamonds. West can trump with the 10 and play a heart, but declarer can trump and get to dummy (with a spade if needed) to finish the clubs. Declarer loses only the 10 and eventually the AQ.

A Fancy Overtrick

By slightly altering the line of play above, declarer can actually make an overtrick! Do you see it? The start is the same (A, 2 rounds of spades and the A). The sexy play for the overtrick involves stripping West of his heart exit card. The second club is won with dummy’s 10 and now declarer trumps a heart in his hand (a key play). Now, he starts running clubs. Whenever West wins his 10 he is endplayed. He has only diamonds left and has to lead one, giving declarer 11 tricks and a likely top board.

Lesson Points

1) With a decent 7-card suit and less than opening-bid strength, preempt to the 3 level.

2) When the choice is between a takeout double and overcalling in a 5-card major, prefer the overcall unless you are strong enough to double and then bid again.

3) A 3-level overcall shows a good hand, so be willing to raise to game with less than full values.

4) In a suit contract, consider how many tricks you might lose.

5) “Normal” plays of suit combinations often need to be reconsidered when an opponent has preempted.

6) With 8 cards in a suit, the odds favor finessing against the queen.