Today's deal (reported by Barry Rigal) arose at the ACBL Spring Championships in the Platinum Pairs, an event for top experts. North's opening bid showed a good hand, not necessarily clubs. South's response of one spade promised values and balanced pattern, not necessarily spades. North bid the most likely game.

West led the jack of clubs: queen, ace. East returned a club, forcing out the king.

HIGH HEARTS

With no entry to his high hearts, declarer, Josh Parker, took the ace of hearts and led dummy's NINE of spades. East rose with his queen and led another club, but Parker could ruff, reach his hand with the ten of spades, discard diamonds on the K-Q of hearts, and lead toward the king of diamonds for his 10th trick. Well done!

If East smoothly ducks the nine of spades (not many would), declarer must guess what to do.

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DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A K J 9 3 2 H A D K 8 5 2 C Q 3. You open one spade, and your partner bids 1NT. What do you say?

ANSWER: Expert opinion would vary. A few would jump boldly to four spades, reasoning that a suitable minimum for partner such as Q 4, 8 7 6 4, Q 4, K 8 6 4 2 might be enough to make it. Many would choose the textbook rebid of three spades. A few players might temporize with a bid of two diamonds, intending to rebid the spades next.