At the ACBL Spring Championships, Greg Humphreys of Charlottesville, Va., could claim a dubious prize: the hard-luck story of the tournament.

In a pairs event, Humphreys, South, opened one club, artificially showing a strong hand. When West preempted, North could not double for penalty (a double would have been conventional), but when Humphreys bid three clubs next, North leaped to 6NT.

East doubled -- unwisely, since plus 50 against 6NT undoubled would have been worth a top score. Humphreys knew what the double meant and ran to seven clubs, doubled by East.

GOOD CHANCES

Clearly, East had an A-K to cash, but West erred by leading a diamond; dummy's jack won. Humphreys could see 13 tricks but had to pick up the trumps. On the bidding, with West holding six diamonds to East's one, a 4-1 break was quite possible.

So Humphreys led a trump ... and judged to finesse with his ten. Alas, West scored his jack and led a spade, and North-South were minus 500 instead of plus 1,630.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S 10 5 3 H A K 3 2 D A Q J 5 4 C 5. You open one diamond, and your partner bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: This situation is awkward, and individual style and judgment would be factors. Some players- but not a majority, I believe - would be willing to bid two hearts, a "reverse" that would suggest substantial extra strength. I would feel obliged to treat the hand as nearer a minimum and raise to two spades.