This is aHand:

What should you do here if partner makes a Cappelletti overcall?

Do you have a choice?

Bidding.

West opens 1NT as dealer and partner comes into the auction with 2♣. This we know shows a one-suited hand and we are expected to bid 2♦ as a relay.

East Passes and we have to decide what to do. We can be sure that partner will bid 2♠ over 2♦ (what else could his suit be? Hearts? You think?)

So we try 2♥ instead of 2♦. This is natural and weak; it suggests a six-card suit and not much else, a sort of weak-two opening bid. Partner is free to overrule us and bid 2♠ but he has been warned about the nature of our hand.

As it is, 2♥ ends the auction. Have we done the right thing?

Play.

West finds the irritating lead of the ♥A. Without that, dummy would be a useful asset in ruffing at least one Club. Not to be.

West cashes the second top trump and then shifts to a Club. We take that, draw the last trump and play a Spade. West has to duck that (if he plays his Ace on air we’d have two Spade tricks instead of one). We trump a Spade to hand, just in case the Ace falls, and revert to Clubs. The providential holding there makes it just possible to set up a second trick in the suit.

Best defense sets the hand; after the brilliancy of cashing the ♥A K West must play Diamonds. Is that difficult? Yes, we think so. Had we held the ♦Q that would have been fatal. As the cards are, though, West could then take the ♠A on the first round and wait for his Club tricks.

Bridge is not always such an easy game…especially in defense.