Beryl Pfizer, a writer and producer, said, “I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on.”

I can relate to that. However, when you are presented with a bridge problem on a piece of paper, it is usually easier to find the right answer than it would have been at the table with no warning bell ringing. That applies to this deal, which occurred during last year’s world championships in Sanya, China.

West opened two diamonds to show a weak two-bid in either major. East inquired with two no-trump and learned that his partner had a minimum with hearts. Then East leapt straight into six hearts without even bothering to use Roman Key Card Blackwood.

If you were South, you would have probably started wondering what to lead against six hearts. But not Geir Helgemo, a Norwegian who plays for Monaco. He stopped to analyze the auction. Clearly his partner, Tor Helness, was void in hearts. Also, East had a void somewhere; otherwise, he would have checked on key cards. East presumably had a long, solid diamond suit. If so, six hearts was probably making, but six spades would be a cheap sacrifice – and might even be a make!

So Helgemo overcalled six spades. East doubled, of course, and the contract went an unlucky down one; if North had held the club 10, it would have coasted home. And six hearts by East – but not by West after a diamond lead – was laydown.