In my opinion, the best psyche is 2 only because I can feel comfortable passing any of partner's possible responses. Furthermore, if the opponents double us then I have easy routes to play in a comfortable 3. Unfortunately, you aren't allowed to psyche an opening artificial bid of 2 in the ACBL, so that's out.

However, 2NT is a legal psyche and the resulting auction will probably amount to the same thing as the 2 psyche. Partner is likely to have both majors, so he'll start with 3 which I can pass, putting the opponents in a bind. Even if partner bids 3 to transfer to hearts, I'm happy to pass. Only if partner bids 3 (or 4) or 3NT will I have a problem, and even then I can still run to a minor after they double. 2NT has so many winning options and very few disastrous ones, which makes it the best legal psyche available.

There is a downside here, however.

Who has the majors? Partner is usually inclined to preempt aggressively at this vulnerability and seating. So, he must have a hand which was unsuitable for a weak two bid: either both majors or neither major. If it is both majors, then the hand is a disastrous misfit and 3 doubled will go for a number into their partscore. If he has neither major, then righty should have a weak two bid, unless she had both majors. And even if she did have both majors, then my psyche won't stop them from bidding their game, but it will give them the extra option to double us instead.

These are not the right conditions for a psyche.

Because I was not amply prepared for opening in third seat, I choose to open the normal THREE CLUBS. This gets DOUBLED and partner raises to FOUR CLUBS.

Partner and I have two understandings about preempts.

1. My third seat preempts are bad in general and even worse at these colours. This means that when raising a third seat preempt, do so with extreme caution.
2. When partner raises a preempt to the four level, he is usually expressing tolerance to defending four level contracts.

Righty's in there with a confident FOUR HEARTS. I'm not too confident of our defensive potential against 4, although we might have a shot to beat it. No. I've severely underbid the offensive potential of my hand and it is likely that we have a ten card club fit based on this auction. I take the sacrifice and bid FIVE CLUBS, which is DOUBLED followed by three passes in turn.

Lefty leads the Q, and I can't wait to see dummy!

Vul: Them Dlr: Pard				PARD (dummy) A 9 7 6 3 2 K 4 2 5 2 Q 4
ME -- 3 5	LEFTY -- Double Double	PARD Pass 4 All Pass	RIGHTY Pass 4
				ME J 8 K J 8 7 3 K J 10 8 6 3

Although this isn't the picture perfect dummy I was expecting, it still looks like 4 will make and 5 will be a good sacrifice. On our best defence, I'd expect a spade lead followed by a spade ruff, but that might be the last trick for the defence. Given the opening lead, the K can be finessed and if clubs are 4-1 or spades are 4-2 then our defence will end with at most one minor­suit winner.

The play is quick. I duck the heart lead and ruff the heart continuation. Now low to the Q (everyone following) and a diamond to the J and Q. Lefty cashes the A then the A and then exits a heart. I pull the last trump, throw the K on the table and hold my breath. When everyone follows I can claim 9 tricks for down 2.

Here was the complete hand:

5 Doubled N/S tricks: 9 N/S score: -300	PARD (dummy) A 9 7 6 3 2 K 4 2 5 2 Q 4
LEFTY K 8 5 Q J 9 3 A Q 10 A 5 2		RIGHTY Q 10 4 A 10 7 6 5 9 6 4 9 7
	ME J 8 K J 8 7 3 K J 10 8 6 3

I open up the score­slip and it has only been played at one other table. 4 down 1 for +100 N/S. Looking at all four hands, I can't see how 4 can go down. Assuming best defence, we can only come to one spade, one club and one spade ruff. Declarer has no choice but to finesse diamonds twice to make the contract, and this will clearly succeed.

Can you figure out how they could have gone down?