This deal comes from a first-round Vanderbilt match at the 2013 Saint Louis NABC. At unfavorable vulnerability, South dealt with:

5
AJ3
Q4
AKJ10764
He opened 1 to which partner responded 1. What should South do when East overcalls 2? He is strong enough to act on the 3-level, so should bid 3. While it was possible to gamble with 3NT (that would tend to show good long clubs and hearts stopped), I'd prefer to have the Q instead of the J for such an aggressive bid. Bidding 3 does show extras.

Partner bids 3 and now? He has diamonds and spades, you have the hearts stopped, so 3NT it is. Everyone passes, and you see:

KJ42 52 AJ532 52

5 AJ3 Q4 AKJ10764

The 8 is led and East plays the Q. Over to you. First of all, do you agree with partner's bidding? I do. In modern style, he bypassed the diamonds with a "one-bid hand." When you showed extras with your 3 bid, he was a little aggressive, but vulnerable at IMPs, he should be. The final contract is a good one.

Let's count winners. If clubs run, there will be 9 easy tricks. So, what if you have to lose a trick to the Q? That means only 8 top tricks. You will need a 9th trick somewhere and you also have entry considerations.

If you hold up the A and East obliges you by continuing hearts (from his known KQ), all will be good. But, why should he be so friendly? He sees the relatively weak spades in dummy and you don't welcome a switch to that suit (you might lose 3 spade tricks, along with the Q and Q). Accordingly, you shouldn't give him the chance; you win the first trick and then...

Work on clubs, but while maintaining communications! If you lay down the AK and the queen doesn't fall, you are in big trouble (no entry to hand). So, you should start clubs not with the ace or king, but with the jack! If either opponent wins the queen, you now have a club in dummy with which to reach your hand. After they get the club trick, you will have no trouble getting a 9th trick; any suit they work on will give you a trick. Even if they continue clubs (hardly likely), you should be able to eventually forge a 9th trick on your own. If East started with Q98x (unlikely), he has to take it. If West started with Q98x and ducks the first round, you will then have to hope the diamonds come in. By playing the J first, you are catering to many normal layouts where clubs are 3-1. In fact, this was the Real Deal:

Vul: N-S Dlr: South	KJ42 52 AJ532 52
Q863 86 10986 Q98		A1097 KQ10974 K7 3
	5 AJ3 Q4 AKJ10764

Declarer should win the A at trick one and play the J at trick 2. West wins (though he might actually duck!), but declarer will easily make his contract. At the table, declarer ducked the Q at trick one. East made the good shift to the 10. Declarer won in dummy with the jack and played clubs from the top. West got in with the Q and then played the Q to give the defense 5 tricks. Winning the A at trick one was not the only hurdle. Declarer had to resist the temptation to start clubs with the ace or king--which would have been fatal.

The other table in the match played in 5 down, so a big opportunity was lost.