[mycroft]

Zia wins because he's "out there" (and because he's a great player, and a great card and people reader). Everybody makes sure that this keeps getting reported. In order to have the "out there" reputation, he has to go "out there" occasionally.

I am sure that Michael plays Zia to be down the line, every single time. Maybe adventurous, maybe he has to work out *why* what Zia is telling him about the hand and what actually is there is different (after he finds out that it is), but otherwise, down the line.

If Michael ever started to try to "catch" Zia, the partnership would die. Quickly. Nobody's good enough to recover from second-guessing partner on every hand.

I think the best description I've seen is the Zia hand in "Tops and Bottoms".