Mad bridge party has Red Queens kibitzing

“At least they’re discussing something different,” Alice sighed.

At the game at the Mad Hatter’s, the Red Queens, who were kibitzing, had argued heatedly over who was greater. The Queen of Hearts blustered that no ace or king dared capture her.

In today’s deal, the Hatter dealt and opened one club as South and jumped to three clubs when North, the March Hare, responded one heart. The Hare raised to four clubs, and South went on. As

West, Alice led a trump. (With dummy known to have a heart suit declarer might establish, an attacking spade lead might have been wiser.)

“Good luck,” said the Hare as he tabled dummy. “My raise to four clubs was only invitational.”

“You can’t stop on a dime at four clubs,” the Queen of Hearts snapped. “Your bid was forcing.”

“Nonsense,” sniffed the Queen of Diamonds. “What should North do to invite game?”

Meanwhile, the Hatter took the ace of trumps and led the queen of hearts: deuce (!) from Alice, seven, six. The Queen of Hearts beamed, but the contract was unmakable. No matter how declarer continued, he would lose two spades and a diamond.

“I could make it, partner,” the Hatter apologized, “but I didn’t want to lose my head. I must overtake the queen of hearts with the king. Since dummy still has two trump entries, I can set up the hearts with two ruffing finesses.”

South succeeds with a similar play — but more easily — if Alice takes her ace of hearts.

Incidentally, most experts would treat North’s four clubs as forcing.