BRIDGE

When I watched today’s deal in a team match at the club, Cy the Cynic’s team had a major crack-up: They conceded the dreaded double game swing.

At both tables West opened one heart, and North overcalled one spade. At one table, with Cy’s teammates sitting North-South, East leaped all the way to four hearts. That silenced South and everybody else, and after North led the A-K of clubs, West lost two spades and a club.

At the other table, Cy, sitting East, raised to two hearts, leaving room for a three-diamond offering by South. East-West could have salvaged something by beating five diamonds, and when West led his singleton club, South looked fated to lose a trump, a heart and a club ruff.

But South took the ace of clubs and led the ace and queen of spades, pitching his heart — a loser on a loser. West won, but since East couldn’t gain the lead, South lost only one more trick to the ace of trumps.

Question: You hold: ♠ A Q653 ♥ 62 ♦J 9 8 5 ♣ A K. You open one spade, your partner responds two hearts, you try 2NT and he bids three clubs. What do you say?

Answer: I wouldn’t be eager to insist on 3NT. Partner’s hand may be short in diamonds. A bid of three diamonds is possible, but its meaning would be ambiguous. Bid three hearts. Partner won’t assume better support than you have. With three cards in hearts, you could have raised at your second turn. West dealer Both sides vulnerable