The lowest-ranking can occasionally win

The fourth senryu by Anne Maverick of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, mentioning a bidding convention was: A major-suit bid / With five-five in the minors / Unusual two.

It must be admitted that the Unusual No-Trump, showing at least 5-5in the two lowest-ranking unbid suits, is less effective than the Michaels Cue-Bid (see yesterday’s column). You are always having to go one level higher to outbid the opponents. But the UNT does have an occasional day in the sunshine -- not that today’s deal is necessarily one of them!

What do you think of the bidding, and how should South plan the play in five clubs after West leads the heart king? What should North do if West opens four hearts?

After North used the Unusual NoTrump

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and South expressed a preference for clubs but limited high cards, North should have continued with three hearts.

Then South, holding a heart stopper, would have bid three no-trump and had nine top tricks: one heart, three diamonds and five clubs. When North invited game by raising to four clubs, South moved on because he seemed to have two useful honor cards and a ruffing value in diamonds.

Since declarer’s trumps are so low, South should assume diamonds are 4-3 and allow for a 4-1 trump break. Win with the heart ace, unblock the diamond queen, play a trump to the dummy, ruff a diamond in hand, draw the remaining trumps and run the diamonds. Declarer loses only two spade tricks.

Finally, if West opens four hearts, North overcalls four no-trump to show at least 5-5in the minors.