THREE POSSIBLE GAMES, SOME UNCERTAINTY

George S. Kaufman wrote, “Once upon a time there were three bears: Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Camembert.”

Today’s deal from a Bridge Base Online duplicate features three possible game contracts. How two, Papa Game and Mama Game, get on is fairly clear. But the third, Baby Game, is less obvious.

What do you think about the given auction, knowing that South’s double showed three-card heart support, and what should be the result in five diamonds doubled?

Sitting South, I would have been tempted to ignore my three-card heart support and rebid three diamonds. But majors and no-trump rule in duplicates. Then surely South should have been happy with three notrump. Even if partner had only a singleton diamond, there would be a play for the contract.

But when South did jump to five diamonds, that made it easy for East. He knew that North had four hearts, South had three, and he held five. Ergo, his partner had one. The defense was clear. So he doubled.

West led his heart. East won with the ace and returned the two, his lowest being a suit-preference signal for clubs. West ruffed, returned a club and got a second ruff for down two.

Maybe South should have foreseen this and run to four notrump. That would have made unless East led the spade king.

A couple of East-West pairs bought it in five clubs. Note that if declarer reads the position correctly, which isn’t automatic, he takes 12 tricks unless the defenders begin with the spade ace and a spade ruff.