Points do not always mean tricks

Another track on Pink Floyd’s “Ummagumma” album is “The Grand Vizier’s Garden Party.” I am not sure how that segues into today’s deal, but let’s try. Look at the South hand. You pass as dealer, lefty opens one diamond, partner overcalls one spade, and righty passes. What would you do now?

Considering the five choices, I would not pass. One no-trump is hardly descriptive. Two clubs mentions the best suit, but it is a minor. The suit is weak for two hearts, but you are a passed hand, so partner will expect only a five-bagger. Two spades is shy a trump.

So, nothing is perfect. In a duplicate, several players passed. West then balanced with one no-trump, showing 18 or 19 points. Undeterred, the Norths rebid two hearts. You would expect South to have bid four hearts now, but a few passed again!

At two tables, South bravely advanced over one spade with two hearts. After West passed, one North raised to three hearts (passed out), but the other sensibly jumped to four hearts.

Against four hearts, West led the heart five: king, nine, six. What should South have done?

It looked as though East had the heart queen, so probably would not have the club ace. This suggested playing a club to the 10. Declarer actually led a club to her queen. West won and — surprise, surprise — continued with the heart queen. South won on the board, played a diamond to her king and West’s ace, ruffed the diamond queen and led a spade. West took that trick and forced South with another diamond. Perhaps declarer should have played a spade to the jack, but she won with dummy’s king and led the spade jack. After a pause, though, South ruffed and claimed when the queen dropped.