BRIDGE

What would you bid with the North hand over South’s jump to three hearts? We like three spades, which should be interpreted as either a heart raise too good to just bid four hearts, or a good hand with only three hearts that might be better off in a contract other than hearts. South would have bid three no-trump over three spades and the superior contract would have been reached.

West shifted to a low club at trick two, which declarer won with dummy’s ace and then ruffed a club. A low heart to dummy’s queen was ducked by West, who would have done better to rise with his king and play another heart. This was not easy to see and West’s duck was a reasonable play. South ruffed another club with his remaining low heart, cashed the ace of hearts, and led a diamond.

West had no answer. He couldn’t hurt declarer by ruffing with his king, so he discarded a spade. South won the diamond in dummy and led the queen of hearts. West won with the king, but the defense had no-trumps remaining and South couldn’t be prevented from building a spade trick for his tenth trick. Well done!

The play in three notrump would have been interesting. We leave it to readers to work out the play after a spade lead to South’s king and a diamond toward the dummy. The contract cannot be defeated.