Allow partner to provide input

Alice Sebold, an author, said, “I have never been shy about listening to the input of others and weighing it seriously.” At the bridge table, you use input from partner about his hand, and he hopes for help from you. In this deal, look at the South hand. East opens one heart, South overcalls one spade, West raises to two hearts, North makes a responsive double showing length in both minors, and East rebids three hearts. What should South do? I expect you are not happy with North’s double. Why not respond two no-trump? A good question -- but this pair had a good answer. Two no-trump would have shown at least game-invitational values with four-card or longer spade support. So, North’s choices were to double or to jump to three no-trump. Over three hearts, South wondered whether the right contract was four spades, five clubs or, perhaps, six clubs. However, game takes precedence over slam. Still, South did not want to bid only four clubs, because that might have ended the auction. Then he realized the best choice -- he cue-bid four hearts. Here, North continued with four spades to show doubleton support (with three, he would have raised spades immediately). Then South passed. South ruffed the heart lead, drew trumps, cashed the club ace and played another club. He took six spades, one diamond and three clubs. Five clubs would probably have failed with the bad trump break, although it could have been made unless West led specifically the diamond seven! The curious may work it out.