Bridge

Look at the North hand. After partner opens one no-trump, showing 15-17 points of course, what should North do?

First, North should judge whether he wishes to stop in a partscore, or invite game, or force to game.

If he deems his hand as weak, he should respond two hearts, a transfer bid, and pass over South’s two-spade rebid.

That seems a tad pessimistic. The hand is worth a game-invitation. Then North might transfer and rebid two no-trump, but it is better to respond two clubs. If opener replies two diamonds, denying a four-card major, a twospade rebid by responder shows five spades, four hearts and game-invitational values. Here, South rebids two hearts. Now North raises to three hearts to invite game. The length of the suit is usually more important than the strength.

South will pass out three hearts. West will lead the club ace and shift to a diamond. Declarer will take the trick and duck a round of trumps. East wins that and returns a club, but when West ruffs South’s jack or king, it costs a trump trick. With the spade finesse working, declarer takes 10 tricks.