Bridge

I’LL HAVE WHAT HE’S HAVING

North’s two-heart bid was forcing to game, but South’s relentless enthusiasm after that is hard to understand. The four-heart cuebid was perhaps understandable, but the leap to seven clubs brought a gasp from the usually impassive audience.

Kibitzers were whispering that South might have to be charged with BUI — Bidding

Under the Influence — but his precise declarer play saved his reputation.

The opening heart lead went to East’s queen and South’s king. A heart to the ace was followed by a heart ruff as East discarded a low spade. South led a spade to dummy’s queen, cashed the ace of clubs, and ruffed another heart while East shed another spade. South cashed the queen of clubs and the fall of the jack from East gave South confidence that East was out of trumps.

Declarer cashed the ace and king of spades, discarding two low diamonds from dummy. A diamond to dummy’s ace was followed by the king of clubs, drawing the last outstanding trump. South now claimed with a good heart and a trump left in dummy. “Cocktails,” shouted South, summoning the club’s waitress.