A reader sent today’s deal with two questions: When South opens 1NT, should North invite game? If he does invite, should he use Stayman on the way?

If South’s 1NT shows 15 to 17 points, North should pass; inviting game is against the odds. If South could have as many as 18 points, North might invite if vulnerable, with more to gain by making game, but any partnership will do well to have an understanding about which player acts aggressively: If North stretches to invite and South stretches to accept, hopeless games will result.

As to Stayman, most players won’t use Stayman with 4-3-3-3 distribution. True, opener might have a more shapely hand, but responder must bid his own hand, not his partner’s.

North-South had reached a shaky contract when North invited game with his eight-point hand and South rejected. West led a low club, and South won with the ten, led a heart to dummy and returned a diamond: five, queen, ace. West then cashed the ace of clubs and led a third club to dummy’s queen.

South took two more high hearts; a 3-3 break would have given him eight tricks. When West discarded a spade, declarer led a second diamond from dummy. East played low, and South pondered … and played the jack. He went down two when West produced the king, cashed two clubs and led a diamond, and East took the ten and a high heart.

South should have made his contract. When West led the ace of clubs, he indicated a sure entry that could only be the king of diamonds. So South should have played his nine on the second diamond.