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The WSJ notices bridge

There's not a great deal of meat in this wry appreciation of the game written by Alexander McCall Smith for the Wall Street Journal's "Life & Style" section, but it's not wrong, I'd say.

Send the link, perhaps, to non-playing friends as a way to explain where we all disappear to so often.

To force or not to force

I've learned a lot since I wrote about The 18-21 Problem, but I'm still somewhat plagued by hands like this one, which I held last night.

 A 5

 A K Q J 7 5

 Q 8

 Q 9 7

I dealt and have to bid. With 18 high-card points and a solid major suit, I suspect we have a shot at game even if partner's hand is weak. In our Standard American variant, there's no realistic way to force my partner to respond. I opened 1H and was left to play it there. Here's the complete deal:

North

 K J 10 6 4

 9 8

 4 3

 J 8 6 5

West

 Q 9 7

 10 3 2

 A 10 9 6

 K 10 4

East

 8 3 2

 6 4

 K J 7 5 2

 A 2 3

South

 A 5

 A K Q J 7 5

 Q 8

 Q 9 7

Perfect defense would have scored four minor tricks off the top, but their communication faltered. With that luck and the successful spade finesse, I made four overtricks: a total of 5H, if only we had bid it.

What's to be done with hands like these? Leave them alone, because on the whole they are settable? Or push harder to get good results when good results are possible?