ACES ON BRIDGE

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Why does the IMP table exist in team games? Would it not be simpler just to use total points? — Midshipman Easy, Monterey, Calif.

DEAR READER: It would be simpler, but not necessarily fairer. The point is that one giant swing (a grand slam, for example, on finding a queen) is nearly equivalent to four game swings at the same vulnerability in total points. The idea of the IMP table is to equalize out the big swings with the medium and smaller swings. It is relatively easy to get the hang of.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: I

held ; Q-9-8-4, k A-3, l K-10-6-3, ' Q-8-6 and elected to open one diamond in third seat. When my partner responded one heart, I did not think I could pass, so I bid one spade. The next thing I knew, I was in four spades doubled, and went down 500. My partner said he thought I must have had a good opener or I would have passed at my second turn. Do you agree? — Two in the Glue, Wilmington, N.C.

DEAR READER: I do not agree. Your second call shows shape, not necessarily high cards. You can bypass a weak spade suit with a 4-4 pattern if you want, but I agree with your actions here. Your partner was simply guilty of wishful thinking.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: At teams, my partner opened one diamond, and my RHO overcalled one spade. I held ace-queen-fourth of spades, a doubleton heart, queen-third of diamonds and king-queenfourth of clubs. What do I bid — do I blast three no-trump directly or start by bidding two clubs? If the latter, what should I do over a two-diamond rebid from my partner?

— Modern Millie, East Stroudsburg , Pa. DEAR READER: I think your two-club call is best, since a jump to three notrump may lead to playing game off the whole heart suit. This problem is not resolved at your second turn, so I might cuebid two spades now, planning to raise diamonds or bid no-trump as appropriate. The two spade call initially asks, not tells.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: I was in third seat, holding ; A-K-8-6, k J-9-4, l Q-10-7, ' K-9-2, and heard my partner open two hearts in first seat vulnerable. How close is this to inviting to game? I passed and found my partner with six solid hearts, so three notrump had decent play, while four hearts was poor. — Stick-in-the-Mud,

Augusta, Ga. DEAR READER: Your caution was reasonable, since your balanced hand pattern made the prospects for game relatively limited. Make the club two the diamond two, and I would try for game, since the prospect of a club ruff in your hand or the possibility of establishing a diamond has improved your hand significantly.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Say you hold ; Q-4-2, k A-2, l A-J-9-3, ' Q-4-3-2. I assume you would open one diamond. If so, you hear partner bid one spade; what should you do next? Is two clubs acceptable? And what if your LHO had overcalled one heart and partner had bid one spade — only guaranteeing four spades? — Raised to the Ground,

Bristol, Va. DEAR READER: In both cases, a call of one no-trump defines the basic nature of the hand — a minimum balanced opening bid, without four spades. I would raise the response of one spade if it were known to be five (as it would do if your negative double showed four spades), but I would, if possible, avoid rebidding two clubs, which almost guarantees nine cards in the minors.