ACES ON BRIDGE
DEAR MR. WOLFF: When would you open a weak two in fourth seat? I can understand that you would pass most hands with 8 points. What would you open, if anything, in fourth seat with ; J-10-7-3, k A-K-10-9-3-2, l —-, ' Q-103? My view is that it should be a better hand than one in which you would open one heart and rebid two hearts. — Sally Fourth, Elkhart, Ind.
DEAR READER: My two-bids in fourth chair start at 9 points. A two-spade opening with ace-king-jacksixth and an additional minor honor is probably a dead minimum. Your example looks like a two-heart opener. We might belong in spades, but I’d be willing to take my chances on that. DEAR MR. WOLFF: I know Lebensohl applies as a way to compete when the opponents overcall over a strong no-trump. Are there other applications of this convention that we should be playing?
— Handy Man, Pottsville, Pa.
DEAR READER: Yes, indeed! Once you have bought into the concept, use it after reverses or when responding to the takeout double of a weak two. It can also be employed when partner opens, then balances with a double of a two-level overcall or jump overcall. Finally, you can (with some caution) use it after partner doubles a one-level opener and the opponents raise that suit. See Extended Lebensohl and Blackout at acblunit390.org/Simon/Extended%20Lebensohl.htm.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I am returning to bridge after an extended hiatus. I suspect my methods 30 years ago (1618 no-trump and four-card majors) are now out of date. What approach is standard these days?
— Long Gone, Memphis, Tenn. DEAR READER: I believe almost everywhere in the world new players are taught five-card majors, and to open 12-counts rather than waiting for 13-point hands. In turn, that fits best with 15-17 for the no-trump range. I’d recommend learning from the ACBL free teaching tool at acbl.org/learn_page/learnto-play-bridge-software.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: What happens when a tournament director gives a decision at the table that appears to you to be wrong or unfair? Is there a right of appeal, or is a director’s ruling final?
— Last Call, Charlottesville, Va. DEAR READER: I believe there is always a right of appeal against a director ruling, except where that ruling is a matter of law rather than interpretation. For example, you cannot appeal a penalty for a revoke, no matter how unfair or inequitable you think it is. But you should chat to your club director (or an impartial expert) before doing anything dramatic.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: How should our partnership play the range of a jump in partner’s opened minor? We play a strong no-trump, and specifically I wonder when, if at all, we should consider moving on to three no-trump facing the jump raise. — Razor’s Edge,
Tupelo, Miss. DEAR READER: I’m going to hedge a bit. I suggest that if you have a normal balanced 18-19, you do not head for three no-trump facing a non-vulnerable pre-emptive raise. In other words, the raise typically shows values of 0-5 high-card points with five or six cards in the suit raised. But facing a vulnerable raise (which tends toward showing slightly more than a purely pre-emptive raise), I would at least try for three no-trump, expecting partner to have closer to 4-8 highcard points.