ACES ON BRIDGE

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Holding Q-9-7, 3-2, A-J-8-7-2, K-7-4, I heard a call of one diamond on my right. I passed this to my partner, who doubled. I passed again for penalty; now my left-hand opponent redoubled for rescue, and his partner ran to one heart. Would a pass by me now be forcing? What would you have done? — Pony Up, Boise, Idaho

DEAR READER: Pass should not be forcing — your side might easily not have more than half the deck here. You’d expect your partner to double with four trumps and an opening bid, but if he doesn’t, will he bid a suit? I don’t think so, unless he has extras — though he might rebid one no-trump, assuming that you must have a few values. DEAR MR. WOLFF: What criteria do you use when opening a weak two? If your hand is: Q-3-2, Q-5-3, K-10-6-4-3-2, 2, what vulnerability and position might make you uncomfortable about opening? — Rusty Nail, Jackson, Miss.

DEAR READER: I would never open this hand in fourth seat. In first or second seat vulnerable, I’d be put off by the suitability for either major and the weak diamond spots. I would always open it in third seat; in first seat non-vulnerable, I’d allow my better instincts to be overruled and would pre-empt. But I wouldn’t be proud of myself. DEAR MR. WOLFF: Recently, I held Q-8-7-4,

9-5, A-9-3-2, A-3-2, and responded one spade to my partner’s opening bid of one heart. My partner raised to two spades, and now I thought once we had found a fit, my hand had some suitability for game. How much more would I need to bid on?

— Trying Hard, Corpus Christi, Texas

DEAR READER: Your aces are working overtime, but your weak spot cards persuade me that trying for game is too aggressive — particularly because a raise to two spades on three cards would not be a great surprise. Make one of your small diamonds or clubs into a trump, and now you are full value for the raise. (Indeed, I might take a shot at four!) DEAR MR. WOLFF: When should honors be announced? Someone told me I should declare honors before playing the hand, but this seems to give the opponents too much information. So when is the best moment?

— Adding Up, Edmonton, Alberta

DEAR READER: Honors do not have to be claimed at the start of play. It is better to claim them when leading the last card in your sequence or when drawing the last trump. If you neglect the claim, you have until the score for the rubber is finalized to claim honors — but the longer you leave it, the harder it may be to convince your opponents. DEAR MR. WOLFF: Holding K-10-7-4, Q-3, 7-2, A-K-10-7-4, I responded one spade to partner’s one heart. Over her two-heart rebid, I simply bid the heart game. But three no-trump would have been easy facing my partner’s diamond holding of K-Q-10, while four hearts went down when a finesse lost. Was I just unlucky? My partner thinks I should have bid two clubs first and not shown my spades.

— Order and Method, New Orleans

DEAR READER: If you agree that this hand is worth a force to game, it makes sense to respond in your longest suit. Bid clubs, then introduce your spades, the latter delivering a four-card suit most, if not all, of the time. The spade call does not say anything about extras beyond your initial statement of game-forcing values, but lets you support hearts later and help your partner decide on the best game.

If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, email him at

bobbywolff@mindspring.com