ACES ON BRIDGE
DEAR MR. WOLFF:
How do you play new-suit responses to a weak-two opening?
— Sir Bids-a-lot, Baltimore DEAR READER: The norm is for two-level advances to be natural and forcing, but not to game, while jumps to the level of three would be natural and game-forcing. If you want to raise opener’s suit, start with a forcing two-no-trump inquiry. New suits after that may be probes for no-trump or cue-bids.
DEAR MR. WOLFF:
Please tell me your secret for not aging. I have been following your column for years, and according to the photo, you never get any older!
— Frank, Madison, Wis.
DEAR READER: A good photographer and a few dollars to the right source not to update the photo! I wish I could say I felt as good as I did 20 years ago, but a happy marriage certainly helps.
DEAR MR. WOLFF:
What should I have to double, then bid a new suit? Is the call forcing?
— Still Waiting, Durango. Colo.
DEAR READER: Doubling and bidding a new suit shows more than the upper range for an overcall. With (say) ♠️ A-Q-6-5-2 and 16 points, I’d bid one spade over an opponent’s one-level opening. With a more powerful hand — ♠️ K-Q-J-6-5-2, 🖤 A-6, ♦️ A-K-J-10, ♣️ 3, I’d double, intending to bid two spades over partner’s forced response. This hand is much stronger than the previous one. Facing a free bid (a voluntary call when third hand has acted), a new suit is a oneround force.
DEAR MR. WOLFF:
What is the range for a oneno-trump overcall when both opponents have bid? Should you play it as something other than strong?
— Nit Picking, Sunbury, Pa.
DEAR READER: A notrump call in the sandwich position, after an auction like one diamond on your left, pass from partner, one heart on your right, is strong. It usually requires a bit more than a direct no-trump overcall because both opponents have enough to bid (although that does not mean much these days). I would say 16-18 or so. By a passed hand, it is 5-5 in the unbid suits.
DEAR MR. WOLFF:
I encountered this bidding problem recently: ♠️ 7, 🖤 Q-J10-9-8-3, ♦️ 10-7, ♣️ Q-6-4-2. At game all, my right-hand opponent opened one diamond. I passed, and the opponents had an uncontested sequence to a making six-spade contract. My partner suggested I should have overcalled two hearts. What do you think? — Cautious Cameron, Raleigh, N.C.
DEAR READER: Yes, I’d bid two hearts, or even three hearts at favorable vulnerability. The hand may be weak, but it has a high offense/defense ratio. It is unlikely you will be caught speeding, and partner won’t bid on without a fit. The goal of pre-emptive bidding is to get in your opponents’ way and consume space. I imagine it would have been much harder for your opponents to reach a slam if you had bid two hearts.
If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, email him at bobbywolff@mindspring.com