ACES ON BRIDGE
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I recently held ♠ 4-3, ♥ —-, ♦ K-J-10-9-7-6, ♣ A-5-4-3-2 at love all. My partner opened one club, and my right-hand opponent overcalled one heart. What would be your plan of campaign?
— Big Fit, Calgary, Alberta
DEAR READER: A direct club raise does not appeal, even via a three-heart splinter. That would not get the long diamonds across. Start with two diamonds, intending to bid five clubs later on. This should be a heavily competitive deal, so clue partner in. For the record, some play an immediate jump to three diamonds as a fit jump, promising real club support.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: Would you make a weak jump overcall of three clubs over a one-diamond opening, holding ♠ K-5-4, ♥ 3-2, ♦ 7-5, ♣ K-J-9-5-4-3 at favorable vulnerability?
— Running Interference, Dover, Del.
DEAR READER: I would indeed bid three clubs, hoping to get in the opponents’ way. I would, of course, prefer to have more shape or a seventh club, but the primary suit is fair, and I have relatively little defense, so the risk seems worthwhile. I would never bid this way vulnerable; I want my partner to expect more from me.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I have heard some of my Polish bridge friends talking about the Polish Club. What is it?
— Floor Polish, Monterey, Calif.
DEAR READER: The Polish one-club opening has multiple meanings. It includes nebulous strong hands, weak no-trumps, and sometimes minimum hands with clubs. Responder has a negative diamond response, all other calls showing values but not necessarily enough to invite game. These methods have something in common with a strong club base and obviously work well for the Poles, but any methods that require complex agreements do have a significant memory factor. To each his own.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: What methods would you recommend after the two-notrump inquiry over a weak two?
— Ode to Ogust, Duluth, Minn.
DEAR READER: Most partnerships repeat their suit to show a minimum; otherwise, they bid a high-card feature at the three-level with a maximum, or three no-trump with a very good suit. Others use Ogust: Three clubs shows a minimum with a bad suit, three diamonds a minimum with a good suit. Three hearts denotes a maximum with a bad suit, and three spades a maximum with a good suit. I would certainly recommend the former method after a weak two diamonds, when it is more important to identify stoppers for three no-trump.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I have noticed that stop cards are no longer in use. Should we say ‘stop’ or ‘skip bid’ before jumping, then?
— Trampoline, Honolulu, Hawaii
DEAR READER: No, you should not do anything. Saying anything would bring back the old problem of some players potentially conveying information with their tone of voice. Bear in mind that the stop card still exists in other countries, though.
If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, email him at
bobbywolff@mindspring.com