ACES ON BRIDGE
DEAR MR. WOLFF: You hold K, A-Q-J-6-4, K-5-2, K-Q-8-4 at love all. You open one heart in second chair, and the next hand makes a weak jump overcall of two spades. Your partner raises to three hearts, and your right-hand opponent jumps to four spades. What do you do now?
— Big Fit, Macon, Georgia DEAR READER: I double. Partner’s single raise should be based on some defense. It is likely we are taking 300 from four spades, with five hearts a doubtful proposition. Partner could have only three-card support, in which case we certainly would not want to be playing at the five-level.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: You open one diamond with A-8-4-2, A-7-5, K-J6-5-3, 10 at favorable vulnerability. Your left-hand opponent overcalls two clubs, partner doubles for takeout, and your right-hand opponent raises to three clubs. What say you?
— Compete the Partscore,
Rockford, Ill. DEAR READER: With a singleton club and support for the outstanding suits, I feel I have to act. Although a three-spade call may lead to problems if partner’s double is based on diamonds and hearts, he should have been expecting such an action. The second choice is to double, planning to pass a three-diamond call, or correct three hearts to three spades —though I admit this ought to suggest extra values. In response to a double, I’d expect my partner to drive to game or produce a four-club cue-bid with extras.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: When playing online, should I tell the opponents if I have forgotten our methods? — Ethical Eagle,
Greenville, S.C. ANSWER: Yes, I think that is fair. This is where online bridge comes into its own. You could not correct yourself face-to-face without giving partner unauthorized information. Online (or behind screens), you can tell the opponents by correcting your previous alert or sending them a private message.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I recently had 9-8-7-2,
Q-6, K-J, Q-J-7-5-3, no one vulnerable. Partner opened one club, promising at least three cards, and the next player passed. How would you respond?
— Major First, Walnut Creek, Calif. ANSWER: I would bid one spade. It is important to get an unbid major into the game, especially the boss suit. Raising clubs can wait. With a much weaker hand, say without the redsuit honors, you might raise clubs to obstruct the opponents. Here, though, you have enough to expect to win the auction, and preemptive tactics would be more likely to harm your side than the opponents.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: How do you play a jump to a new suit by responder at his second turn after his partner’s one-no-trump rebid? — Checking Back,
New Smyrna, Fla. DEAR READER: I would play that as natural and forcing to game, showing 5-5 shape. With only 5-4 distribution, you can take a slower route, perhaps via a checkback bid. It is possible to play these sequences as invitational, though, by partnership agreement. Incidentally, some like to use a jump to three clubs as to play. My advice is: Don’t. Just pass one no-trump with those hands rather than trying to land on a pinhead.