ACES ON BRIDGE

DEAR MR. WOLFF: I’m trying to start a new partnership. What do you think is the best way to practice constructive bidding?

— Puzzle Box, Vancouver, British Columbia

DEAR READER: If you are a member of the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL), they have a set of hands to bid every month, as does The Bridge World. The website Bridge Base Online (www.bridgebase.com) also allows you to practice partnership bidding.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Some of my friends play a “double negative” two-heart response to a strong opening of two clubs. Is this worth adopting, and if so, how should one play the two-diamond response in that context?

— Aceless, Little Rock, Ark. DEAR READER: The main advantage of this method is that a waiting response of two diamonds shows some values, so if opener has a little more than he normally would for his opening bid, he can go searching for a slam. The problem is that the two-heart response takes up an extra bid, leaving the partnership with even less room in what is already a cramped auction. I would stick with a catch-all response of two diamonds.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: You pick up ♠ A-4, ♥ J-8-4-3-2, ♦ Q-J-9-3-2, ♣ 9, vulnerable against not, and hear partner open one club. The next hand overcalls two spades. I will force you to make a negative double. What do you do after partner rebids three clubs?

— Fixed, Mitchell, S.D.

DEAR READER: In my style, this rebid shows a sixcard suit most of the time. I would tend to rebid two no-trump with a semi-balanced or balanced minimum regardless of whether I had a full or half spade stopper, to show my hand type. So, I would pass three clubs. There is no guarantee we have a better spot, and bidding further might attract the red card.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: I opened a weak two hearts with ♠ J, ♥ A-K-9-8-6-5, ♦ 10-8-2, ♣ 10-7-4, at game all, and heard the hand on my left double. My partner passed, and my right-hand opponent bid three clubs, showing some values. My left-hand opponent converted to three diamonds, and then my RHO bid three no-trump, which my partner unexpectedly doubled. What would you lead?

— Mix Up, Sunbury, Pa.

DEAR READER: I do not believe my LHO has a hand that was too powerful to overcall three diamonds initially. I have a fair hand, and declarer has shown values too, so that would not leave partner with enough for his double. More likely, LHO has diamonds and spades and was trying to improve the part-score. In that case, partner is probably doubling on power. He surely has at least five spades, so I would lead my spade.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: What should my bids mean when my left-hand opponent opens one heart and his partner responds two no-trump, Jacoby?

— Boss Suit, West Palm Beach, Fla.

DEAR READER: Calls of three clubs or three diamonds are natural and could just be for the lead, while a threeheart cue bid is Michaels. If the opponents had bid and raised spades, I would play double as takeout, but one could play that a double on this specific auction might show exactly five spades. That would require partnership agreement, but it is not an absurd idea.