ACES ON BRIDGE
DEAR MR. WOLFF: How much would you say this hand is worth: ; Q,k A-J-9-8, l K-7-3, ' A-K-9-5-2, after you open one club and partner responds one heart, vulnerable?
— Shape Raise, Dayton, Ohio
DEAR READER: I would content myself with three hearts, though OPINION if the spade queen were a working card, such as the heart jack or club jack, I would force to game with a splinter bid of three spades. I expect partner to have a little something for his vulnerable response, but if he passes three hearts, I don’t expect game to make. I suppose that if the heart jack were the queen, I might make the splinter raise. DEAR MR. WOLFF: I had ; Q-7-5, k J-4-3, l Q-9-5-3, ' A-8-7, and my right-hand opponent’s oneno-trump opening was raised to game. I led a diamond, conceding a trick and the contract. A spade lead would have eventually established two tricks and was the only winner. Would you have done better? — Major Malfunction, Columbia, S.C. DEAR READER:The auction does call for a major-suit lead, but it is far from clear to lead from a threecard holding. I would probably opt for my long suit too, even if I can see the case for a major suit, and a spade needs slightly less from partner than a heart does. Then again, a heart lead looks slightly safer to me.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I was told to stop moving my leg around at the table lately, since it was distracting one of my opponents. This is just my habitual movement while thinking. Must I make the conscious effort to stop? — Best Behavior, Springfield, Mass.
DEAR READER: You should not deliberately annoy your opponents at the table, but from the sound of it, I do not think that was the case here. Your opponent was being too picky. We are all only human, and unconscious movements tend to be out of one’s control — by definition.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: You hold ; A-K-6-5-3-2, k A-10-5,
l A-Q-7, ' 9 at love all. Your left-hand opponent opens one diamond, and your right-hand opponent responds one notrump. What say you? — Strong Double, Albuquerque, N.M.
DEAR READER: I think this hand is too strong for a two-spade overcall, so I would start with a takeout double, intending to bid two spades over partner’s advance. The matter would not be so clear if I had six hearts, since I would then have to force the bidding to the three-level after a two-spade response from partner, but I would still follow that route. DEAR MR. WOLFF: Should we play penalty doubles or takeout doubles after an auction such as: one club — double — redouble? — Breaking Tradition, Tucson, Ariz.
DEAR READER: It is standard to use penalty doubles in this situation, but there is an increasing trend to use double for takeout. In either case, opener’s pass is forcing up to a certain level (usually two of opener’s suit). The exception would be that after a third-in-hand opener and a redouble from opener’s partner, the opponents should be allowed to buy the contract undoubled at a low level. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, email him at bobbywolff@mindspring.com