Aces on Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff:

When should one call the director to bring attention to a bidding irregularity?

Answer: You can say “I reserve my rights” after the bidding and then call the director at the end of the hand if you wish. The situation is more complicated if screens are in use, but for the regular duplicate game, that won't be the case.

Dear Mr. Wolff: I opened one spade as dealer at game all, with ♠ A-K-8-65-2, ♥ 9-6, ♦ K-9,

♣ 9-6-2, and my partner forced to game with an ill-fitting 12-count. We played a hopeless game contract. Should I have bid differently?

— Light Opening, Bay City, Michigan

Answer: I would have bid one spade as well, with controls and a good sixcard suit, although some would consider this to be in range for a weak two. Another alternative is to pass, but I cannot bear to do that with a reasonable six-card major (and neither should you). Make the diamond king the queen, and throw in another jack somewhere and I'd vote the other way.

Dear Mr. Wolff: You hold ♠ K-9-3-2, ♥ A-8-7-4-3, ♦ 7-2, ♣ 9-5, vulnerable against not and hear partner open one club. The next player overcalls three diamonds. What are your choices now?

— Stay Fixed, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Answer: While I would double a two-diamond overcall for takeout, I cannot reasonably force our side to the three-level, given that we might not have a fit. What would partner do over a double without a major? Presumably bid three no-trump — and that would not be pretty. As long as I pass in reasonable tempo, I let partner reopen with shortage or extras. If he doubles, I will cue-bid four diamonds to show two places to play.

Dear Mr. Wolff: North opens one spade and East bids two spades. Please tell me what you expect East's hand to look like.

— Dionysus, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Answer: I'll give two answers. In rubber bridge, without agreement, a direct cue bid is typically a forcing one- or two-suited hand. I'd expect the partnership to be forced to game here. However, the standard tournament player uses Michaels cue bids, where a cue bid of a minor shows both majors but not necessarily a strong hand, 5-5 or better. A cue bid of a major opener shows the other major and one minor — also 5-5 but, again, not necessarily strong — though in each case one respects the vulnerability.

Dear Mr. Wolff: What sort of hand would you expect for responder on this sequence: one club - one spade - two clubs - two hearts?

— New Suit Forcing, Sunbury, Pennsylvania

Answer: Undiscussed, two hearts is just natural and forcing, usually showing a four-card suit. (It is dangerous to make up major suits on three cards since your partner might carry you to the four-level with four-card support.) It is not forcing to game, though. Some pairs play two diamonds here as an artificial game-force, in which case one could play two hearts as natural and invitational but nonforcing.