Aces on Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding

♠ A-J-9-7-5, ♥ 9-6-2,

♦ Q-9-5-2, ♣ 2, I bid one spade (showing five) after partner had opened one club and my right-hand opponent had intervened with one heart. When my partner rebid one no-trump, I passed and he went down. Two spades would have made. Should I have bid it?

— No Guarantees, Houston, Texas

Answer: Your partner often would have raised spades with three trumps, so you are likely to have at best a 5-2 fit. That would be attractive here, but your three small hearts would be a turn-off for declaring a suit contract. For example, if your left-hand opponent had a singleton heart, the defense might score a couple of ruffs. Add to the pot that partner could have a singleton spade for his rebid and that you want him to declare here and passing is surely sensible.

Dear Mr. Wolff: What is the optimal way to play the suit of queen-jack-eight-low facing ace-nine-low, needing three tricks?

— Odds Play, Boise, Idaho

Answer: The cold percentages say that starting with a low one toward the queen-jack is best. If that loses to the king, play the ace and jack next. This is slightly better than starting with the queen as that fails against a singleton king offside. The recommended line picks off the singleton king in either hand.

Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner wants to play suit-preference signals in all sorts of situations. Would you recommend this approach?

— Select Signals, Newport News, Virginia

Answer: I think it is important to specify all of the scenarios where suit preference applies. It is a useful method and technically most of us probably do not employ it as often as we should. However, I would not start applying it in undiscussed positions. In order for the signal to be useful, both defenders must be on the same page.

Dear Mr. Wolff: What would you do with ♠ J-9-7-6-4-32, ♥ Q, ♦ K-4-2, ♣ 7-3, once partner has passed and the next hand has opened one diamond? You are at favorable vulnerability.

— License to Thrill, Olympia, Washington

Answer: Partner has passed, so it is the opponents' hand, which means I can go to extreme lengths to interrupt their auction. I would overcall three spades, taking advantage of the prevailing colors. It is tough for anyone to bid accurately when the bidding reaches such a high level so quickly.

Dear Mr. Wolff: In first seat, vulnerable versus not, what is the expert style these days with ♠ Q-5,

♥ Q-J-6-5-3-2, ♦ J-7-4,

♣ K-9? If you would open in first seat, how about second seat? I know people are getting friskier, but this seems a step too far. Even so, I was told expert standards have relaxed here.

— Comet Relief, Boise, Idaho

Answer: This is definitely not a vulnerable weak two, but it is a perfectly acceptable weak two with favorable vulnerability in first seat. It is a different story if we add the heart 10: not perfect when vulnerable, but acceptable. With so much stuff on the side and moderate values, it would be a decent gamble in first seat when non-vulnerable against non-vulnerable, but maybe I'd pass in second seat. 1 4 7

12 15

18 20 21 23

24 25

26 27 30 31 33 34 35 37 39 41 42 47 48

51 53 55

57 58 59 60

61 62 63 65 66 67 70 71 75 76 78 79 80

81 82 83 84 86 87

89 90 92 93 95 96 97 99