Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
ACES ON BRIDGE
DEAR MR. WOLFF:
I understand that opener’s jump shift at his second turn is forcing to game. Is there a way for responder to hit the brakes after this start to a sequence?
— Trapper John, Atlantic City, N.J. DEAR READER: Some people use the same basic idea that they employ over a reverse, a call that is forcing for one round but not to game. They play that responder’s only weak action is the cheaper of fourth suit and two no-trump. So after opener opens one club and jumps to two spades over a one-diamond response, responder’s two no-trump call is artificial and weak. Over opener’s jump to two hearts, a call of two spades would similarly be weak.
DEAR MR. WOLFF:
In a recent column, you described dealing and picking up a hand of ; K-J-9-8-3, k A-9, l J-6, ♣ Q-7-4-2. Passing worked well with this hand, but I must admit I would have opened the bidding with one spade. What are the precise criteria for bidding or passing here?
— Fishhooks, Miami DEAR READER: This hand is a marginal opening bid. While opening would not be out of line, the possibly awkward rebid over a response of two diamonds or two hearts argues against bidding. With a side suit of hearts or even possibly diamonds, the rebid problem looks less awkward. Non-vulnerable at pairs, I might open, but I would surely pass if vulnerable.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: Please discuss how modern experts use a jump to five no-trump these days. Has the grand slam force gone the way of the landline telephone?
— Old-fashioned, Newport News, Va. DEAR READER: The use of Key-card Blackwood among many experts has led many top players to use the call of five no-trump as a maneuver to try to find the right strain, a “choiceof-slam” request. This helps the partnership identify strong or long suits when there is some ambiguity about the best fit.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: Is there a role for asking bids, as opposed to cue-bids, these days?
— Filet Mignon,
Washington DEAR READER: Asking bids fit well into a strong club base, but (with the exception of some Danish experts) top players tend to use a cue-bidding style instead. The closest thing to asking bids in common usage might be fourth-suit calls to look for a stopper, not a control.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: When you play two-overone and a semi-forcing no-trump with ; A-K-7-3, k K-J-4-3-2, l Q-6-4, ♣ 9, you would open one heart, I assume. But if you hear a one-no-trump response, do you pass or rebid two diamonds, two hearts or two spades? — Blinky Bill,
Selma, Ala. DEAR READER: Clearly, a two-spade rebid is out; that shows at least an ace more than your current hand. Rebidding two hearts with a weak suit is unattractive, so the choice is to pass (which I would do if the diamond four were the club four) or bid two diamonds, which suggests but does not guarantee four. I prefer to bid two diamonds, but on the actual hand I’d be more likely to pass if my partner were a passed hand, since I won’t be facing a limit raise in hearts. And since a response of two clubs would be artificial (Drury), that means he is more likely to have length in clubs than in any other suit.