ACES ON BRIDGE

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Recently, I opened a strong no-trump, and my partner held ♠ A-9, ♥ A-10-8-4-2,

♦ 9-5, ♣ 10-7-3-2. He responded two diamonds as a transfer, and I dutifully answered two hearts. What should his next bid have been? Would your answer be different if he were a passed hand?

— Vantage Point,

Janesville, Wis. DEAR READER: At pairs, passing two hearts seems sensible enough, since you probably only want to be in game facing a maximum hand with a fit, in which case your partner might already have broken the transfer. If you bid on, a call of two no-trump may be best; you limit your hand nicely, at the cost of an overbid of no more than the heart nine. Some might use Stayman and then follow up with two no-trump to invite game.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: When my partner opened one heart in third seat, I had no idea what to do, holding ♠ K-J-9-7-2, ♥ A-J-2, ♦ Q-2, ♣ 9-7-3. Should I raise to three and risk that he has a weak opener, or underbid with a raise to two

— or even temporize with spades? Do you agree with the initial pass?

— Coming a Cropper,

San Antonio DEAR READER: Passing when vulnerable is fine. I might open one spade if I could pass a one-no-trump response. As a passed hand, I’d advocate that a regular partnership use Drury, a two-club response to a major-suit opening. It shows a maximum pass and three or more trumps. Opener can sign off with a minimum, bid game with a maximum or develop the hand naturally with a game- or slam-try. Failing that, I’d respond one spade, then jump to three hearts or make a fit-jump to two spades.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: When (if ever) would you lead a high as opposed to a low card from Q-J-3-2 or K-Q-3-2 after the opponents have reached three no-trump on a brief auction where this is an unbid suit? — Heavens to Betsy,

Portland, Ore. DEAR READER: This is only a personal view, but I tend to lead an honor from the queen-jack if my righthand opponent has shown a strong no-trump or better (and thus the other honors are likely to be on my right). The king-queen holding is more awkward, since you may turn two tricks into one; in that case, I’d lead an honor only if I felt it necessary to try to cash out. Add in as little as the nine, and an honor lead becomes more attractive.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Holding ♠ A-Q-J, ♥ 9-4-3, ♦ Q-7, ♣ Q-7-6-5-2, my lefthand opponent opened two hearts, which my partner doubled. When the next player passed, what would you advocate, and why?

— Crock Pot, Richmond, Va. DEAR READER: I referred in an earlier answer this month to the idea that an extension of the Lebensohl convention uses two no-trump as a puppet to three clubs to show a weak hand with a minor, while a call in either minor is natural and invitational. That being the case here, I’d bid three clubs and hope we didn’t miss game if partner passed.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Please explain to me what happens when you have a bidding box accident? When are you allowed to take back a bid made using bidding boxes, and when are you not permitted to do so?

— Klumsy Karp, Horn Lake, Miss. DEAR READER: Let’s say you open one notrump, and as your partner, I bid two hearts. If I meant to bid two diamonds as a transfer to hearts, I can change my bid; mechanical errors can be corrected with no penalties. If I meant to bid hearts, forgetting we were playing transfers, and only remembered later that we play transfers, then I may NOT change the bid. You may correct only a physical error, not a mental one.