ACES ON BRIDGE

DEAR MR. WOLFF: In a club duplicate, with both sides non-vulnerable, you hold ♠ A-K-4, ♥ K-5, ♦ J-8-2,

♣ A-K-10-7-4. You open one club in second seat, and your left-hand opponent bids three diamonds, passed back to you. What do you bid?

— Put to It, Duluth, Minn. DEAR READER: While passing might work, I’m inclined to bid — since surely our side has more than half the deck! Do I gamble with a bid of three no-trump, or double and hope something good happens? I’ll try the former, assuming that my left-hand opponent is relatively unlikely to have solid diamonds for his pre-emptive call, but I wouldn’t want to wager much cash on my decision.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: After a pre-empt of three diamonds to your left and a double from partner, what do you bid with ♠ 10-4, ♥ KJ-9-7, ♦ Q-9, ♣ Q-J-9-8-2 when your right-hand opponent passes? What action do you take if your right-hand opponent raises to four diamonds? Would doubling be appropriate?

— Howard the Stuck,

Fayetteville, N.C. DEAR READER: I’d bid four hearts if my righthand opponent passed, but I would double four diamonds, initially takeout for the majors. A fourheart call would also be possible, of course, but if you are facing a doubleton diamond or longer, maybe you will get richer defending — or defending will be your only way to go plus. You can convert a four-spade response to five clubs, perhaps suggesting this pattern.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: When you have a balanced hand in the 15-17 range with a five-card major suit, when should you open the suit and when should you open one no-trump? Does any factor such as position or quality of the suit affect the decision?

— On the Horns, Anchorage, Alaska DEAR READER: It is simplest to upgrade any 17-count with a five-card major, unless the suit has no top honor or some significant devaluing factor, such as a doubleton double-honor. With 16, always open one no-trump unless your honor structure is really skewed. With a strong five-card major in an average 15-count, you should consider opening the suit.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: My partner wants me to hold opening values to overcall when we are vulnerable. I agree with this when overcalling at the two-level, but not at the one-level, as it seems to me that too many opportunities would be lost. Should there also be a minimum suit quality requirement for a one-level action?

— Barney Bridge, Greenwich, Conn. DEAR READER: Overcalls should focus primarily on offensive strength; hence, at the two-level, we require both tricks and a long suit. Conversely, at the one-level, there is virtually no 9-count with a good five-carder that I wouldn’t overcall with facing a passed hand. Additionally, the more space a one-level overcall consumes, the more latitude you have to intervene.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: My wife and I used to play a lot of bridge before I had to earn a living and raise a family. Now that we are empty-nesters, can you recommend a book or two to get us back into the swing of modern bidding?

— Back to It, Midland, Mich. DEAR READER: Eric Rodwell and Audrey Grant’s book on two-over-one might be set at the right level. 25 Bridge Conventions by Seagram and Smith could also be helpful. For a more entertaining read, you cannot beat Eddie Kantar, and Mike Lawrence is always educational and informative.