ACES ON BRIDGE

DEAR MR. WOLFF: What are the respective rights of the home and away teams in an online match? — By the Book, Dodge City, Kan.

DEAR READER: It depends on the competition you are playing in, but, in general, the away team submits their lineup to the home team, who can then decide which pair plays against which. The hosting duties, creating the match and submitting the result, often fall to the home side.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: How thorough should I be when explaining our system to the opponents online? — Surfing the Net, Albuquerque, N.M.

DEAR READER: Your opponents are entitled to a full explanation of your bids when they come up. You should also strive to give them a general overview of your system before play starts. You could create an online convention card and attach it to your partnership, which will automatically be available to your opponents when playing on BridgeBaseOnline, or you can just write a few lines in the chat box at the start of the match. Something like: “2/1, strong no-trump, weak twos” plus a summary of carding would do nicely.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: I have heard talk of an “Ekren” convention. What is it, and would you recommend it? — Major Preemption, Casper, Wyo.

DEAR READER: Ekren enthusiasts use a two-diamond or two-heart opening to show a weak hand with length in both majors. The minimum requirement in terms of suit length may differ according to position and vulnerability — and how brave they are! I am not sure I buy into the need for this. If playing Flannery (my preferred method, though I am shy about announcing it), there is not enough room to do both.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Say you pick up ♠ —-, ♥ A-10-9-2, ♦ 7-2, ♣ K-10-9-74-3-2 at love all. You hear partner open one spade and your right-hand opponent overcall one no-trump. What would you do? — Bid One More, Bristol, Va.

DEAR READER: I would bid two clubs, natural and non-forcing (for now). We are unlikely to make a game when I have a void in partner’s suit. If the opponents compete to two diamonds, I will come again with two hearts, which must show a great deal of distribution as I did not double one no-trump for penalties. If two clubs is used conventionally here, you could bid three clubs as natural, extra shape, limited to 9 high-card points.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: I picked up ♠ —-, ♥ A-Q8-7-4, ♦ A-9-8-7-3-2, ♣ A-J. My right-hand opponent opened one spade in third chair, and I cue-bid two spades, showing hearts and a minor. Partner inquired with two no-trump, showing some values. (Three of a minor would be pass-or-correct.) What would you do now? — Michaels Monster, Albany, Ga.

DEAR READER: I have to do more than three diamonds, for we surely have a game, maybe more. I could jump to four diamonds to show a good hand with 6-5 shape, but that would take us past three no-trump. Still, this seems to be worth the risk to me. With such great controls and a spade void, I feel obligated to try for slam.