ACES ON BRIDGE

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Say you open one diamond, the next hand overcalls in a suit and partner makes a negative double. Do you need a stopper in the opponents’ suit to rebid one no-trump?

— Stop the Bus,

Pueblo, Colo. DEAR READER: It is better to show your hand type if you can. With a balanced hand but no major to show, you may be forced to rebid one no-trump. There are rare occasions when you might choose to bid a threecard major at the one-level. After the no-trump rebid, your partner can check back for a stopper at his second turn by cue-bidding the opponents’ suit. To emphasize: Don’t play New Minor Forcing here as responder at your second turn; cue-bid instead.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Partner opens one diamond, and you hold: ♠ K-9-5, ♥ K-9-7, ♦ J-8-7-4, ♣ K-J-4. How would you respond, playing two diamonds as a forcing raise?

— Inverted Minors,

Levittown, Pa. DEAR READER: I would stretch to two diamonds, even though your hand should be invitational-plus facing a weak no-trump and I do not believe this 4-3-3-3 hand with scattered honors and no 10s really qualifies. A call of one no-trump will miss the occasional game, but it may avoid getting to the two-level and going minus there.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: You hold: ♠ Q , ♥ K-Q-J-10-8, ♦ K-2, ♣ Q-10-8-4-3 at favorable vulnerability, and hear your left-hand opponent’s one-spade opening raised to two. What call would you make?

— Two Suits, Bellevue, Wash. DEAR READER: Even if two no-trump showed any two-suiter here, I would not bid it. The discrepancy in suit quality is too great, and our side might miss hearts, as partner is supposed to bid his longer minor first. Furthermore, if the next hand is about to bid four spades, I want partner to lead a heart. It is a simple three-heart overcall for me.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: I had this hand recently, all vulnerable: ♠ A-Q-8-7-3, ♥ J-9, ♦ K-9-3-2, ♣ 9-3. I responded one spade to partner’s one-diamond opening, and my left-hand opponent overcalled two clubs. Partner issued a support double. I bid two spades and played there, missing an easy game. Should I have done more?

— Double Fit, Texarkana, Texas DEAR READER: I would be torn between an invitational three spades and a four-spade call. Upgrade the double fit in the pointed suits plus the fact that all my high cards are in our long suits. If partner’s support double was not mandatory, suggesting he does not have a complete minimum, I would bid game. If he had to double anytime he had three spades, I would invite game.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: Some of my opponents ask for undos in online games even when they are not permitted. Should I accept?

— Bending the Rules,

Duluth, Minn. DEAR READER: I think you are at liberty to accept these requests if an opponent has made an obvious misclick, perhaps leading an unsupported honor or discarding an ace, but you should not feel compelled to. More subtle misclicks should probably stand.

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