Aces on bridge
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I’m not sure what the standard expert treatment is when it comes to doubling minorsuit openers with balanced hands. Would you pass or double one club (or one diamond), holding SPADES Q-10-8, HEARTS A-9-8-3, DIAMONDS K-8-5, CLUBS K-10-3? What are the critical elements in your decision as to whether to act? Is there any difference of opinion among experts? — Herringbones
ANSWER: There is no consensus here about whether to double or not. Most people would double a minor at all forms of scoring, even vulnerable, facing a passed hand. Conversely, many would not double one spade, but would push the auction to the two-level. I and most Italians would double without hesitation.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I enjoy watching bridge; can you explain the rights and responsibilities of a kibitzer? If I want to watch online, where should I go? — Word to the Wise
ANSWER: If you consider that a kibitzer is present on sufferance and should say and do nothing, you won’t be too far wrong. You can volunteer to turn the dummy when that player leaves the table. If you want to watch online, go to Bridge Base Online at www. bridgebase.org, where you can watch real experts play.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: My partner opened one diamond, and the next hand overcalled two clubs. I held SPADES K-Q-7-3, HEARTS A-K-4-2, DIAMONDS 9-4-2, CLUBS 7-5. When I doubled, my partner bid two hearts. What would you do now? I chose to drive to four hearts, but this turned out to be a 4-3 fit and had no chance to succeed. — Cautionary Tale, Perth
ANSWER: Opener is often forced to choose between unpleasant options on this auction with, for example, a 3-3-4-3 hand and no club stopper. You shouldn’t play partner for that hand, but you might have made a cue-bid raise to three clubs — suggesting these values, since a simple raise would guarantee extras. Then you might give up over a threeheart call if you’re feeling pessimistic.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: Holding SPADES Q-3, HEARTS Q-3-2, DIAMONDS J-6-4-2, CLUBS A-Q-10-3, I heard my partner open one spade and responded with a forcing no-trump. When the opponents came in with two diamonds and my partner bid two hearts, I did not know whether he had four or five cards. My weak diamond suit discouraged me from bidding two notrump, but raising either hearts or spades also looked unattractive. — Curb your Enthusiasm
ANSWER: The free two-heart bid could be any hand (even a dead minimum) with 5-4 or better in the majors. On this sequence, some would play a double of two diamonds as takeout, in which case a bid of two hearts would suggest an unbalanced hand, unsuitable for that action — but it would still not promise five hearts. I’d bid two no-trump, relying on my partner to describe his hand further with extra shape.