Aces on Bridge
DEAR MR. WOLFF: Our club has started a monthly teams-of-four game. The plan is to keep cumulative total scores throughout the year toward a final standings, with a two-tier playoff. (Four teams in each tier, since we have eight teams). Would you suggest BAM (pairs) scoring or teams scoring, and do you have any other thoughts on how to keep cumulative scoring from week to week?
— Keeping Track
ANSWER: I suggest one of two simple systems. Either BAM scoring, carrying forward your cumulative total from week to week, or use teams scoring, converting to IMPs, and carry the cumulative IMPs forward. In the latter case, if your players are happy with converting IMPs to victory points, that would actually work better, I believe.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: At unfavorable vulnerability as dealer, I held SPADES K-Q-10-6-42, HEARTS Q-3, DIAMONDS J-3-2, CLUBS K-9. I elected to forgo opening one spade and instead opened two spades. My partner held a balanced 11-count, and we played two spades, making three. But my partner felt I should have opened one spade. What do you say?
— Undercooked
ANSWER: My rule when looking at 10- or 11-counts is to add 2 for a six-card suit, and 1 for a subsidiary four-card suit. If the total doesn’t come to 13, then I open two, but even if the total is 13 or more, I will open two if I do not have a trick-and-a-half on defense. This hand is on the cusp, but I would be happy to open at the one-level in any seat except second seat vulnerable.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: In one of your columns, South overcalled three spades over three clubs. His partner bid four clubs even though he had neither the ace nor king of clubs nor short clubs. Could you explain why he made that call?
— Making Assumptions
ANSWER: Facing the threespade overcall, the fourclub call simply sets spades as trump and guarantees at least some slam interest. Now overcaller can sign off, use key-card or cue-bid himself. This is parallel to the way that, after a simple overcall, advancer can raise with a limited hand and use a cuebid, the so-called “Unassuming Cue-bid,” to show partner you have game interest and fit, without getting too high.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: Please comment on when and why you would consider upgrading and downgrading hands out of a one-no-trump opening? Is it about intermediates, sources of tricks, or a combination?
— Crunching the Numbers
ANSWER: A simple rule is one should not upgrade a 14-count without a five-card suit, and only sparingly then. Occasionally, great intermediates, coupled with vulnerable doubleton honors such as queen-doubleton and king-doubleton, mean you may want to try to right-side no-trump. Few players downgrade 18-counts into one notrump and 15-counts out of one no-trump. They should do so more often!