Aces on Bridge
DEAR MR. WOLFF: In third seat, I held SPADES 9-7-4, HEARTS J-6-2, DIAMONDS Q-8-3-2, CLUBS A-J-9. I heard one club from my partner and a double on my right. Would you respond one diamond, one notrump or something else (like passing and backing in or even raising clubs)?
— Lincoln Green
ANSWER: My choice is to bid one no-trump, suggesting a balanced 7-10 — you should pass here with less than a good 7 high-card points. The logic is that there is little reason to bid with subminimum misfits. I prefer the oneno-trump response to a one-diamond call because it makes it harder for the opponents to come in, and you also let partner know your values and possible club fit if he wants to compete further.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I held SPADES A-8-7-3, HEARTS J-4, DIAMONDS Q-J-7-3-2, CLUBS 10-3 and responded one spade to one club. My partner then showed reversing values with a call of two diamonds. What would you do now?
— Mad Monk
ANSWER: A raise to three diamonds should be forcing (as should a call of three clubs, incidentally). However, if you play that way, your partnership should have the agreement that either two no-trump or two hearts in this sequence (using the cheaper of fourth suit and two no-trump as a negative) lets you out short of game. This is an application of the Lebensohl convention. DEAR MR. WOLFF: You recently showed a hand where the opening bid of one diamond was made with SPADES K-J, HEARTS K-9-2, DIAMONDS A-10-74-3, CLUBS 8-7-3. What are the merits and drawbacks of that action? Would you do that yourself?
— Beverly’s Sister
ANSWER: In general, 5-3-3-2 11-counts are not upgraded to an opening bid unless you have extra shape or great intermediates. You might open, for example, a 4-2-5-2 11-count, but you would open our example hand for tactical reasons only, not because it is “worth” an opening bid when playing standard methods. Again, though, a six-card suit is worth at least an extra point.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: How high should you go in support of spades with SPADES A-7-6-3, HEARTS K-Q-4-3-2, DIAMONDS J-4-3, CLUBS 8 when you respond one heart to one club and hear your partner rebid one spade? I can imagine raising to two, three or even four spades.
— On my Uppers
ANSWER: You could not criticize a call of three spades, which is really the value bid. However, depending on the form of scoring, one could make a case for a bid of four spades, since your partner’s club holding will be critical if he has a minimum hand. He might make game if he has no club wastage, or be down in top tricks in three spades.