Aces on Bridge
DEAR MR. WOLFF: How many extras does an overcaller need to double for takeout, then double again? One of our opponents followed this sequence with perfect 4-4-4-1 shape, but just three aces and a queen. His partner passed with queenjack-fourth of trump and a king, but couldn’t defeat our contract. Does the second double promise more cards than this, even if it is still for takeout?
— Reopen for Business
ANSWER: When a hand that has doubled for takeout bids again, it shows extras. The second double is still for takeout, though this one may come close to being played as optional, depending on the level of the action, say a double of a game contract. In such situations, sometimes responder passes from weakness, if balanced, and hopes for the best.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I enjoy your bridge column and tend to go along with most of your views on bridge. But recently, you featured an opening bid in third seat when holding SPADES Q-J-9-2, HEARTS A-9-2, DIAMONDS J-6-4, CLUBS K-3-2. I do not enjoy opening one club with this hand; I’d rather open one spade and plan to pass any nonforcing response. Where do you stand here?
— Trumpet Voluntary
ANSWER: I agree with you that a one-club opening bid does not accomplish much. Passing is perfectly reasonable, and when I do open a minor in third seat, I tend to have either a good suit or a reasonable hand. This hand does not qualify as either. A one-spade opener is more pre-emptive and leaddirecting, so that would be my choice.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: You recently discussed the Principle of Restricted Choice. Please explain how the concept works and when it applies.
— Monkey Wrench
ANSWER: Occam’s Razor says when you have to weigh two outcomes, go for the simplest. So, when you have to compare the chance that a player has a doubleton consisting of two equal cards or that they started with a bare honor, the latter is more likely. The doubleton is more likely than each individual singleton, but the chance that the queen will appear from the doubleton holding is only half that, because half the time the player would contribute the jack from queen-jack. See details of “The Monty Hall problem” online.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: You recently featured a deal where someone in second seat overcalled one heart over one diamond with a six-count, when holding SPADES 6-3, HEARTS Q-J10-8-4, DIAMONDS Q-J-92, CLUBS 6-3. I have seen this sort of action several times, and I wonder where you stand on it.
— Hot Drinks
ANSWER: I was just reporting the facts. This hand is not worth an overcall. If I had to put a point-count limit on one-level overcalls, it would be a decent suit in a hand of 8-9 points. In the example hand, I would happily overcall if one of the queens were an ace.