Aces on Bridge
Dear Mr. Wolff: I don’t ever seem to have a hand where I want to play a part-score in the minor facing a no-trump opening bid. So, would it make sense to play transfers into a minor suit as at least invitational? — Humble Pie, Willoughby, Ohio ANSWER: My experience and yours do not mesh. With a weak hand and a long suit, you really should play the minor suit, I believe. As an aside, I can understand using a two-spade response to one no-trump as a balanced range ask or a hand with one minor and invitational values, so that transfers to a minor are either weak or strong (and Stayman now guarantees a major). But that would require detailed discussion.
Dear Mr. Wolff: What should you do when holding ♠ 5-2, ♥ K-10-4-3, ♦ J-9, ♥ A-Q-7-6-2 if you heard your partner open one diamond and the next hand overcall one heart? Is this hand really a two-club call, or would you elect to play for penalty? — Apple Pie Order, Beaverton, Oregon ANSWER: If you gave me just one guess, I would say it was right to bid one no-trump, but to compete in clubs if the opponents bid spades. The attraction of bidding one no-trump is that you allow your partner to act again if he has either extras in shape or values.
Dear Mr. Wolff: What, if any, are some simple rules that will help me master the general principles of the percentages? — Number Crunchers Anonymous, Union City, Tennessee ANSWER: An even number of cards are less likely to break than to divide evenly (with the exception of the 1-1 break). The more cards missing, the closer to one-third is the likelihood of an even break. An odd number of cards will usually break as evenly as possible — and the more cards that are out, the closer to two-thirds is the likelihood of that break. In those instances, the nextmost even break comes in at about a 1 in 5 chance.
Dear Mr. Wolff: My experienced partner threw me a curve, and I dropped the ball. How would you cope with ♠ J-7-4-2, ♥ A-2, ♦ K-6, ♣ K-J-9-5-2 after opening one club and hearing one spade on your left, then three spades from your partner? — Scoring Table, Bremerton, Washington ANSWER: A jump cuebid here should have a very precise meaning. It is a raise in clubs with a singleton spade — in other words, a splinter raise. Your hand is not suitable for no-trump, but it is very suitable for clubs (imagine partner with the heart and diamond controls, plus five clubs to the ace). Cue-bid four diamonds now — don’t even think of bidding three no-trump or closing out the auction at five clubs.
Dear Mr. Wolff: How would you respond to a two-diamond opening if you held ♠ Q-J-7, ♥ K-9-3, ♦ A-7-4-2, ♣ Q-10-4? How would you rate passing, raising or inquiring with two no-trump? — Blunderbuss, Atlanta, Georgia ANSWER: I don’t think my side can make game here, but I have enough values to expect the opponents not to make game anywhere, either. The choice is to raise to three diamonds at once (maybe that will draw my opponents in) or to pass and bid up to three diamonds, if necessary. Either approach makes sense — I think I favor the latter, but it is close.