Aces on Bridge
Dear Mr. Wolff: What is the normal range for a oneno-trump overcall in the balancing seat?
The Bodyguard, Janesville, Wisconsin
ANSWER: I’d advocate playing 11 to 14 over a minor-suit opening, and 11 to 16 after a major opening. The logic for the wide range is that there is less room to maneuver if you start with a double of a major on a balanced 15 or so. You may end up having to double, then bid two no-trump — not ideal. Be aware that a balancing two no-trump is best played as 18to 20after any suit opening, not the unusual no-trump.
Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner opened one diamond in second seat, and the next hand pre-empted to two hearts. If you have ♠ A-J-4, ♥ 9-7-5-2, ♦ Q-9-4, ♣ K-32, how can you show your values with no fit?
Ghost Rider, Saint John’s, Newfoundland
ANSWER: This is an impossible choice. Double shows spades, and a call in no-trump promises a stopper, so really you have to pass without a fit. Incidentally, that doesn’t mean the auction will get any easier if your partner doubles, but that is a problem for another day.
Dear Mr. Wolff: A lot of pairs are now playing a two-over-one response as forcing to game. Is that a method you’d recommend?
In a Force, Durham, North Carolina
ANSWER: Two-over-one is very popular nowadays. By setting up a force at once, you can describe your shape without having to worry about partner dropping you prematurely. In standard, after an auction like one spade - two diamonds two hearts, you would have to bid three clubs to set up a force, even with threecard spade support. Playing two-over-one, you can bid two spades here to show your support at an economical level.
Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner held ♠ 9-4, ♥ J-10-9-43, ♦ K-6-2, ♣ K-7-2 and responded one heart to my one-diamond opening. When I rebid one no-trump, he passed, arguing that he did not want to give the opponents a chance to get together in spades. This did not get us a great score when heart part-scores were making around the room. What went wrong?
Left to It, Jackson, Mississippi
ANSWER: In general, it is right to pull to two-of-amajor with these hands, since the long suit may take too long to establish in no-trump but can be used for ruffs in a suit contract. That being said, your partner was right to fear the opponents’ bidding spades. Additionally, some of the time when it was right to play in two hearts, you might have raised yourself at your second turn. I’d say you were unlucky.
Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner and I disagree on the meaning of three hearts after my partner opens one no-trump and my right-hand-opponent overcalls two hearts. How would you play that?
Cue Stuck, Charlottesville, Virginia
ANSWER: If you play Lebensohl, wherein two notrump is a puppet to three clubs, a direct cue-bid usually denies a heart stopper and shows four cards in the other major. To bid two notrump, then three hearts, would show four spades and a stopper, while a direct or delayed three no-trump would deny four spades and deny or show a stopper, respectively.