Aces on Bridge
Dear Mr. Wolff: What is meant by the term “live auction,” which I have seen you use often in your column?
— Action Man, Salinas
Answer: An auction is live when at least one side is still bidding. Once your opponents have passed a bid out, you are now in a balancing, or protective rather than active, position. It is generally safer to get involved when the opponents have stopped bidding, as they have effectively limited their strength. To bid when they are still unlimited is riskier — you could be stepping into the lions’ den.
Dear Mr. Wolff: How would you recommend we proceed when they interfere over our strong two clubs?
— Under Pressure, Holland, Michigan.
Answer: Most people play double here as negative, about 0-4 points. Passing thus suggests a smattering of values. Bids are natural and forcing, but you should stretch to bid a decent suit with less than a traditional positive. Over a double, you may choose to use redouble for weakness. If you prefer, you can pass with a semi-positive and use two diamonds as a balanced positive with no clear call.
Dear Mr. Wolff: How likely would you be to lead a singleton in partner’s suit against three notrump? Say partner opens one heart, your righthand opponent overcalls one no-trump and your left-hand opponent raises to three. Would you lead a heart, knowing the suit is probably stacked against you?
— Rocking Robert,
Oakland Answer: Leading a heart will rarely cost a trick in the suit, though you may be doing something for declarer he might not be able to do as conveniently for himself. But the rest of your hand is relevant in the decision. If you do not hold a five-card suit of your own, normally lead partner’s suit, but if you hold a fair hand with a five-bagger, you can certainly try your own suit.
Dear Mr. Wolff: Having hand-dealt the boards, do you think it is acceptable for us to redeal a hand that was passed out, being the first table to play it in a pairs event?
— Legal Eagle, Saint John, New Brunswick
Answer: In theory, you are not supposed to. The decision of whether or not to open in fourth seat should not be trivialized by canceling the deal. When a player passes a hand others might open, he should arguably live or die by the result he obtains.
Dear Mr. Wolff: I picked up ♠ 7-6-4-3-2, ♥ AK-Q-10, ♦ 6, ♣ 9-6-2 at favorable vulnerability. My right-hand opponent opened one diamond, and I chose to overcall one heart instead of one spade, preferring the good suit. My partner did not like this one bit. What do you think?
— Sticky Wicket,
Miami, Florida
Answer: I think your partner lacks imagination. How would he feel if you bid one spade, and he then led a spade from king-doubleton against the resulting no-trump game? One heart is an unconventional yet intelligent effort to get the right lead. You might not lose the spades forever, since partner is still able to bid. Of course, passing is also an option. Facing a passed hand, I’d agree with your choice 100%.