Aces on Bridge
Dear Mr. Wolff: What are Rusinow leads? Would you recommend them?
— Up the Walls, Honolulu, Hawaii
Answer: The most common method of leading from honor sequences is to lead the top card. With Rusinow leads, you conventionally start with the secondhighest of touching honors. My preference is to lead the king from ace-king but the top from other sequences.
Dear Mr. Wolff: How should one advance partner’s overcall after a strong one-club opening?
— Outgunned, North Bay, Ontario
Answer: Try to get in the opponents’ way after they open a strong club, since their side probably has the balance of power. It is acceptable to overcall on weak hands, to direct the lead or to try to put up a barrage. Thus, it is rare to advance facing an overcall without a good suit of your own or a fit for partner. No-trump calls should not be natural but ought to be used to show a good raise for partner’s suit.
Dear Mr. Wolff: What would you do with this? You pick up ♠ A-7-6-5, ♥ A-Q, ♦ K-4, ♣ A-K-J-9-7, vulnerable against not. You hear three passes, and you are up in fourth chair.
— Opening Gambit, Worcester, Massachusetts
Answer: I would open one club. If my partner will respond with any excuse, I am unlikely to miss a game. By starting low, I can follow up with a game-forcing jump to two spades over a red-suit response, followed by a no-trump bid. Forcing to game by opening two clubs would be an overbid, and a two-no-trump opening may miss clubs or spades. If I survive the first round of bidding, I will be well-positioned.
Dear Mr. Wolff: I had ♠ K-Q-8-2, ♥ Q, ♦ Q-J-7-3,
♣ K-J-8-7 at favorable vulnerability. My left-hand opponent opened three hearts, which was raised to four hearts on my right. I passed and watched them chalk up 620. Partner had five spades, so a four-spade sacrifice would have paid out only 50. Should I have acted?
— Shape Suitable, Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Answer: I think it is the percentage action to double four hearts for takeout. Then, partner should strive to bid spades. I would say your defensive prospects against hearts are not excellent since you do not hold any aces, but your offense is good if you find a fit — in which case a sacrifice should be cheap at this vulnerability.
Dear Mr. Wolff: Some people say that it is good tactics to double a natural two-no-trump opening for business in the pass-out seat. Is there anything to be said for this?
— Old School, Jackson, Mississippi
Answer: The theory is that a declarer with 20 or so points, facing 1 or 2, will struggle to get to dummy to take his finesses and establish his suits. True, but I would not routinely double for penalties. First, if you are wrong, you will be doubling them into game. Second, the opponents may remember you and pass a two-no-trump opening when they would otherwise raise to game, which could be costly. Finally, either side might be able to rescue themselves into a long suit.