Aces on Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: How much do you need to make a negative double? Does it depend on which level the bidding has reached?

— Sputnik, Selma, Alabama

Answer: Doubling after partner opens one club and the next hand bids one heart promises no more than 6 points. Doubling one spade to show hearts means you will end up in one no-trump or a suit contract for eight tricks, so it requires a little more. After, say, one diamond from partner and two spades on your right, a double should be based on at least 9 points; be wary of bidding on a minimum with shortness in partner’s suit. Doubling after a three-spade overcall is practically forcing to game.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Do you prefer standard Stayman or Five-card Stayman in response to a strong twono-trump opener?

— Old School, Grand Forks, North Dakota

Answer: It is four-card Stayman for me. Five-card Stayman, whereby opener bids a major only with five, otherwise bidding three diamonds to show one or two four-card majors, or three no-trump to deny a major, gives away more information and presents the opponents with more opportunities to double for the lead. It may also consume more space for slam-going auctions.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Would you bid on to game with ♠ A-J-8-7-2, ♥ K-J-6-4, ♦ Q-9-6-4, ♣ -— at love all, after you had bid one spade over your right-hand opponent’s one-club opening, only to hear the next hand raise preemptively to three clubs and partner compete to three spades?

— Sink or Swim, Portland, Oregon

Answer: I would bid on. Partner often has four trumps on this sequence. If he has three, he should have compensating values elsewhere, most of which ought to be outside clubs on this bidding. The lure of a game bonus would be too great for me to resist. But I’ve been wrong (and gone down) before.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Playing Better Minor, I opened one diamond with ♠ K-9, ♥ A-76, ♦ Q-9-6-2, ♣ A-10-9-4. Partner responded one notrump. Should I have rebid two clubs?

— Sure Fit, Fredericksburg, Virginia

Answer: Although partner should have club length, you should pass one no-trump. It rarely works to try to improve the partscore here. Partner frequently raises to three clubs, which is likely to struggle. Even if he passes, the opponents may now get together in a major. If you have enough to beat them, you will surely have enough values to make one no-trump. A two-club rebid should promise at least 5-4 shape, with which you would be more comfortable competing to the three-level.

Dear Mr. Wolff: For how long are you allowed to think before playing to a trick?

— Ethical Eagle, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Answer: This is different from when you are leading to a trick. Then, you can reasonably pause to consider your plan. When you are following, you should generally play in tempo unless you have a decision to make at that very moment. Some people like to put the card they are going to play face down on the table, to consider the rest of their defense, but this is not best practice.