Aces on Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: In a Bid With the Aces problem that you recently posed, South held ♠ A-9-4, ♥ 8-4-3, ♦ Q-J-10-9-5, ♣ A-J. North opened two no-trump, showing 20-22 points. South has 12 high-card points. If North has only 20 points, there is a chance (albeit not a strong one) that North-South are missing two aces. Therefore, why not have South bid four no-trump instead of six no-trump?

— Dirty Gertie, Macon, Ga.

Answer: Yes, four clubs (Gerber) is possible — this is one of the rare sequences where it makes sense. Four no-trump would be quantitative, of course. I suspect many of us in the course of a long career have reached slam with 32 HCP when missing two aces. Worrying about that won’t keep me awake at night.

Dear Mr. Wolff: What methods would you recommend when the opponents interfere over partner’s keycard ask?

— Dopey Ropey, Lorain, Ohio

Answer: D0P1 is the most common treatment, whereby double shows no keycards, pass shows one, and you bid up the line with two or more. If the intervention is a double, this becomes R0P1, which is the same except that the redouble replaces the double. Other methods are available, such as double showing an even number and pass an odd number, especially for highlevel intervention, but D0P1 is the simplest to use.

Dear Mr. Wolff: As dealer at favorable, you hold ♠ 7, ♥ 9-8-6-5-4, ♦ K-J-10-8-42, ♣ 7. What would you do?

— Freak Hand, Torrance, Calif.

Answer: I suppose I would pass. A weak two hearts is absolutely verboten, and a preemptive three diamonds would lose the hearts altogether. I must say, though, that the latter call has some appeal at the position and vulnerability. If I decided to preempt, I’d be hoping it was the opponents’ hand, so I would preempt to the three level.

Dear Mr. Wolff: When you have a balanced hand with around 16 points and a doubleton honor in the suit opened on your right, do you tend to overcall one no-trump or double?

— Matter of Style,

Selma, Ala.

Answer: I would usually double if the opening had been one heart or one spade and I had four cards in the other major, so as to find a fit there. Otherwise, I would bid one no-trump, to get the hand off my chest in one fell swoop. The opponents will not always lead their partner’s suit, even when it is right. Or they might raise, giving us a second chance.

Dear Mr. Wolff: There has been a marked increase in the popularity of video conferencing while playing online. What do you make of this trend?

— Buck It, Richmond, Va.

Answer: I am not a fan of these things in general. They serve as a distraction, and the current online playing experience is fine by me. I do appreciate that some players like the “atthe-table” feel of being able to see and chat with others, though.

Contact Bobby Wolff at bobbywolff@mindspring. com.