Aces on Bridge
Dear Mr. Wolff: I like weak jump responses to opening bids, whereby a new-suit jump response to partner’s opening shows 4-8 points with a six-card suit. Do you think ♠ Q-10-6-4-32, ♥ Q-4-3-2, ♦ 6-4, ♣ 7 qualifies for a two-spade response to partner’s onediamond opener?
— Other Strains, Durango, Colorado
Answer: Two spades is where you would like to play facing a weak no-trump, partner’s most likely hand type. However, if partner has short spades, two spades could play very badly while you had a heart fit. So, I would bid only one spade, intending to correct to two diamonds over two clubs, or bid two spades over a one-no-trump rebid.
Dear Mr. Wolff: What is the minimum one should hold when redoubling a non-natural call to suggest playing there?
— Tenace the Menace, Selma, Alabama
Answer: This mainly applies when partner has made an artificial call and the next hand doubles. I think it depends on the auction and what you have already shown, but in general, I would expect a strong four-card holding, perhaps king-jack-nine-low as a minimum. You need a good intermediate or two in order to pick off your right-hand opponent’s honors. If partner might be unbalanced, you should probably have five cards rather than four.
Dear Mr. Wolff: The players at my online club keep naming the conventions rather than describing what they have actually shown. Am I entitled to a full explanation? If not, where should I go to educate myself on the modern-day treatments?
— In the Dark, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Answer: It is better to describe what a bid shows than give the name of the convention, particularly because people often use conventions in diverse ways. If I were you, I would ask a second time. Still, it would not hurt to bone up on the latest bidding methods, if only to make you more familiar with how they work.
Dear Mr. Wolff: You pick up ♠ ---, ♥ Q-10-7-6-53-2, ♦ J-5, ♣ A-8-5-4 at favorable vulnerability. The auction starts with two passes to your right-hand opponent, who opens a strong two clubs. What would you do?
— Bouncy Castle, Bristol, Virginia
Answer: I would bid four hearts. The hearts are poor, but my shape justifies extreme preemptive action. It often pays to take up space after a two-club opening because the opponents have not exchanged any distributional information yet.
Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner and I have settled on second-and-fourth on opening lead. He would prefer attitude during the middle of the hand, but I would like to stick to second-and-fourth. Which would you recommend?
— Memory Strain, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Answer: If you find it awkward to make attitude leads (where small cards show strength and high cards weakness), then stick with something you both know. Yes, maybe showing strength rather than distribution is more important in the mid-hand because the defenders may already have a good idea of the shape of the hand. However, any advantage here would be wiped out if you were to forget the agreement!