Aces on Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: I opened one spade, holding ♠ K-Q9-7-6-4-2, ♥ 6, ♦ Q-7-3,

♣ K-8, and the hand on my left doubled. My partner bid a non-forcing two diamonds, and the next hand bid two hearts. I repeated my spades, and when my left-hand opponent bid four hearts, my partner doubled. I passed and conceded 590 with four spades going one down and five diamonds two down. What went wrong?

— Guessing Game, Muncie, Indiana

Answer: I can live with one spade. I might regret bidding two spades after partner doubles four hearts, but I can do nothing now. If I had bid three diamonds earlier, I could now try four spades, I suppose, but that is far from clear.

Dear Mr. Wolff: My local club has taken to changing what were originally advertised as face-to-face events into online ones. This does not suit my team, and we have withdrawn. Do you think this is reasonable?

— Current Climate, Portland, Oregon

Answer: There is still some uncertainty regarding public safety, and although many have started to return to live events, a lot of people are wary of entering them. Health concerns outweigh personal preference, but I do think it is bad form to switch the format of an event after it has been announced.

Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner led a low card through dummy's king-third at trick one. I inserted the 10from ace-jack-10-fifth, and declarer won with the queen. Later, I discarded in the suit that had been led at the first trick. I pitched an encouraging card, but partner thought I was showing an odd number. Which is the mainstream approach?

— Present Count, Huntington, West Virginia

Answer: If your attitude was still in doubt after the first trick of the suit (clearly the case here), the card should be attitude. Otherwise, use count or suit preference.

Dear Mr. Wolff: You hear your partner open a weak two spades at game all, and the next hand passes. What would you do with ♠ 10, ♥ A-Q-J-10-9-6, ♦ K-10-8, ♣ A-K-9?

— Good Suit, Wichita Falls, Texas

Answer: My partner should have a good sixcard spade suit here, if not much else. It would therefore be a bad idea to decide for him, as I do not have game in my own hand. I would start with a forcing three hearts and then raise a three-spade rebid to game. If my partner bids three no-trump, suggesting something in the minors, I will probably pass on the grounds that nine tricks are easier than 10. Of course, my partner might also raise my suit, but I will not hold my breath waiting.

Dear Mr. Wolff: What is the correct way to handle the suit combination of Q-109-6-3 facing A-8 when you need four tricks?

— Percentage Play, Mitchell, South Dakota

Answer: If you start with the queen (the best play), you pick up the suit most of the time when the king is over the queen, while still allowing for a jack doubleton in either hand. The ace, then low to the queen, is better than leading to the nine, as you can pick up jack-low (but not king-low). Replace the eight with the two, and cashing the ace first is best.