THE ACES ON BRIDGE
Dear Mr. wolff:
I know that if I am on lead against no-trump and my partner has doubled dummy’s suit bid that I must lead that suit (unless I have a very good reason not to). However, say that I bid one heart over one club and LHO bids diamonds, RHO ending up in three no-trump, doubled by my partner. Does my partner’s double demand that I lead diamonds, or does it show that he has something in hearts and thinks that we can set three no-trump? (I led a heart, and my partner didn’t approve!)
Dick Deadeye, Marco Island, Fla.
AnswEr: Here is a simple rule: Double asks opening leader to lead his suit if the doubler has not had a chance to support cheaply. But if he did have a chance and didn’t take it -- as here -- it demands an alternative lead. On the auction shown I’d guess diamonds.
Dear Mr. wolff:
In fourth chair, I held ♠ Q-J4, ♥ Q-7-4, ♦ 10-9-2, ♣ A-108-7. My partner opened one heart. I chose to raise to two hearts, rather than bid one notrump, but when my partner bid three diamonds, I thought I had nothing extra and rebid three hearts, missing a game. Was I wrong? -- slow Developer,
Toronto, ontario
AnswEr: Your raise to two hearts looks right -- support with support is a sound principle. Over three diamonds you might have tried three no- trump with your solid black-suit stops, but your actual choice of three hearts is reasonable too.
Dear Mr. wolff:
Can you please explain what you mean by “attitude” signals? How does this interact with what my friends call the obvious shift?
-- Last call, Palm springs, calif.
AnswEr: Attitude signals mean that third hand plays a high card to encourage continuation of the suit (or to suggest NOT switching) and a low card to discourage or ask for the obvious shift. High says Ay, Low says No, as English International Andrew Robson says. Defining the obvious shift is not as easy as it might sound, though...
Dear Mr. wolff:
I opened one diamond, holding ♠ J-7, ♥ A-4, ♦ A-K-84-3, ♣ Q-J-7-5, and my partner responded one spade. When I rebid two clubs, he supported me to two diamonds. Should I bid three diamonds, or two no-trump now, or explore with two hearts?
-- High Hopes, Boulder, colorado
AnswEr: When partner gives preference to two diamonds, he typically has only two or three diamonds and 6- 10 points. To my mind, passing two diamonds is the percentage action -- any advance may get you uncomfortably high. But perhaps the diamond 10 might be enough to persuade me to make a slightly pushy game-try of two no-trump?