ACES ON BRIDGE
Dear Mr. Wolff:You hold SPADES A-9-6-5-3, HEARTS A-6-4, DIAMONDS Q-3, CLUBS Q-J-2. At game all, your right-hand opponent opens two hearts, weak. Do you act?
— No Rush, Newark, N.J.
ANSWER: I would pass. My hand is too balanced and my spades too weak for a two-spade overcall. If we can make two spades, I imagine my partner will carry us too high anyway! Partner will surely act if we are making a game. This will not always work, but at least my partner will trust my overcalls next time.
Dear Mr. Wolff:I was on lead against three no-trump after declarer had opened one no-trump. I led the heart ace from A-K-Q-8-4. Dummy came down with a singleton, and partner played the heart nine. When I continued with the heart king, he followed up with the three. I thought partner had a doubleton, but he actually had J-10-9-6-3, and we could have cashed five heart tricks. Who goofed?
— Right Angles, Palm Springs, Calif.
ANSWER: The problem you propose is actually much harder to solve than you might think. If you lead the queen or ace, partner’s jack will indicate the 10. Much depends on your frame of agreements. I suggest that the king lead asks for unblock or count, while the ace and queen ask for attitude.
Dear Mr. Wolff:What would you bid with SPADES A-9-5-4-3-2, HEARTS 4-2, DIAMONDS J, CLUBS K-10-4-3, facing a strong no-trump opening?
— Playing Strength, Anchorage, Alaska
ANSWER: I would force to four spades, perhaps via a Texas transfer of four hearts if available. It does not pay to stop on a dime in part-score with so much shape, and I certainly want to play in spades rather than clubs. It is hard to see clubs playing two tricks better than spades.
Dear Mr. Wolff:Should professional bridge players be held to a higher standard of behavior at the bridge table?
— Big Business, Memphis, Tenn.
ANSWER: There is something to be said for this, yes. Professionals are experienced players who have more to gain and more to lose via their bridge results than amateur players — their livelihood might be on the line. As they could be seen to have more invested in bridge, they ought to behave well and set a good example, if not for the glory of the game, then for its future. Of course, everyone in theory should be ethical and friendly when playing bridge, but I admit I’m being optimistic.
Dear Mr. Wolff:How far forcing should a new-suit bid be when advancing partner’s overcall?
— Modern Method, Huntington, W.Va.
ANSWER: A one-level overcall can be made on very little, perhaps just a lead-director. While constructive bidding is eased by playing a new suit in response as forcing, it may make sense to give the overcaller an escape route and play newsuit advances as encouraging but nonforcing. If so, then when the advancer has a big hand with a suit of his own, he should jump, which is natural and forcing. After two-level overcalls, new suits are best played as forcing for one round.