ACES ON BRIDGE

Dear Mr. Wolff:You open one diamond on SPADES Q-7-2, HEARTS 9, DIAMONDS A-K-Q-10-7-5-2, CLUBS K-9, vulnerable against not, and hear partner respond one heart. Fourth hand then overcalls one spade. What say you?

— Gambling Man, Anchorage, Alaska

ANSWER: I could try three notrump, hoping that the diamonds run and that my partner can provide a heart stopper plus the club ace, or two heart tricks, but that might be a bit too much of a gamble. I would more likely content myself with a value-showing jump to three diamonds. If partner has a fair hand, he will bid on, despite the lack of a diamond filler.

Dear Mr. Wolff:You pick up SPADES 4, HEARTS A-K-J-3, DIAMONDS A-K-Q-9-5, CLUBS 9-3-2 at unfavorable vulnerability. Your righthand opponent opens two spades, weak, and you double. Would you act again when four spades comes back to you?

— Advance Sacrifice, Kansas City, Mo.

ANSWER: I have more than I needed for my initial double and would be happy for partner to bid at the fivelevel if he thinks it is right, so I double again. If partner leaves it in, I might be a bit concerned that my red-suit tricks will be ruffed early, but it is a worthwhile risk in return for making a five-level contract or finding a sacrifice.

Dear Mr. Wolff:When playing online, should I alert only the bids I would have alerted if playing face to face? — Virtual Values, Dayton, Ohio

ANSWER: It depends on the tournament and the platform. For some, you need to alert only your own bids. I’d certainly alert everything that you would normally alert, but feel free to add any relevant extra information. Partner cannot see your explanations, after all. In other formats, you must “self-alert” both your bids and your partner’s. The same principles apply there.

Dear Mr. Wolff:I play checkback Stayman in my regular partnership, but we met with disaster the other night when an opponent overcalled one spade over my one-heart response. My partner rebid one no-trump, and I bid two clubs, intending that to be asking. Partner took it as natural and passed. Who is right?

— Matter of Agreement, Fredericksburg, Va.

ANSWER: Two clubs can sensibly be played either way. If checkback is “on,” your bids remain unaltered. If two clubs is natural, jumps are invitational, so you can cue-bid the opponent’s suit to set up a force. I play that the system is on in such situations if the opponents have doubled, but not if they have bid a suit.

Dear Mr. Wolff:How much does a jump raise show in competition as opener? Say you start with one club. Your partner responds one spade, and the next player bids two hearts. What would three spades show now?

— Playing Strength, Madison, Wis.

ANSWER: For me, these jumps do not promise quite as many values as they would in an uncontested sequence. I would jump to three spades on a 13-count with four spades and a red-suit singleton, for example. If I had a better raise, I could start with a three-heart cue bid (which does NOT initially guarantee spade support).

If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, e-mail him at bobbywolff@mindspring.com. Copyright 2023, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS