ACES ON BRIDGE
DEAR MR. WOLFF: What is your view on which card to lead from three, four or five small — and do circumstances alter cases as to what to lead? — Small
Fry, Grand Junction, Colo. DEAR READER: At trick one, I lead low from three or four small in partner’s suit if he might read a high card as shortness. I’d lead the highest card I could afford if I had bid the suit or supported partner. I hate leading middle from three cards. From four or five small cards, I normally lead fourth unless I’ve already shown my length or can see that partner might need to shift to another suit in which I have a good holding. Second highest might then be the indicated choice.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: When I opened one heart, holding ; 10-3, kK-Q-7-5-3, l K-2, ’ A-Q-3-2, my partner responded with a call of one no-trump. Naturally, I rebid two clubs, and my partner now emerged with two spades. After the deal was over, he told me this could not be natural and must be a club raise. Why not simply raise clubs with that hand?
— Striking Out, Anchorage, Alaska DEAR READER: As your partner did not respond one spade initially, two spades can be used to show a club raise with a maximum in high cards. That allows a direct raise to three clubs to be based on distribution rather than high cards — say, five trumps and 6-8 HCP.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I had a rebid problem when I dealt myself ; 9-3, k Q-3, l K-Q-8-2, ’ A-10-7-3-2. I passed and heard my partner bid one heart at favorable vulnerability, over which my RHO overcalled one spade. I made a negative double, and my LHO jumped to three spades, passed back to me. Should I pass, assuming my partner to be light or even subminimum for his initial action? — Hubble Bubble,
Monterey, Calif.
DEAR READER: A double of three spades implies this sort of shape and values. You might bring home 10 tricks in any one of your side’s possible fits — and you should try to second-guess your partner as little as possible! He could have an outstanding hand and still be unwilling to commit to the four-level, since you do have an ace more than you have shown.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I was playing with my rubber bridge group and made a three-heart response to a one-club opening with seven hearts and a nine-count. We played in a somewhat hopeless game as my partner did not understand what I was trying to tell her, namely that I had 7-11 points and a seven-card heart suit — a pre-emptive response. Everyone at the table said I could not make such a bid — pre-empts were for opening bids only. — Flown the Coop, Cedar Rapids, Iowa DEAR READER: You are right, and your colleagues are wrong. But typically, the range for a pre-empt would be 4-8 points, so not invitational except facing extras and a fit. With nine or 10 points, I’d bid one heart, then jump in hearts and mean it as invitational, not forcing.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I picked up ; 3, k A-Q-4-3, l A-Q-9-5-3-2, ’ K-J, and opened one diamond. What would you recommend as the rebid after partner responds one notrump? I considered passing, various bids in either of my long suits, or even raising notrump, but could not make up my mind. — Groundling,
Miami DEAR READER: Passing does not look right — the hand has potential for game, but one no-trump might go down on a bad day! I’d recommend a simple call of two hearts, intending to rebid three diamonds. A perfectly reasonable alternative would be to jump to three diamonds, ignoring the hearts, to get across your invitational values.