ACES ON BRIDGE
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I recently picked up ♠ A-K-9-6-5, ♥ 4, ♦ J-9-3, ♣ 9-8-5-3 at love all. Partner opened one diamond, and my right-hand opponent overcalled one spade. What would you do?
— Over Called, Seattle, Wash.
DEAR READER: I could raise to two diamonds, but I have less support than I would like for that. I think pass is best, intending to convert a reopening double of one spade from my partner, to play for penalties. I have good defense with the two top trumps and a singleton to lead. If partner has some top cards, I will score multiple ruffs.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I have seen some players raising their partner’s major-suit opening to game with good hands, just below the strength needed for a Jacoby two-notrump response. Is this the right approach?
— Barrage Bids, Casper, Wyo.
DEAR READER: No, a jump raise to game should be reserved for weak, shapely hands with big support. Stronger hands should proceed slowly, going through a forcing no-trump or bidding a new suit. Perhaps the players you refer to are Strong Club advocates? Since their major-suit opening is limited to 15 points, they often raise to game both with minimum openers and also with the distributional hands. DEAR MR. WOLFF: I have noticed that lots of books recommend opening one club with 5-5 in the black suits. What say you? — Old-Fashioned, Portland, Ore.
DEAR READER: The modern trend is to open one spade, but you may prefer to start with one club with a poor hand, to get both suits in at an economical level, especially with really good clubs. I imagine most of the books you have been reading are old ones. Such works are timeless classics on card play, but bidding has evolved significantly.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: My partner has been springing undiscussed bids on me lately. Here is the latest exhibit: You open one heart, partner raises to two hearts, passed to your left-hand opponent, who doubles. What would partner’s redouble mean here? — Max Power, Duluth, Minn.
DEAR READER: Some pairs play these competitive redoubles as showing a desire to bid on, but the mainstream style is simply for it to show a maximum in points. This way, the redoubler’s partner can make a more informed decision as to whether to compete or defend (or perhaps double).
DEAR MR. WOLFF: I dealt myself ♠ K-9-8-4, ♥ J, ♦ Q-9-4-2, ♣ A-7-3-2, vulnerable against not, and passed. My left-hand opponent opened one heart, partner overcalled one spade, my right-hand opponent raised to two hearts and I bid three hearts showing a sound raise. My left-hand opponent’s reraise to four hearts came back to me. I passed, and we beat four hearts by a trick, but four spades was very close to making. Should we have found it? — Complete the Transfer, Las Vegas, Nev.
DEAR READER: I would have bid four spades. Game should have play opposite even a minimum vulnerable overcall. Partner is unlikely to have wasted values in hearts — in fact, if he did, he might have doubled four hearts. Bidding on might seem a gamble of sorts, but one with a big upside. Indeed, I might have bid four hearts earlier to emphasize my heart shortness and help my partner judge how far to compete.