ACES ON BRIDGE

DEAR MR. WOLFF:

When your opponent revokes, when is the correct time to announce it? Immediately, or after the contract is completed?

— Patty Pan, Phoenix, Ariz.

DEAR READER:

Whether playing rubber or duplicate, it often works best to announce it at once before the cards are mixed and the evidence vanishes. As dummy, stay silent and wait until the last card is played; then ask the players not to mix their cards. In a tournament, I think the sooner you make the call, the better.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: You pick up ♠ K-9-3, ♥ K-J9, ♦ K-4-2, ♣ Q-9-7-6, not vulnerable against vulnerable opponents. Your lefthand opponent opens one spade in third seat, and partner overcalls two no-trump for the minors. What would you do when the next hand passes? — Off Center, Sioux Falls, S.D. DEAR READER: I understand your original pass even if I might have opened. I would take the low road again, I guess, and bid just three clubs now. It could be right to cue-bid three spades, showing interest in game, but that would lead to partner declaring the hand, with a lead coming through my major-suit kings. The alternative is four clubs, but I see no reason to encourage partner to sacrifice at the five-level.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: What is the best way to handle the suit combination of jack-nine-eight-two in hand facing a dummy with kingfour-three, needing two tricks? — Percentage Play,

Rockford, Ill. DEAR READER: I would lead low to the king and then play one back to the eight on the next round. I will make two tricks when my left-hand opponent has the ace (unless they have exactly ace-queen10-low), or when my righthand opponent holds the ace and lefty has the 10.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: I have witnessed a lot of players opening one no-trump on off-shape, understrength hands. Is this some sort of modern trend?

— Tactical Reasons,

Richmond, Va. DEAR READER: Some young players like to open one no-trump whenever possible, to make it harder for the opponents to enter the bidding and simplify the auction. However, this often runs the cost of getting too high or reaching the wrong part-score. I prefer to bid my hand properly, opening a suit with 5-4 shape unless I have a rebid problem, and not upgrading 14-counts without a good reason. I feel this even more strongly about opening two no-trump.

DEAR MR. WOLFF: This is a hand from the 2022 World Bridge Series. The bidding starts with a pass on your left, one diamond from partner and four spades on your right. You hold ♠ —-, ♥ K-Q-10-9-5, ♦ 9, ♣ A-K10-9-8-7-3. What would you bid? Is four no-trump Roman Key-Card Blackwood for diamonds, or two-suited showing hearts and clubs?

— You and Me,

Boston, Mass. DEAR READER: Great question. Playing four notrump as two-suited is best, but you can also (when partner has opened a major) bid four no-trump and then correct to partner’s major with a slam-try for the major. There are hands in which you want to use RKCB, but expert opinion seems to be that the other hand comes up more often.