Aces on Bridge
You hold ♠ 6-2, ♥ K-Q-9-7, ♦ A-6-54-3, ♣ 7-3 at game all. Your right-hand opponent opens one spade and passes his partner's one-no-trump response. Would you protect?
Dear Mr. Wolff:
— Misfit, Union City, Tennessee
Answer: I would let this go. It is not attractive to compete when both sides are vulnerable, and even less so when there is no guarantee that either side has a proper fit. By the way, some would play that since you did not overcall, a call such as two diamonds here shows diamonds and a higher suit — here, hearts perforce. That would make acting far more attractive.
Dear Mr. Wolff: How should I go about appealing a ruling if I disagree with the director?
— No Agreement, Trenton, New Jersey
Answer: If you think the director has come to the wrong conclusion (objectively speaking), you can appeal and have the matter sent to a board of other players and directors. Beware that doing so is no small matter. It takes up other people's time, and there may be penalties if the appeal is deemed frivolous. You should therefore appeal only when you believe the decision was completely unjust, and generally only when it may affect the result of the event.
Dear Mr. Wolff: ♦
I held
♠ K-Q-10-8-6-5, ♥ 8, 9-7-5-4, ♣ 8-5at favorable vulnerability and heard my right-hand opponent open two clubs. I overcalled two spades, and my opponents proceeded with a scientific auction to the making six hearts. Should I have done more bidding?
— Big Barrage, Huntington, West Virginia
Answer: I would have overcalled three spades at the prevailing vulnerability. There is a high premium on taking up bidding space in two-club auctions because the opponents know nothing about each other's shape yet. It is rare to be caught speeding here, and even if you are, it may not be expensive compared to the vulnerable game or slam your opponents can make.
Dear Mr. Wolff: Is there a way to show a good raise of partner's two-level overcall without forcing to game, when the cue-bid raise is above your suit at the threelevel?
— Modern Treatment, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Answer: A lot of pairs play two no-trump as a raise in this sort of auction. Say it goes one spade on your left, two hearts from partner, two spades on your right. Three spades would force your side to game, so two no-trump becomes the invitational raise. You don't need this as a natural bid because you have a responsive double available.
Dear Mr. Wolff: After a transfer response to one notrump, how often should my partner and I be super-accepting by doing more than completing the transfer?
— Take It Slow,
Laredo, Texas
Answer: Some players like to jump with a fit even when they have a minimum, but this is ill-advised. The main purpose of breaking the transfer is to avoid missing a game when partner would have passed a mere completion at the two-level. This concern is reduced when you have a minimum, so breaking should show more than that unless you have exceptional playing strength.