Aces on Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: Many players at my club like to enter the contract and lead into the bridgemate before play has started, which just seems to slow everything down. What do you make of this practice?

— First Things First, Pueblo, Colorado

Answer: All administrative tasks should be done at the end, just as it was when paper travelers were used to record the scores. This should also apply to personal scorecards, but a lot of players insist on writing down the contract ahead of time. I have never seen the point. To be honest, though, the amount of delay involved is small enough that I would let this pass.

Dear Mr. Wolff: I was a bit stuck for a bid on this hand: ♠ 10-8-5-3-2,

♥ K-Q-9-3, ♦ J-8, ♣ A-4. I passed and my left-hand opponent opened one spade. My partner overcalled two diamonds, passed to me. I passed and we missed a game. Was I culpable?

— Serious Bid, Greenville, South Carolina

Answer: Partner should have a proper hand for a two-level overcall. He will have six diamonds more often than not, unless his five-card suit is excellent. A call of two no-trump is practical here, but jack-doubleton is enough support to raise, and since you have 10 good-looking points, you can bid two spades to show a good raise. Yes, you would rather have a third trump, but beggars cannot be choosers.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Say your left-hand opponent opens one no-trump, strong, and partner overcalls two clubs to show the majors, vulnerable against not. What would you say, holding

♠ 10-9-7-4, ♥ J-7-5, ♦ K, ♣ A-K-10-7-3?

— Double Fit, Kansas City, Missouri.

Answer: In general, an overcall of a strong no-trump is designed to compete the part-score rather than bid constructively to game. However, partner will not be joking at these colors. I would therefore bid four spades. Even if partner holds a minimum, game should have play since the major-suit finesses are likely to work. Facing a balancing call to show the majors, I might settle for an invitational action.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Which do you prefer: standard carding or reverse?

— Matter of Opinion, Tucson, Arizona

Answer: I tend to use standard carding, where high cards are encouraging or show an even number. I think this is a cultural thing. A lot of players from Europe like reverse carding and others like to combine the two in some fashion (reverse attitude, standard count, for instance). I would advise that you pick the one you and your partner are most comfortable with, rather than playing some hybrid system. When I tried that, I never knew which signal to send.

Dear Mr. Wolff: You hold ♠ 9-7-2, ♥ A-K-6, ♦ K-7,

♣ A-8-7-6-3. Your partner opens one diamond in second seat, and the next hand overcalls one heart. What say you?

— Or Else, Jackson, Mississippi

Answer: Definitely two clubs: Bid length and then show strength. Cuebidding always shows a fit. No-trump can always come later, but I can easily imagine, for example, hands where you can make a minor-suit slam but be off the whole spade suit. 1 9 12 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 33

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