Aces on Bridge
Dear Mr. Wolff:
What would you bid with ♠ 5,
♥ 10-6-4, ♦ A-K-Q, ♣ AK-Q-J-9-2, having opened one club and heard one spade from your partner, followed by a two-heart butt-in from the next player?
— Invitational, Little Rock, Arkansas
Answer: I would have rebid three no-trump without the overcall to show a hand with long clubs too good for a non-forcing three clubs. However, I can hardly bid three no-trump without a stopper in my right-hand opponent's suit. A support double is out, so I had better bid three hearts, denoting a good hand with no better bid. Three clubs would be an underbid with nine tricks in my own hand and three diamonds might lead us into a quagmire.
Dear Mr. Wolff: We bid and raise a suit and wind up defending. What should our leads be in our agreed suit?
— Bad Attitude, Dover, Delaware
Answer: I would stick to your usual agreements, so lead fourth highest if you would normally do that. It would be reasonable to play attitude leads in this situation though, since the length is likely already known, but strength may not be. In that case, you lead low to show strength, and a high spot-card denotes weakness. By contrast, if you are leading partner's unsupported long suit, I would suggest giving count, which would be low from three.
Dear Mr. Wolff: I had
♠ Q-8-3, ♥ A-Q-J-10-8,
♦ A-K-5-3, ♣ J, and I opened one heart. My partner raised me to two, wide-ranging in our style and I bid three diamonds. Partner signed off in three hearts and I passed, missing a good vulnerable game when partner had
♠ J-10-6-5, ♥ 9-7-5, ♦ 8-4, ♣ A-Q-10-6. Where did we go wrong?
Answer: Three diamonds was about right on overall strength, but your extra shape is very powerful once a fit has been uncovered, so I would just bid game on your hand. Partner essentially had a five-count for you here since the club queen was not working, but game was still reasonable. Make your diamond king the queen, and I would have sympathy with your action.
Dear Mr. Wolff: Is this hand worthy of a two-level overcall?: ♠ 9-6, ♥ Q-10-75-3-2, ♦ A-Q-J-10,
♣ 7, when my right-hand opponent opens one spade, no-one vulnerable?
— Playing Strength, Cartersville, Georgia
Answer: I would bid two hearts, yes. You would normally expect more in the way of values, but with 6-4 shape and spot cards bolstering my long suits, I see a big upside in bidding. Put the diamond queen into one of my short suits and I might pass.
Dear Mr. Wolff: I disagreed with my partner's interpretation of this uncontested sequence: one spade, two hearts, three hearts, three spades. He thought three spades was natural whereas I thought it was a cue bid. Who is right?
— Major Set, Portland, Oregon
Answer: I would play three spades as a cue bid because I live by the rule that once we have set an eightcard major-suit fit, no other suit can be trump below the slam level, except by agreement. Similarly, after responder's raise of a major, if opener then introduces the other major and responder raises that, the second suit can be trumps.