Aces on Bridge
Dear Mr. Wolff:
With no one vulnerable, I held 9-8-5-4-2, 10-9-8-7, A, Q-J-8. Partner opened one club and I responded one heart. My reasoning was that my spades were so weak, I would treat them as a fourcard suit. Also, my hand was too weak for a second bid of two hearts if I had started with one spade. If partner had four of either major, we would find our fit. My partner thinks I should have responded one spade and then bid two hearts at my second turn if appropriate. Do you agree?
— In the Mire, Durham, North Carolina
Answer: I strongly agree with your partner. One club — one spade — one no-trump — two hearts is natural and weak and asks for preference, even if you don't play New Minor Forcing. I don't have much luck with the approach you were espousing. Quantity outweighs quality in my book.
Dear Mr. Wolff: How much do you think is needed to advance partner's one-level overcall?
— No Fit, Richmond, Virginia
Answer: If you have support for partner, you will raise him more often than not. Beware of acting without a fit, though. With fewer than nine points, you need a good suit or some shape. It becomes more attractive to bid with tolerance (a doubleton) for partner's suit as an escape route of sorts. A response to an overcall at the one-level does not promise much more than a decent four-card suit, though.
Dear Mr. Wolff: Is it acceptable to reach a defensive agreement against an enemy convention during a deal?
— Open Cards, Woodland Hills
Answer: No, you might be swayed by the content of your hands to play the most convenient defense for that deal. Discuss all defensive agreements beforehand. Of course, depending on the method, it might be incumbent on the opponents to tell you about it before play starts. In other cases, that is not so. The best approach is to have a general approach for defending against artificial bids. For example, “Double of a transfer shows the suit and bidding their suit is for takeout.”
Dear Mr. Wolff:
You hold A-6-4, ♥ A-K-9-8-7-6-2, 6-3, ♣ 7. Partner passes as dealer and the next hand opens one club. What say you, vulnerable against not?
Answer: Facing a passed partner, I am tempted to overcall a heavy preempt of three hearts to consume bidding space; however, we might miss a game. The key to this is to consider, “Would I bid game facing a cue-bid raise from partner?” If yes, then overcall one and take the constructive route. If the answer is no, then make the preemptive jump. I'd bid one heart here.
Dear Mr. Wolff: Is it ever a good idea to pass a 12-count? If so, what are the factors that might lead you to do that?
— Tradition, Little Rock, Arkansas
Answer: Open the vast majority of 12-counts in first, second or third seat, but as ever, you can use your judgment. It is a bit different in the pass-out seat. There, you can pass with 12if you have two or fewer spades. However, if the opponents are non-vulnerable, I'd normally open; my righthand opponent rarely holds as much as 10, or he would have acted already.