Aces on Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: I held

♠ ---, ♥ 10-7-6-4-3, ♦ AQ-J-9-4, ♣ J-9-3, vulnerable against not and heard one spade on my left, two clubs from partner and two no-trump (showing a good four-card raise) to my right. I decided to bid three diamonds and sold out to four spades. Four spades went a couple down, but we could have made five clubs with partner's 14-count and 3-4-1-5 shape. Where did we go wrong?

— Two Ways to Win, Lakeland, Florida

Answer: I would double two no-trump as takeout of spades. Your hand is too strong for three clubs, but if you do not raise clubs immediately, I think you have to do so later, even at the five-level. After all, you might have a terrific fit, which three diamonds said nothing about. Facing a vulnerable overcall, I would not be too unhappy placing the contract in five clubs as a two-way shot. As you discovered, either game might make.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Is it mandatory to claim as declarer when I have the rest of the tricks? What about in defense?

— Done Thing, Dayton, Ohio

Answer: It is good practice to claim when your hand or dummy's is high, or even to claim just a certain number of tricks if there is nothing else to the play. Playing the hand out is apt to waste valuable playing time. It is different in defense. Then, I would tend to avoid claiming unless my own hand was full of winners and I had the lead to cash them.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Is it acceptable to raise partner's one-heart or one-spade opening to the three-level with only three cards, to show invitational values?

— Bad Practice, Seneca, South Carolina

Answer: I would normally avoid this. Partner is apt to bid game aggressively when you show a four-card raise, but he will often tread carefully if you have only an eight-fit and his trumps are poor. You could argue that if you have a singleton in an invitational raise, you should consider forcing to game instead, since game may be more about the high-card mesh than the combined high cards.

Dear Mr. Wolff: I was recently asked if my partner's trump spot-card lead carried any significance. Is this a legitimate question (and what method, if any, would you recommend in terms of playing spot-cards in trumps)?

— Old Style, Macon, Georgia

Answer: It is an old-fashioned method, but some still lead high-low to show an odd number of trumps. Some modern pairs even lead a suit-preference card. I wouldn't go that far. I would tend to lead the lowest spot unless I could see a reason to the contrary.

Dear Mr. Wolff: How would you bid ♠ A-4, ♥ Q-7-6-4-2, ♦ 8-5-4-3, ♣ K-6after partner opens one spade and rebids two hearts over your one-no-trump response?

— Working Cards, Kenosha, Wisconsin

Answer: Even playing a forcing no-trump, partner's two-heart call shows a real suit. With five-card support, a filler in spades and a control on the side, I would simply raise to four hearts. There are plenty of minimum hands opposite which game will make. Take away one of my hearts and I will make do with an invitational three hearts. 1 6 14 20 21 22

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