Aces on Bridge
DEAR MR. WOLFF: When opener supports responder’s major suit, I know that you believe the raise can be based on either three or four trumps. Can responder ask his partner to describe his hand more precisely?
— Define and Dandy
ANSWER: A convention called “Spiral Scan,” by some, is used after opener raises responder’s majorsuit response. A call of two no-trump over the raise lets opener use a four-step response; minimum with three and four trumps, respectively, maximum with three and four trumps, respectively. Responder’s two-spade call over two hearts tends to show four, to help reach a 4-4 fit if opener has raised hearts with four spades and three hearts.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: If you were dealt SPADES A-9-7-4-2, HEARTS J-5-2, DIAMONDS A-K-7, CLUBS Q-2, and heard your partner open one no-trump, would you merely drive to game, or would you invite slam? (As the cards lie, my partner had king-queen-third of spades and a 16-count, but he had all the missing controls except the club ace, and we had 12 top tricks.)
— Underdone
ANSWER: I would simply transfer to spades and then bid three no-trump, not considering slam unless my partner broke the transfer at his first turn. But if, over my jump to three no-trump, my partner made a call other than four spades, it should show a maximum with three trumps. Then I’d probably up and bid slam.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: Please explain how leading thirdand-fifth or third-and-low works — as opposed to fourth highest. What are the main differences, and which would you recommend I play? — Spot Belly
ANSWER: Leading fourthhighest, but also lowest from three, may make those two holdings hard to differentiate. By contrast, leading a high spot card from two or four cards, but lowest from three or five, means that any ambiguity should be between holdings that are two cards apart. This makes confusion less likely, so an experienced partnership might consider moving on from fourth highest.
DEAR MR. WOLFF: If you were in fourth seat with SPADES J, HEARTS Q-10-6, DIAMONDS K-Q-10-6-4-2, CLUBS K-3-2, would you use Pierson points (spades plus high-card points) to determine whether to open the bidding? Would the vulnerability affect that decision?
— Keeping the Peace
ANSWER: Playing pairs, I tend to open my balanced 11-12 point hands when vulnerable (even when relatively short in spades, a criterion others take seriously). Partner tends to have the hand closest to an opener in such circumstances. But this collection is an unbalanced hand with very little in the majors and no aces. I don’t expect the opponents to be able to make game — but it wouldn’t completely surprise me. I’d pass and apologize if I were wrong; but if I did open, it would be with a call of three diamonds.