Aces on Bridge
Dear Mr. Wolff: I have heard some of my friends speaking about stolen-bid doubles, but I have never fully understood them. Would you please explain? — Grand Theft, Union City, Tennessee
ANSWER: Suppose you hear something like: one club to your left, one spade from partner, two spades on your right, showing a club raise. Some play a double here as “I would have raised to two spades.” The bid you double is the bid you would have made if you could have done so. This is a sound idea — far more sensible than when players use a double of an overcall of partner’s one no-trump as a transfer, not takeout. Double there is best played as takeout.
Dear Mr. Wolff: As opener, how do you treat hands with long, solid major suits after a strong two-club opening and two-diamond relay? — Powerhouse, Waterbury, Connecticut
ANSWER: Some jump to three of the major with that hand, but the vogue is to play those bids as showing four cards in the major and longer diamonds, an awkward hand-type to describe. I’d recommend that, in which case you must bid your major at the two-level, even with a solid suit. You can also bid game immediately over two diamonds, showing a (sub-) minimum two-club opening with a long suit.
Dear Mr. Wolff: I am a believer in the Law of Total Tricks, but my partner thinks it’s bogus. Who’s right? — Lawless Leslie, Shreveport, Lousiana
ANSWER: The Law, discussed by Larry Cohen in his book “To Bid or Not to Bid,” is a sound principle to follow on low-level part-score deals. At higher levels, controls and shape come into their own, which the Law cannot always properly adjust for, even if it recognizes the value of a double fit. Matchpoint mavens, in particular, would be well advised to study Larry’s work.
Dear Mr. Wolff: How would you bid this hand: ♠ A-K-Q-J-2, ♥ ---, ♦ A-K-10-8-4, ♣ J-10-2? I opened one spade, and partner raised to two. He held 4=5=1=3 shape with the club king-queen, and 12 tricks were easy. I bid only four spades, I’m afraid. — Thirty-point Deck, Mason City, Iowa
ANSWER: If it shows shortness, a jump to four hearts may be in order. Partner might overvalue the heart ace, but that may not be a bad thing, as it can provide a club discard. With two club fillers, a fourth trump and a ruffing value, you’d expect your partner to make a move over that, probably with a five-club cue-bid, enabling you to drive to six spades.
Dear Mr. Wolff: I’ve seen players make strange opening leads in the trump suit. For example, small from jack-10-low. Are they right? — Stop Those Ruffs, Trenton, New Jersey
ANSWER: Conventional leads go out the window in trump. It may be right to lead small from a doubleton, in case you later need an overruff. A small card from jack-10-low is normal, so as to not crash partner’s singleton honor. Top of a sequence in a side-suit is fine, since the target is to establish quick tricks, but in trump, where the opponents have length and power, they must eventually play on that suit themselves.