Aces on Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: How do you play a jump to three of a major after a strong two-club opening and a two-diamond response in an uncontested auction?

— Still Waiting, Danville, Illinois

Answer: The modern approach is to play that as showing four cards in the bid major and longer diamonds, a difficult hand type to get across otherwise. (For most, responder must have at least five cards to mention a major after opener rebids three diamonds.) Some prefer the old-fashioned way of it showing a solid suit, though.

Dear Mr. Wolff: How would you play this? You hear an opening bid of one heart on your right, one-no-trump on your left, and you double in the pass-out position.

— To Protect and Sever,

Lakeland, Florida

Answer: You would have doubled for takeout on the previous round if you could. So this double is best played as penalties, showing a strong hand with heart length that had no reasonable call before. Perhaps something like ♠ A-8-4, ♥ A-J-10-8-5, ♦ 6, ♣ A-K-J-4. Should they run to diamonds, partner may be able to catch them. It would be different if your left-hand opponent had responded in a suit and his partner had raised. Then double would be takeout of that suit, again implying heart length.

Dear Mr. Wolff: I have been reading your columns on one-no-trump openings, and I have some questions. I hold a 1=4=4=4 hand with a singleton spade ace. I open one no-trump (15-17), and partner bids two hearts (transfer). Must I always complete the transfer? If yes, why? If not, what type of hand should I have? Also, if I do not want to complete the transfer, must I still say “transfer”?

Answer:

A 15-count with a singleton ace can sensibly be devalued out of a notrump opener. Opening one diamond and rebidding one no-trump (or two clubs) is almost always acceptable unless the hearts are really strong. When you open one no-trump and partner transfers to the singleton, you must complete the transfer, since any other action shows a fit, not a lack of one. When alerting the call, you have to explain your agreement, not what you might plan to do to break that agreement.

Dear Mr. Wolff: We do not play support redoubles, so how should opener bid with ♠ A-K-3, ♥ A-9-7-5-3, ♦ Q-8-7-5, ♣ 6 after opening one heart and seeing a one-spade response from partner, then a double on their right?

— Support with Support,

Troy, New York

Answer: Yes, some play that redouble here shows exactly three-card support for partner’s suit and a hand of any strength (consistent with the opening bid). However, even if I had that tool available, I would not use it here. The strong spades and ruffing value make it worth misleading partner as to my spade length. Two spades is clearcut if redouble just shows a strong hand.

Dear Mr. Wolff: How often do you experts make mistakes? Judging from what I have read in various books, you never do!

— Dumb and Dumber, New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Answer: Experts make large numbers of errors, whether misguesses or misjudgments. That may be fewer than the average player, granted, but the main reason why they are champions is that they learn from their mistakes while having the fortitude to get on with the next hand. Temperament is what distinguishes the good from the best.