Aces on Bridge
Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner and I are struggling with what to do with distributions such as 5-4-2-2 when the higher-ranking suit is the four-carder and we do not have the values to reverse. What is your advice?
— Keith Carter, Durham, North Carolina
Answer: With 15-17, your choices with the awkward hands (hands with a minor and four spades are not awkward) are to open one no-trump if 15-16 and reverse with all 17s, or downgrade with 15 and perhaps rebid one no-trump. With 11-14, the choices are to pass the 11-count, or hit and hope with the long suit. Please do not open one diamond and rebid two clubs with 4-5 shape unless the clubs are feeble and the diamonds strong. Rebidding one no-trump with a small doubleton is not terrible at the end of the day!
Dear Mr. Wolff: How would you bid ♠ J-9-5-4,
♥ 6-3-2, ♦ A-K-Q-4, ♣ Q-7 at game all, after hearing your left-hand opponent open three clubs, your partner double and your right-hand opponent pass?
— Preempted, Grand Junction, Colorado
Answer: I would want to offer both spades and diamonds as places to play. After all, partner could be doubling off a three-card spade suit in a 3=4=5=1 pattern, for example. Start with four clubs, then pull four hearts to four spades, suggesting two places to play.
Dear Mr. Wolff: What do you think the best defense against a strong one-club opening is?
— Jostler, Muncie, Indiana
Answer: I do not like to employ any artificial bids here except double to show the majors and no-trump to show the minors. Other overcalls are natural. With a good balanced hand, one can pass, then act if the auction develops favorably. When in doubt, act and try to get in their way.
Dear Mr. Wolff: I recently held ♠ K-J-7, ♥ Q-J, ♦ A-107, ♣ Q-J-5-4-3, with our side vulnerable. I opened one club, my partner responded one spade and I heard a two-heart overcall to my right. What should I have done at this point?
— Support Trouble, Anchorage, Alaska
Answer: A simple raise to two spades is just fine by me. You have a hand where spades may be right on a 4-3 fit and will surely be your most likely game facing any greater length. Many play support doubles here; I tolerate them, but they are not my favorite convention! There should be a place for judgment as opposed to system in everybody’s methods.
Dear Mr. Wolff: How much do you think a protective two-no-trump call should show when your left-hand opponent’s weak two is passed around to you?
— Game Zone, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Answer: I would say around 14-18 points. It is very wide-ranging. The problem is that while playing Lebensohl, as many do (whereby a two-no-trump response to a double is a puppet to three clubs, containing weak hands and some specific strong types), you are unlikely to have enough room to double then pull to two notrump, showing a strong hand. Thus, you have to bid either two no-trump or three no-trump yourself.