Aces on Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff:

You hold ♠A-J, ♥K-Q-7, ♦A-QJ-7-6-4-2, ♣4 at favorable vulnerability. You open one diamond and see partner respond one heart. What now?

— Death Hand, West Palm Beach, Florida

Answer: Three diamonds is an underbid, and the hand is much too suitable for play in hearts for either that or three no-trump. I can hardly jump shift in spades, so all that leaves is a heart raise. Four clubs is a splinter in support of hearts (promising four trump); would I risk it? Maybe, with an understanding partner. Alternatively, a four-diamond call would suggest 6-4 in the red suits. Determining what is the least lie is not easy here.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Does a negative double always promise length in both unbid suits?

— Other Major, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Answer: No, the focus tends to be on the unbid major. For example, if partner opens one club and your right-hand opponent overcalls one spade, your double shows four hearts — though of necessity it may not be so well-defined at higher levels or when both majors have already been mentioned. In those cases, you may be required to double and wing it thereafter.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Ihave heard lots of talk about online cheating. What is the typical punishment for a convicted cheat?

— Red-handed, Kansas City, Missouri

Answer: Most of the governing bodies have adopted the approach that collusion between partners should carry a more severe sentence than self-kibitzing (looking at all four hands by yourself). The typical ban is about 10 years for collusion and three for selfkibitzing. Cheaters can often have their sentences reduced by confessing, which saves the time and effort required to convict them.

Dear Mr. Wolff: How do you play a minor-suit overcall of a three-heart or three-spade preempt? What, for example, would you bid over your righthand opponent’s threeheart opening, holding ♠A-J-9-7-2, ♥K, ♦3, ♣A-Q-J-8-7-2, vulnerable against not?

— Michaels Mix-up, Woodland Hills

Answer: Some pairs play a four-of-a-minor overcall of three hearts or three spades as that minor and the other major. Most play these calls as natural, with a cue-bid to show a two-suiter with the other major. Thus, you would bid four hearts here. With the majors reversed over a three-spade opener, you must guess whether to bid hearts, clubs or cue-bid!

Dear Mr. Wolff: What effect does position have on the quality of your preempts?

— Rule of 500, Danville, Illinois

Answer: Preempts should be sound in second seat, when you are getting in the way of only one opponent and are in front of partner. In first and third position, you have more license to be adventurous since there are two opponents to obstruct and only one partner. In the pass-out seat, you will often pass a weak hand unless you have spades. Two-level openers in a red suit therefore suggest 1013 points.