Aces on Bridge
Dear Mr. Wolff: Is it ethical to draw inferences from opponents’ mannerisms?
— Legal Eagle, Rockford, Illinois
Answer: It is, but not if you have induced such mannerisms. There is a fine line between the ethical and the unethical in these circumstances, and in any case, you must be prepared to accept your bad board if the inference you draw is incorrect — unless, of course, you felt that your opponent was deliberately misleading you.
Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner and I play fourth-suit forcing to game. I contend that it should be forcing to game in a major only, not to a minorsuit game, and that we should write “usually forcing to game” on the convention card. My partner says it should be forcing to game for a minor suit as well. Who is right?
— Janitor, Madison, Wisconsin
Answer: Unless by partnership agreement, there is no reason to differentiate one set of sequences from the other. (The biggest problems for fourth-suit game-forcing comes when responder, with invitational values, has no real fit for partner in either of his suits and cannot rebid his suit in an invitational way. This is as likely to happen over a minor as a major.)
Dear Mr. Wolff: How would you open the bidding with this hand: ♠ K-Q-J-6-5-3-2, ♥ ---, ♦ A-K-10-4, ♣ 6-3, non-vulnerable against vulnerable opponents?
— Slam Potential, Seneca, South Carolina
Answer: I’d start with one spade. A preemptive four spades has a lot of appeal, but the colors also mean I would open four spades with king-queen-jack-seventh of spades and not much more.
If it does happen to be our hand, jumping the gun could make any slam-bidding decision very difficult for my partner. Make the diamond ace the jack, and I might go the other way.
Dear Mr. Wolff: I have noticed that some of the better players at my club interfere very aggressively against two-club openings. Is this not very dangerous, or am I missing something? — Ill-defined, Casper, Wyoming
Answer: A two-club opening is undefined: The opening bidder is often relying on being able to show what he has at his next turn. If you can jam the auction so that opener cannot conveniently describe his hand to his partner, they are more likely to misjudge, perhaps by underbidding, overbidding, playing the wrong strain or even doubling you prematurely. So consider making a call when you have a sixcard suit or a two-suited hand at favorable vulnerability. Bear in mind that jumping to the three-level is likely to be more effective than a two-level overcall.
Dear Mr. Wolff: How important would you say a strong team spirit is when performing well in major events?
— Team Huddle, Selma, Alabama
Answer: People often underestimate the effect of state of mind on one’s bridge game. The more confident and “in the zone” a player feels, the better he will play. Having supportive teammates can provide that all-important morale boost. My old friend Seymon Deutsch’s team always outperformed the sum of their parts because of this.