Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, February 28, 2010

Dear Mr. Wolff:

What I should do if I am about to be dummy and my partner has incorrectly explained one of my calls?

—  Miles to Go, Wichita Falls, Texas

ANSWER: As soon as the auction is over, tell the opponents what you believe your call meant. If it turns out that your partner was right and you were wrong, no harm has been done. If any damage was done to your opponents, the Tournament Director may need to work his magic. (Note that as a defender, you must wait until the end of the deal before speaking up.)

Dear Mr. Wolff:

With A-10-3-2, Q-10-7-4-3, A-Q, J-4, I suppose you would open one heart, but what would you rebid over a response of one no-trump, which we play as forcing?

—  Stuck on Two, Great Falls, Mont.

ANSWER: This is why people hate the forcing no-trump! You cannot bid two spades without at least an ace more than you hold, and you cannot rebid a miserable five-carder, so I’d either risk a pass and break partnership discipline, or bid a confident two clubs and hope the auction does not end there.

Dear Mr. Wolff:

I’d like to learn more about duplicate by kibitzing. I live in Washington State and would like to know where to observe good players.

—  Grasshopper, Bellevue, Wash.

ANSWER: The easiest way to learn may be by watching on the Internet. You can see top-level bridge on BBO almost every night. And when major championships happen all around the world, the action is shown live, with commentary, but the quality of the analysis varies. Try going to BBO at www.bridgebase.org for more details.

  Dear Mr. Wolff:

My partner had A-Q-7-3-2, 10-3-2, Q-7-4 K-5 and overcalled one spade over one club. This was passed around to his RHO, who doubled for takeout. He passed and so did his LHO, and I redoubled. What action would you recommend now?

—  What Goes Around, Riverside, Calif.

 

ANSWER: The redouble is for rescue so the overcaller cannot pass. The simplest bid is one no-trump. If partner cannot stand that spot, he can run himself or redouble for rescue (when I would head for diamonds, I suppose). It seems unnecessary to remove directly to two diamonds until you have to. No-trump could easily be the best spot.

 

Dear Mr. Wolff:

My partner asked me about a suit combination and I disagreed with his answer. How should you play a singleton, facing A-Q-10-9-7-4 if you want to hold your losers to one trick?

—  Puff Adder, Dover, Del.

 

ANSWER: You plan to lead up to either the 10 or queen, and follow up with the ace, hoping to drop a missing honor. If the suit is 3-3, it is a blind guess. Either line works if the king or jack is doubleton onside; neither line works if the king is doubleton offside. If there is a doubleton jack offside, you must lead first to the queen, then continue by playing the ace and the 10. Thus leading to the queen is right.

 


If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, e-mail him at [email protected]. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2009.