The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, January 30th, 2011
| Dear Mr. Wolff:
I heard that there is a Hall of Fame for bridge. Where is it, and who is included? — Star-Struck, Albany, Ga. ANSWER: The ACBL has an American Hall of Fame. In its newly constructed headquarters you can find out all about the giants of the game. See http://www.acbl.org/about/hall-of-fame/ for more details. Dear Mr. Wolff: I was playing Chicago rubber bridge, and on the fourth deal, when we had a partscore of 40 points, I picked up SPADES Q-J-9-3, HEARTS A-Q-7-3, DIAMONDS K-10-3-2, CLUBS A. I opened one diamond and my partner responded one heart. I bid two hearts and he bid two spades. What would you suggest doing now? — Up the Line, San Antonio, Texas ANSWER: I’m a simple soul. If my partner moves over two hearts when that would have given us game, he must have some slam interest. I have an ace more than I’ve shown, so I’ll bid six hearts and be confident he will have play for the slam. In fact, I might be missing a grand slam, but at rubber bridge I’ll settle for simplicity. Dear Mr. Wolff: Last week I doubled a weak-two in hearts on my right, and when this was raised to three hearts, my partner doubled. I assumed my partner would bid a spade suit if he had one, so this double should be either optional or penalties, and since I had a completely balanced hand with the trump ace, I passed. We did set the contract by a trick, but my partner said his double was for takeout. Was he right? — Double Your Fun, Sacramento, Calif. |
ANSWER: Most people agree that whenever the opponents bid and raise a suit around a double, then a second double (from either side) is indeed takeout. In the sequence you had, the double is often referred to as a responsive double, but it would tend to be oriented toward the minors, because — as you inferred — your partner would have bid a spade suit if he had one. Dear Mr. Wolff: My LHO opened four hearts, and I passed, holding SPADES Q-9-4, HEARTS 2, DIAMONDS K-10-8-6, CLUBS K-Q-7-4-3. My partner reopened with a double, which we play as essentially for takeout, though you are allowed to pass with a balanced hand. Here it seemed clear to me to bid, but would you think I was worth more than a simple bid of five clubs? — How High Is Up? Harrisburg, Pa. ANSWER: I would surely bid here, but my choice would be to bid four no-trump to suggest both minors. This does not guarantee values, but it might get my partner to bid strongly if he can envisage a slam facing some extra shape. Dear Mr. Wolff: Could you summarize how responder develops his hand after transferring into a major over his partner’s one-no-trump opening bid? — Major Developer, Trenton, N.J. ANSWER: Responder passes the transfer with a weak hand. He invites game by reraising the suit, or he shows a balanced hand with a two-no-trump bid. A new suit is natural and game-forcing; a jump in a new suit is a slam-try, self-agreeing the transfer suit, showing shortage. A jump to three no-trump offers a choice of games, and a jump to four of the agreed major is either natural and to play (or if a Texas transfer was available, it is a mild slam-try with a six-card major). |
If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, e-mail him at bobbywolff@mindspring.com. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2011.
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