Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, January 31st, 2022


4 Comments

Mircea GiurgeuFebruary 14th, 2022 at 1:32 pm

Hi Bobby,

Is your preference to play the jump shift to 2D as weak or as something else?

What would be a 3D cuebid instead of 3S by South?

bobbywolffFebruary 14th, 2022 at 2:07 pm

Hi Mircea,

My preference is not to play a jump shift (any) as a weak hand, except in competition (RHO bidding).

Both strong or even artificial (various choices) would rank ahead of weak with me, although others may differ.

My direct answer to your second query would be that 3 diamonds would be my choice, then an imaginative 3NT by South over 3 hearts by North (guaranteeing, or close, holding 4 spades and a diamond stop).

All the above is, no doubt, somewhat aggressive, but to do less, is as risky as not.

However, the tendencies of both N. and S. should enter into the judgment, emphasizing the need for both partner’s to be consistent, (a vastly underrated quality), rather than flighty.

Iain ClimieFebruary 14th, 2022 at 3:32 pm

Hi Bobby,

How good is 3N as a contract really? If East has a club honour and West leads a diamond it is off even if spades are 3-3 with the Q onside.

Regards,

Iain

bobbywolffFebruary 14th, 2022 at 3:51 pm

Hi Iain,

Somewhat mediocre, but with West opening the bidding and his partner echoing diamonds, those logistics seemed positive to declarer.

Of course, the intangibles are what makes our game so unpredictable, but between the choice of conservatism and aggression, methinks my money would usually be on the second.

Obviously, bidding game doesn’t necessarily deserve congratulations, but methinks not embarrassment either.