The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, December 4th, 2016
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With both sides vulnerable you are in second seat holding ♠ 10-8-7-2, ♥ K-8-7-6, ♦ K-J-6, ♣ A-9 and hear an opening call of one diamond to your right. Where do you stand on making a light takeout double holding both majors, but only a doubleton club? Incidentally, if you pass, partner would re-open with a double; what now? Mac the Knife, Twin Falls, Idaho I don’t mind a double and would do it at non-vulnerable for sure. This might be the right vulnerability to pass, though. After hearing the re-opening double I’d bid two diamonds, a cuebid, expecting partner in response to do more than make a simple call in a major with full values. At pairs I plan to pass a simple response in a major.
When RHO opens a minor, I would appreciate some guidelines as to my best action when holding a strong hand with a good six-hard major and a singleton in the other major. Doubling may result in LHO or my partner upping the ante inconveniently in the other major, while a simple overcall doesn’t really express the value of this hand. If you do not play strong jumps, how do you cope with the problem? Rumblefish, Little Rock, Ark. Bidding one heart, planning to take more action the next time, is the modern style. When you feel too strong for that, you may have to double and correct partner’s minimum action to show your power. If he does more than that, you should be able to underwrite game. While a jump to two of a major would be weak, in balancing seat the jump shows 13-16 or so. And for what it is worth, I play intermediate rather than preemptive jumps when vulnerable.
I held: ♠ J-9-7-3-2, ♥ A-9, ♦ A-6-3, ♣ Q-10-4 and heard one diamond from my partner, two clubs on my right. I felt my spades were too weak to bid, so I doubled and bid two spades over my partner’s two heart response. My partner passed now, thinking I was weak, and we missed game. What should I have done? Negative Energy, Princeton, N.J. |
Doubling an overcall then bidding a new suit shows a hand too weak to make that call directly. Your action suggested six spades and 8-10 points, perhaps. Of course your actual hand is hard to describe. Doubling then bidding two no-trump may be best, though remember that a simple two spade call does not guarantee a good suit.
I was dealt: ♠ A-J-7-4, ♥ A-K-9-4, ♦ K-5-3, ♣ 10-4 and heard my RHO open one club. I doubled, and when LHO raised to two clubs my partner doubled that, which I took as responsive, suggesting both majors. I bid two hearts and my partner converted to two spades. What does this sequence show, and was I right to pass? Great Dane, Danville, Ill. I’m not sure I know precisely, but I’d expect invitational values, perhaps with spades and diamonds? With fewer values he would surely just bid two spades directly, since you have guaranteed at least spade tolerance for your initial double. I think I have enough to raise to three spades and let partner clarify for himself.
A long time ago I started to learn bridge, and fell in love with it but gave it up for 40 years. At this point how would I go about finding a group that would both welcome and instruct beginners on the game? I’d appreciate any recommendations you have. Welfare State, Fremont, Calif. Believe it or not Sheinwold’s “Five Weeks to Winning Bridge is still a good starter. A more recent book is Audrey Grant’s series on bridge basics. Writers I enjoy reading are Reese on the play of the cards, Mike Lawrence – a clear and concise author – with Eddie Kantar for humor. You might care to google the Grant books and see if any look suitable for you – and email me for more suggestions! |
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Dear Mr. Wolff:
On the question on how to re-start, I think I have some experience.
I started in college, stopped for a decade, then played avidly for a few years, and then off again for another decade, and 3 years ago joined a club. All those stop and go movements were due to work travel, living overseas where no bridge could be found. However, I have been a member of the ACBL and received the Bulletin regularly, so I kept up with the trends. So I would say there were a good 25 years away from tables, but connected to the game.
I would say, first, join the ACBL. That will give him the Bulletin. Second, but simultaneously, join a club. Almost all clubs will have useful instruction. Also, will find people in the same situation you are. Third, go on-line and kibitz. Play with robots. Last, but not so important, find a foursome to play rubber bridge for fun.
On the issue of books, I think that the Mike Lawrence booklets, in which he breaks down each bridge topic in a very small and compact book, is the most useful. Because he does not put the reader to sleep. I think that the some of the authors you mentioned are too difficult for beginners (Reese) or too simplistic (Grant) – does not elevate the most humble beginner. Sorry for being so rude to a living teacher, but that is my opinion.
Dear Mr. Wolff
A recent loss to the golf world, Arnold Palmer, was a very capable bridge player.
Do you have a copy of the Ira Corn book in which he describes a great squeeze play by Palmer. ( You appear in the cover, along with the other Aces). If not, would you like a copy of the article.
BTW, the club to which I belong is auctioning a copy of the book, for a charity, in which the page of the article is autographed by Arnold Palmer ( Yes, I went to Bay Hill to ask him to sign it ).
If anyone is interested in making an offer, please let me know before the end of the year. The top offer stands at 10 dollars.
I think it would make a good article and at the same time show the connection between golf and
bridge.
Hi Peter,
Thanks for all your good advice.
Yes you are right about golf and bridge since when I was living in Dallas, and the main professional gold tournament passed through there in April there were many golfers who played bridge in the locker rooms before the tournament and when rain interrupted the event.
I played against some oldies, Frank Beard and several other top young ones (at that time), some of them Europeans one whose first name was Jasper (Parkernick or close) and one named Snead) not Sammy, who was quite good.
Yes Arnold Palmer was a wonderful, fun loving guy who everyone (fellow golfers and the public) unconditionally loved.
Perhaps someone who will be reading your post is interested in buying Arnold’s autograph and, if so you’ll be able to find out right here.
Thanks for taking your time to tip off your views which I do believe are in tune with the rest of the bridge playing world, especially your favorites.
Sadly, I do not have a copy of Ira’s book, but, of course, remember when it was written (almost 50 years ago). BTW, it was Ira who suggested to Mike Lawrence that he had excellent writing ability and was really the one who got him started writing about bridge.
In case Welfare State is (still) checking in here:
Regarding books I would highly recommend Dorothy Hayden Truscott’s “Bid Better Play Better”. It is specifically aimed at former players “in transition” from old Standard methods toward more modern methods and conventions. She did a great job on Captaincy, and Forcing Principles, which to me are absolute Cornerstones.
You will find that much / most instructional material is about bidding and Declarer play. Try to balance your learning between that and co-operative defense.
Many Clubs now report comprehensive game results on their websites; contracts played, opening leads, what can be made etc. Great for post-mortem review and learning. If you find such a Club try it out.