March 16th, 2018 ~ Bobby Wolff ~ 4 Comments
Boast not thyself of tomorrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Proverbs 27:1
S |
North |
N-S |
♠ 10 8 5
♥ 10 2
♦ A 10 2
♣ J 10 9 6 2 |
West |
East |
♠ J 6
♥ Q 9 7 4
♦ 8 7 5 3
♣ A 8 7 |
♠ Q 9 7 3
♥ J 8 5
♦ Q 6 4
♣ K 4 3 |
South |
♠ A K 4 2
♥ A K 6 3
♦ K J 9
♣ Q 5 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
2 NT |
Pass |
3 NT |
All pass |
|
|
|
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♦8
You are at the top of your range for your earlier actions. This is the right moment to double, suggesting that the opponents may have made a mistake. This will allow your partner to raise spades, introduce a five-card suit if he has one, or play for penalties.
BID WITH THE ACES
♠ Q 9 7 3
♥ J 8 5
♦ Q 6 4
♣ K 4 3 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
|
1 ♣ |
Dbl. |
Pass |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
1 NT |
? |
|
|
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March 15th, 2018 ~ Bobby Wolff ~ 12 Comments
Like Dead-Sea fruits, that tempt the eye, But turn to ashes on the lips!
Thomas Moore
S |
North |
None |
♠ K 10 8 3
♥ K J 8
♦ A 7 6
♣ K J 6 |
West |
East |
♠ J 9 6 5
♥ 9 7 6 4 3 2
♦ K Q J
♣ — |
♠ —
♥ A Q 10 5
♦ 8 5 3 2
♣ 9 7 4 3 2 |
South |
♠ A Q 7 4 2
♥ —
♦ 10 9 4
♣ A Q 10 8 5 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
2 NT* |
Pass |
4 ♣ |
Pass |
4 ♦ |
Pass |
4 ♥ |
Pass |
4 NT |
Pass |
5 ♠** |
Pass |
6 ♠ |
All pass |
|
|
|
|
*Forcing spade raise
**Two key-cards and the trump queen
♦K
There is no universal agreement about what doubles of this sort mean, but here your hand tells you that your partner has a good hand with spades. After all, who else has the spades? You should pass and lead from your five-card suit. You may not beat one no-trump, but there is no reason to assume you have a better hole to go to.
BID WITH THE ACES
♠ —
♥ A Q 10 5
♦ 8 5 3 2
♣ 9 7 4 3 2 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
|
1 ♠ |
Pass |
1 NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Dbl. |
Pass |
? |
|
|
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March 14th, 2018 ~ Bobby Wolff ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, February 28th, 2018
If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination. Once begun upon this downward path, you never know where you are to stop.
Thomas de Quincey
E |
North |
E-W |
♠ Q 9 7
♥ 7
♦ A K 5 2
♣ Q J 8 7 3 |
West |
East |
♠ A
♥ 9 6 4 3 2
♦ Q 10 9 6 4
♣ A 5 |
♠ 5 3 2
♥ A K 10 5
♦ J 8
♣ K 10 4 2 |
South |
♠ K J 10 8 6 4
♥ Q J 8
♦ 7 3
♣ 9 6 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
|
|
|
1 ♣ |
1 ♠ |
2 ♥ |
3 ♥* |
4 ♥ |
Pass |
Pass |
4 ♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
Dbl. |
All pass |
|
*Constructive spade raise
♦10
The auction has turned your hand to dust and ashes. When your partner rebids his suit, he suggests a minimum opener with six or more hearts and implicitly no game interest unless you have undisclosed extras. You do not, so pass. If your spade queen were the heart queen, you would at least invite game in hearts.
BID WITH THE ACES
♠ Q 9 7
♥ 7
♦ A K 5 2
♣ Q J 8 7 3 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
|
|
1 ♥ |
Dbl. |
Rdbl. |
1 ♠ |
2 ♥ |
Pass |
? |
|
|
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March 13th, 2018 ~ Bobby Wolff ~ 6 Comments
Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; Wisdom is humble that he knows no more.
William Cowper
N |
North |
N-S |
♠ 10 9 8 4
♥ K 9 4
♦ A Q 4
♣ K 5 4 |
West |
East |
♠ K 5
♥ Q 7 6 2
♦ J 10 9 8 2
♣ Q 7 |
♠ 6 3
♥ 5
♦ K 7 6 3
♣ J 9 8 6 3 2 |
South |
♠ A Q J 7 2
♥ A J 10 8 3
♦ 5
♣ A 10 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
|
|
1 ♣ |
Pass |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
2 ♠ |
Pass |
6 ♠ |
All pass |
|
|
♦J
This is an area of modern bidding that is somewhat undiscussed. There are three plausible calls to consider: You could raise hearts, rebid one no-trump or introduce your spades. I don’t like bidding spades on such a poor suit with only three clubs, and I am not enchanted with raising hearts on such a square hand. So this looks like a one-no-trump rebid to me. I’d risk losing the spades on a part-score deal.
BID WITH THE ACES
♠ 10 9 8 4
♥ K 9 4
♦ A Q 4
♣ K 5 4 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
1 ♣ |
Pass |
1 ♥ |
Pass |
? |
|
|
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March 12th, 2018 ~ Bobby Wolff ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Monday, February 26th, 2018
We ought to feel deep cheerfulness that a happy Providence kept it from being any worse.
Thomas Hardy
S |
North |
E-W |
♠ 8 6 5 4
♥ J 5
♦ K Q 6 3
♣ Q 5 2 |
West |
East |
♠ 7 3 2
♥ K Q 10 9 6
♦ 9 8 5
♣ 9 7 |
♠ J
♥ 8 4 3 2
♦ A J 10 4
♣ K J 8 6 |
South |
♠ A K Q 10 9
♥ A 7
♦ 7 2
♣ A 10 4 3 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
2 ♠ |
Pass |
4 ♠ |
All pass |
|
|
♥K
Your choice is between the black suits, and if you lead a spade, you have the option of a high or low card. The spade lead is just a little too dangerous for me, so I would lead the club six, though give me the spade nine instead of the eight, and I’d settle for a spade.
LEAD WITH THE ACES
♠ J 10 8 3
♥ K 4 3
♦ A J 7 6
♣ 6 2 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
|
|
Pass |
1 ♥ |
Pass |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
3 ♥ |
All pass |
|
|
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March 11th, 2018 ~ Bobby Wolff ~ 15 Comments
I picked up ♠ J-9-2, ♥ J-10-8-7, ♦ J-5-3, ♣ A-10-8 and heard my partner open one diamond in third seat. The next player overcalled two clubs, and I wasn’t sure whether to make a negative double, raise diamonds or pass. What do you think?
Rumble Fish, Newport News, Va.
This is not a terrible example of an off-shape double, but you should reflect on the fact that partner did open in third chair, so there is always some question of whether he has a full opener. If you pass two clubs and your partner sells out as well, you probably have no great fit. If partner is short in clubs, he will reopen with a double or suit bid.
When is it prudent or acceptable to pass your partner’s one-club or one-diamond opening bid? Does the form of scoring matter for this decision?
Vacuum Cleaner, Hot Springs Village, Ark.
With balanced subminimum hands vulnerable, there is little merit in responding. With six HCP or more, you always respond; so it is the 4-6 HCP hands with a major and no fit where you would tend to respond to a minor. Similarly, you might pass a major-suit opener, since you already have found a playable spot. Non-vulnerable, the upsides of bidding include the tactical (stealing the hand or having them miss a game), finding a better fit or reaching game, or reducing your minus score.
I have a theoretical problem when holding 5-6 pattern with a longer minor. Holding, for example, ♠ Q-6, ♥ A-J-9-5-3, ♦ —, ♣ K-Q-9-8-3-2, should I include distribution points to make this hand strong enough for a reverse, or should I take a pragmatic approach by opening one heart and then repeating the clubs if necessary?
Going for Broke, Victoria, British Columbia
Reverses do not specifically guarantee a great hand; extra shape may allow you to upgrade certain hands. With a touching two-suiter and 5-6 shape with a minimum opening, I would tend to open the higher suit. When the six-carder is good and the five-carder bad, and the suits are non-touching, that may be too much of a distortion. Here, I might start with one club — who’s to say partner won’t start by bidding diamonds?
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My question is about how much stock to put in shape as opposed to high cards when considering inviting game as responder. I recently picked up ♠ Q-10-4-2, ♥ J-8-5-2, ♦ —, ♣ A-Q-10-3-2 and responded one heart to my partner’s one-diamond opening. When he raised to two hearts, should I have bid on or passed?
Reach for the Skies, Juneau, Alaska
Vulnerable at teams, I would feel obliged to try for game. At pairs, my void in partner’s suit would be a negative in the context of only holding four trumps, as opposed to five or more. For the record, switch the hearts and clubs, and this hand is at least worth a try for game.
I am about to start working with a group of students who will begin bridge, and some of them have not played cards before. Do you think I should mention transfers in the beginning or introduce them later on? What about weak two-bids, or strong twos?
Tortoise Shell, Sacramento, Calif.
The most important concept is to understand what a trick is and what trumps are. Get them playing the cards before they learn to bid, and begin with Knock-out Whist if necessary. Weak twos are best, I think; they are just as “natural” as the strong variety. As for transfers, they can wait a while.
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March 10th, 2018 ~ Bobby Wolff ~ 3 Comments
Human institutions depend for their existence and stability on the impulse of self-preservation and its close associate, the fear instinct.
Boris Sidis
S |
North |
E-W |
♠ A Q 2
♥ A Q 5 4
♦ J 5
♣ J 10 5 2 |
West |
East |
♠ 10 9 8 4
♥ 9 7 2
♦ K 8 4
♣ Q 7 6 |
♠ K 6 3
♥ K J 10 6
♦ 6 3
♣ K 9 8 3 |
South |
♠ J 7 5
♥ 8 3
♦ A Q 10 9 7 2
♣ A 4 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
1 ♦ |
Pass |
1 ♥ |
Pass |
1 NT |
Pass |
3 NT |
All pass |
|
|
|
|
♠10
You have too much to sell out cheaply. While a double would be card-showing not penalty, there is no need to do more than bid one no-trump and take it from there. If the opponents rebid in spades, I would probably let them play there.
BID WITH THE ACES
♠ K 6 3
♥ K J 10 6
♦ 6 3
♣ K 9 8 3 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
Pass |
Pass |
1 ♦ |
Dbl. |
1 ♥ |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
? |
|
|
|
March 9th, 2018 ~ Bobby Wolff ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Friday, February 23rd, 2018
Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
John Donne
N |
North |
N-S |
♠ 7 5
♥ A 10 5 3 2
♦ A Q 7
♣ K 10 9 |
West |
East |
♠ A J 8 6 2
♥ K 4
♦ K 10 6 5
♣ 6 3 |
♠ 9 4 3
♥ J 9 8 7
♦ 8
♣ J 8 7 5 4 |
South |
♠ K Q 10
♥ Q 6
♦ J 9 4 3 2
♣ A Q 2 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
|
|
1 ♥ |
Pass |
2 NT |
Pass |
3 NT |
All pass |
|
|
|
|
♠6
The two questions here are whether this hand is worth a drive to game, and if so, whether to mention the diamonds on the way to three no-trump, if there should be no eight-card spade fit. I say that the concentrated honors make it worthwhile to bid game, and that same factor argues for showing the diamonds and letting partner know the full story.
BID WITH THE ACES
♠ A J 8 6 2
♥ 7 4
♦ K J 7 5
♣ 6 3 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
|
|
1 NT |
Pass |
2 ♥ |
Pass |
2 ♠ |
Pass |
? |
|
|
|
March 8th, 2018 ~ Bobby Wolff ~ 12 Comments
No man thinks there is much ado about nothing when the ado is about himself.
Anthony Trollope
N |
North |
E-W |
♠ A 9 5
♥ A 4 2
♦ 7 6 4
♣ A 6 5 2 |
West |
East |
♠ J 10 8 3
♥ 10 8 7
♦ J 10
♣ K Q J 9 |
♠ —
♥ 9 6 5 3
♦ Q 9 8 5 2
♣ 10 8 7 4 |
South |
♠ K Q 7 6 4 2
♥ K Q J
♦ A K 3
♣ 3 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
|
|
1 ♦ |
Pass |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
1 NT |
Pass |
2 ♦* |
Pass |
2 ♠ |
Pass |
4 NT |
Pass |
5 ♣ |
Pass |
6 ♠ |
All pass |
|
|
*Game-forcing relay
♣K
Your partner’s double of the two-spade call is take-out and shows extras — the equivalent of a game-try with short spades. In context, your combination of decent spot cards plus a ruffing value suggests you have enough to make one game-try of three clubs and let your partner know where you live.
BID WITH THE ACES
♠ J 10 8 3
♥ 10 8 7
♦ J 10
♣ K Q J 9 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
Pass |
1 ♦ |
1 ♥ |
Dbl. |
2 ♥ |
2 ♠ |
Dbl. |
Pass |
? |
|
|
|
March 7th, 2018 ~ Bobby Wolff ~ 10 Comments
The hand you are dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free will.
Jawarhalal Nehru
S |
North |
Both |
♠ 7 6 2
♥ K 7 3 2
♦ J 5
♣ A K 6 3 |
West |
East |
♠ K 10 5
♥ 10
♦ 9 6 4 2
♣ J 8 7 5 2 |
♠ J 9 8 4
♥ A J 8
♦ 8 7 3
♣ Q 10 9 |
South |
♠ A Q 3
♥ Q 9 6 5 4
♦ A K Q 10
♣ 4 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
1 ♥ |
Pass |
3 ♥ |
Pass |
4 NT |
Pass |
5 ♥ |
Pass |
6 ♥ |
All pass |
|
|
♣2
This hand may not be quite worth a double followed by a heart bid, but the alternatives are so inelegant (a two-heart overcall or a bid of one no-trump?) that the more flexible route seems wisest. You plan to double and bid hearts, but this might also allow you to get to diamonds in some circumstances.
BID WITH THE ACES
♠ A Q 3
♥ Q 9 6 5 4
♦ A K Q 10
♣ 4 |
South |
West |
North |
East |
|
|
|
1 ♠ |
? |
|
|
|
|
Today’s deal saw West get off to an unfortunate lead against three no-trump, requiring some nice defense from East to defeat the game.
When North raised South’s two-no-trump opening to game, West might have led a heart, but he reasonably opted for the more passive choice of the diamond eight. There is no real likelihood that hearts will be more fertile ground than diamonds, and leading from honor-fourth into a strong hand is more likely to cost a trick than strike gold.
When declarer played low from dummy at trick one, East refrained from contributing the queen. His logic was that he wanted to minimize the later entries to dummy in diamonds by preserving his honor over dummy’s holding.
When South won the first trick with his jack and advanced the club queen, East made his second good play by ducking. Had he won, South would have been able to drive out the club ace, with the diamond entry to dummy remaining in place. As it was, when South played a second club, East won and shifted to spades (again, a diamond would have allowed declarer to create an extra entry to dummy and set up the clubs). When West won his spade jack and reverted to diamonds, declarer put in the 10, but East covered, and declarer now had no chance but to rely on spades breaking.
When that suit split 4-2, he could take no more than three diamonds, one club and two tricks in each major.