Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: I often have the problem of how to advance a hand with extras after I have overcalled. For example, at pairs I bid one heart over one diamond, holding •K-4, •A-J-7-5-2, •K-6-3, •A-Q-5. My LHO bid two diamonds and my partner raised to two hearts. What should I have done when my RHO bid three diamonds? — Buttinski, Grand Forks, N.D.

Answer: When an overcaller doubles facing a passed partner, it tends to be takeout and extras. When partner has supported, or taken other action, double tends to be extra defense and would be sensible with this hand. It would still be optional, but responder would be expected to pass with a normal hand with reasonable defense.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding •4, •J-5-2, •A-10-8-6, •A-K-J-5-3, I opened one club and rebid two clubs over my partner’s one-spade response. When my partner rebid two spades, should I have bid two no-trump, or three clubs? I passed, and found my partner with only five moderate spades. — Straining Hard, Staten Island, N.Y.

Answer: There are any number of issues here. Should you open one diamond or one club? (My vote is for one club). Over partner’s one spade, should you rebid one no-trump or two clubs? (My vote would be for one no-trump!) And should you pass two spades or try to correct to a better spot? Emphatically the answer is to pass, since your partner’s rebid should have guaranteed a six-card suit. Any bid by you would show extra length and values now.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Can you tell me whether raising a rebid of two or three no-trump to four no-trump should generally be Blackwood or quantitative? My partners tell me that this is rarely Blackwood, but I do not know how to ask for aces in any other way. — Gerber Baby, New York City, N.Y.

Answer: Imagine a bidding sequence starting 1 •– 2 •– 2 •– 2 •– 2 NT. If responder jumps to four no-trump now, it should show about an 18-count, quantitative. If responder wants to set diamonds as trumps, he can bid three diamonds now, which safely sets up a game-force. (He would have raised diamonds on one of the two earlier rounds if he had only invitational values.) A subsequent call of four no-trump will now ask for aces, with diamonds as trumps.

Dear Mr. Wolff: What would you have done with my hand here? I held •K-4, •J-5-2, •8-6, •A-K-Q-J-10-3 and opened one club. After a one-spade overcall, my partner doubled, and I jumped to three no-trump, looking for a stopper in each red suit from my partner. Was I overly forward? — Rose-Colored Glasses, Pleasanton, Calif.

Answer: My correspondents rarely take away my breath, but yes, you were just a mite aggressive. A call of three clubs would be optimistic, but not unreasonable. Partner could then explore for three no-trump if appropriate.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Why do people use Roman Key-Card Blackwood these days? Aren’t the old ways of regular Blackwood just as good? Are responses focusing on the queen and king of trumps really that useful? — Mud Stuck, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Answer: Roman Key-Card Blackwood is a useful convention – so long as you can remember the responses! The trump king is almost as significant as any of the four aces (though occasionally the auction tells you that a finesse against the trump king will succeed). Also, you do not really want to bid a slam missing an ace and needing to find the trump queen unless your side has 10 trumps.