Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: As a complete beginner, I often note in the auctions in your column references to transfers. Could you explain how they work and why they are a good idea? — Tyro Power, Harrisburg, Pa.

Answer: When a strong hand opens or overcalls one no-trump, the weaker hand, if he has a major, can transfer the declarership to his partner. A call of two diamonds shows five or more hearts; a call of two hearts shows spades. Opener completes the transfer as requested, which lets responder pass or bid again as appropriate. Transfers let the lead run up to the strong hand and keep the location of the high cards temporarily concealed. Also, the auction pans out better when the responding hand gets additional chances to describe his shape and values.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Concerning an earlier recommendation of yours, if you had an 18-point hand with four clubs and four spades, would you open one club and rebid two spades over a one-heart response? Would not two no-trump deny spades here and risk losing the suit? — Brand Name, Edmonton, Alberta

Answer: The sequence 1 “ – 1 “ – 2 “ guarantees (I’d write it in capitals, but that might look like shouting) an unbalanced hand with clubs and spades. Flat hands, even those with four clubs and four spades, are better off rebidding two no-trump, not two spades. Responder can explore for a spade fit by bidding the new minor or simply bidding three spades here himself.

Dear Mr. Wolff: With scattered values and a bad five-card major facing partner’s one-no-trump opening, do you take out into the suit or pass? And what is the deciding factor for when to take out? Specifically, what would you recommend with “Q-10-5-4-2, “J-5-2, “K-8-6, “5-3? — Major Calamity, Elmira, N.Y.

Answer: I’d advocate always removing from one no-trump with any five-card major. That way, you avoid guessing and always being mistaken! However, if facing a one-no-trump overcall and holding, say, 5-7 points and an honorless suit, I might make an exception. That is because no-trump overcalls are more often skewed in shape and honor location.

Dear Mr. Wolff: In a recent Aces column, East opens two spades, South passes, and West passes. Isn’t two spades a forcing bid? — Car Mechanic, Bay City, Mich.

Answer: A strong two-spade opening would indeed be forcing. But a weak two-spade call (showing 6-10 points and a six-card suit) is not forcing – like a pre-emptive opening bid at the three-level. I often forget that I need to mention from time to time what methods are assumed to be in use in the column. One of them is weak twos, not strong twos. I apologize for any confusion that might have been caused here.

Dear Mr. Wolff: You hold “A-Q, “A-Q10-9-6-5-4-2, “A-6, “3, and partner deals and passes. What should you open if your RHO passes – and what if he opens three spades? (At the table I tried a call of four no-trump, Blackwood, over the three-spade bid, but I admit I was groping in the dark a little!) — Cut for Bait, Miami, Fla.

Answer: After two passes I would try two clubs, then would jump to four hearts over the likely two-diamond response, showing a hand with a lot of playing tricks but not enough high cards to look beyond four hearts.

If my RHO opened three spades, six hearts would be too much, four hearts too little and five hearts just about right. I can’t say Blackwood thrills me. (You will have to guess what to do next over any response.)