Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: How do you work out the likelihood of a suit splitting evenly or not? Is a 2-2 split more or less likely than a 3-1 split? And what is the rule when you are missing six cards? — Odds and Evens, Ontario, Calif.

Answer: The easiest way to sum up the answer is that if you are missing an even number of cards, a 1-1 split is roughly 50 percent, but when you are missing four or six cards, the suit is less likely than not to split evenly. When you’re missing three, five or seven cards, the suit is likely (a 2-1 chance or better) to split as close to even as possible.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Holding “K-4, “J-9-5-2, “A-10-8-6, “Q-J-3, I heard my partner open one club. Was I supposed to respond one diamond, one heart, or an invitational two no-trump? — Red Menaces, Charleston S.C.

Answer: With four diamonds and four of a major, responder should bid majors before minors unless planning to drive to game. With this hand, then, I would respond one heart. This is particularly so because over one diamond, opener should rebid one no-trump with a 4-3-3-3 shape – even with a four-card major – so you might lose the heart fit unless you bid it now.

Dear Mr. Wolff: A few weeks ago you recommended doubling one heart with “K-J-5, “Q-4, “K-Q-7-2, “Q-J-3-2. What action would you take if you replaced the heart queen with the five of hearts? — Serge Suit, Bristol, Va.

Answer: Without the heart queen I would double one heart facing an unpassed partner at any vulnerability. I think it is safer to bid now than later in some ways, but facing a passed partner, I would sell out.

I can sympathize with passing at pairs, vulnerable, even when facing an unpassed partner.

Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner has recently criticized me for not leading from an ace-king combination so that I could lead his suit or trumps. Is there ever an occasion when this might be right? — Theoretician, Texas City, Texas

Answer: I firmly believe in leading from an ace-king, unless leading a trump might gain a tempo in stopping a crossruff or the like. The reason why I follow this rule is that if I don’t, partner invariably miscounts the hand, thinking my values are somewhere else.

Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner opened one heart and the next player doubled. I held this unremarkable collection: “K-10-5-4, “J-5-2, “10-8-6, “Q-5-3. Should I have passed, raised hearts, bid spades, or tried one no-trump? — Piggy in the Middle, Olympia

Answer: My choice would be to pass, then back in over my LHO’s call with two hearts. That should prevent partner from getting too carried away, thinking our side had the chance of making game. One no-trump should show more high cards; one spade should feature better spades.