Bridge

Dear Mr. Wolff: I was dealt the following hand of power and quality: •10-8-4, •K-3, •A-10-3, •Q-7-6-5-3. My partner opened one diamond and the next hand overcalled one spade. What would you recommend now? My choice of two clubs got us too high – but what else could I have done? A negative double or one no-trump seemed out of the question.

Nowhere Man, Mason City, Iowa

Answer: Two clubs looks better than your other suggested options, but raising to two diamonds with only three-card support was also a possibility. After all, how likely is partner to have only three diamonds and both four-card majors? It happens less than one in 20 times — and with your spade length, this is especially unlikely.

Dear Mr. Wolff: On a couple of occasions recently, I responded to a strong no-trump, holding a six-card major and seven points. I transferred and passed the response after my partner did nothing more than complete the transfer, but we ended up making 10 tricks. Should hands like this be bid to game?

Coward of the County, Lorain, Ohio

Answer: My simple rule for evaluating hands facing a no-trump is to add on one point for any five-card suit headed by an honor, and two points for a six-card suit. So any seven-count with a six-carder equates to nine points — enough to drive to game unless the hand is very poorly put together, when an invitation may be sufficient.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Why is it that we all lead fourth highest against no-trump contracts? Is there a reason other than inertia?

Iconoclast, Levittown, Pa.

Answer: These days there are two other popular lead styles: third and fifth (or third and low), where the lead is third highest from an even number of cards, but bottom from an odd number, or attitude leads against no-trump, where the smaller the card led, the better the suit. The concept of fourth-highest leads dates from whist and is simply a way to protect your honor cards, while adding some systematic element to the leads. Plus, it works!

Dear Mr. Wolff: What’s my best call over a weak two-spade opener with a two-suited hand (hearts and clubs) and opening values? Holding •A-8, •K-J-7-4-3, •5, •A-Q-9-6-3, I elected to double. My partner bid four hearts and made it, but suggested that the double was too dangerous and a simple overcall might have been better. What do you say?

Twofer, San Francisco, Calif.

Answer: Over a pre-empt some people play Leaping Michaels, whereby a jump to four clubs would show these two suits, but you are about an ace short for that action. I’d guess the majority position might be to overcall three hearts – not three clubs, since the reward for minor-suit games is so low. But no action is attractive, though you MUST bid, rather than pass.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Must you have a four-card major to use Stayman – and do you need invitational values, or can you make the call with both majors and a weak hand?

Staying Power, Macon, Ga.

Answer: If you use four-suit transfers (whereby a bid of two no-trump by responder is a transfer to diamonds), then you may have to use Stayman to invite game with a balanced hand without a four-card major. Equally, Stayman does not have to promise values. You can pass partner’s response, or correct a call of two diamonds to two hearts to get partner to pick a major at the two-level.