Dear Mr. Wolff: Which card should I return in partner’s suit from four remaining after winning the first trick in that suit?

— Current Count, Casper, Wyo.

Answer: I tend to give remaining count, so I would lead low from odd and as high as I can afford from even, in the context of the cards that are left in my hand. Thus, I return a high one from two remaining, lowest from three, and second (not third if I can afford it) from four left. Another way to think about it is that from your remaining holding, you play the card that you would signal with at trick one (low from one or three cards, top from two, second from four). Count takes precedence over suit preference unless your length is already unambiguously defined.

Dear Mr. Wolff: My partner opened a weak two spades, and I of course had ? ---, ? K-Q-10-8, ? Q-J-10-6-2, ? A-Q-8-5, not vulnerable against vulnerable opponents. To make matters worse, my left-hand opponent reopened with a double, which her partner let stand. Should I have run?

— Refuge of the Damned, Tucson, Ariz.

Answer: You have no great reason (unless you know your partner’s predilections for weak preempts) to expect any strain to play better than spades, and to do so you would need to raise the level or try two no-trump — where you might never score a spade trick. Having said that, trusting the opponents and redoubling is tempting, I admit.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Would you ever open a five-card major ahead of a six-card minor? What are the factors that would make the choice preferable?

— Exceptional Case, Richmond, Va.

Answer: I normally open my longest suit, but in third chair if my five-card suit is strong, I might open that for the lead or as a preempt. I tend to believe that, if the two suits are touching in reversing pattern, opening a good five-carder in front of a moderate six-carder is practical. In almost every other scenario, I bid a six-card suit first, as long as it is headed by a top honor.

Dear Mr. Wolff: Do you think it is a smart idea for a regular partnership to increase their number of conventions? Where do you draw the line?

— Naturalist, Bellevue, Wash.

Answer: I only like conventions that come up frequently enough to be worth committing to memory. Remember that every extra tool you add inevitably diverts brain power away from your decision-making in other areas. Do not bother having subtle agreements in rare auctions, and do not make them too complex even in common situations. As to where to draw the line: If it has not come up in the past five years, it is a waste of time talking about it or refining it!

Dear Mr. Wolff: Say you switch to the king in the middle of the hand. What signal do you expect partner to give?

— King for Count, Dover, Del.

Answer: I would tend to give count if the king could be from ace-king (in which case the ace would be an unsupported lead), but if it is clear someone else has the ace, I would give an encouraging or discouraging signal about the jack.

Contact Bobby Wolff at bobbywolffindspring.com