The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, 14 June 2026
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Dear Mr. Rigal:
Is ♠ K-8, ♥ K-Q-J-8-7-2, ♦ J-8-7, ♣ 5-2 worth an opening bid, everyone vulnerable?
Color Blind, Phoenix, Ariz.
I would open a weak two hearts at these colors. Non-vulnerable, this may be a bit too strong. I might try one heart in that case. I do not like to pass with a good six-card suit. I have no compunction about passing moderate hands with weak six-carders. Similarly, if you switch the heart queen and club five, this becomes a clear-cut two-heart opener at any vulnerability.
Dear Mr. Rigal:
I see you are interested in reader deals. How do I pass them along?
Concerned Citizen, Newark, N.J.
I’m always happy to take reader deals. If you want to send a BBO deal to me, click on the deal, then hit Export, Handviewer link. Copy the resulting link. You can then email or message me that link.
Dear Mr. Rigal:
Defending against a suit contract, your partner leads a side suit, and dummy hits with a singleton ace. What is your signal in third seat?
Classic Case, Calgary, Alberta
It is unlikely that partner cares what you have in this suit, since dummy can ruff the next round. Your signal should be suit preference, just as it would be if partner had led the ace and dummy had tabled a small singleton. Suit preference is the default whenever the suit in play is dead.
Dear Mr. Rigal:
Would you take a bid with ♠ A-J-10-5-2, ♥ 8, ♦ Q-10-8-6-2, ♣ K-4, at favorable vulnerability, over left-hand opponent’s four-heart opening?
Big Upside, Selma, Ala.
Yes, I would bid at these colors. This will be the right call whenever either contract is making. I think I would try four spades, which will be the only way to reach a 5-3 fit, but I understand a takeout double too.
Dear Mr. Rigal:
We play “party bridge,” in which we change tables after every four deals, but we are unsure how to score it. For example, say we make a game, then they get a part-score, then we make games on boards three and four. What is the proper way to score this?
Legal Eagle, Spokane, Wash.
I think the form of scoring you are referring to is Chicago, where the vulnerability on each deal is preset and part-scores carry forward until board four. In your specific example, let’s say you make three no-trump with an overtrick, they make three diamonds and you make a major-suit game with an overtrick on each of the last two. The vulnerability goes: love all, dealer favorable, dealer favorable, game all. Say you deal board one such that you are vulnerable for boards two and four, they are on three and four. So, +430 below the line, -60 to them (if they get 40 or more below the line, they get game at the prevailing vulnerability), +450 wipes out their part-score, +650. That makes 1470, or 15 points to you. If their part-score survived through board four, they would get a +50 bonus. Wikipedia has a thorough article on Chicago bridge scoring if you want more details.
Barry Rigal
Barry Rigal is an English-born bridge player, author, commentator, and journalist who has won major national titles in both the UK and the United States and served as a VuGraph commentator for decades at European and World championships. He has written and edited numerous bridge books and articles and has been President of the International Bridge Press Association, contributing widely to the game’s literature and education.
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