The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, 22 February 2026
Choose a language
Français
Deutsch
Español
Italiano
Português
Nederlands
Русский
中文
Türkçe
Dansk
Svenska
Norsk
हिन्दी
Dear Mr. Rigal:
Dear Mr. Rigal:
Some of my friends use control-showing responses to two clubs. Is this a clever idea?
CAB, Huntington, W.Va.
This may let opener know whether you are in the slam zone at once, but these bids take away useful space in an already cramped auction. It may be difficult for both hands to get their suits in and agree on a fit. I prefer to bid two diamonds on most hands as responder and let opener show his hand type first.
Dear Mr. Rigal:
Dear Mr. Rigal:
If you double and then bid a suit next, is that forcing?
I had this hand:
♠ A-K-J-8-5-2, ♥ A-4, ♦ A-K-6, ♣ 7-3
and doubled after my right-hand opponent opened one heart. The next hand passed, and partner bid one no-trump. I wasn’t sure if two spades would be forcing now, so I jumped to three spades. What do you think?
Strong Armed, Selma, Ala.
If partner had made a response in a suit, two spades would be nonforcing, showing extras, since partner could have nothing. It’s a bit different here because partner’s no-trump bid traditionally shows a smattering of values. I would think two spades is forcing unless you have agreed that one no-trump could be bid with very little. Undiscussed, a jump to three spades may be the safest option. With the spade 10 instead of the jack, I might bid only two spades.
Dear Mr. Rigal:
Dear Mr. Rigal:
Would you say being physically fit is beneficial for bridge?
Body and Mind, Grand Junction, Colo.
While it is obviously not essential for bridge, I would say it’s good to be active. Exercise is known to improve mental well-being, and being fit will improve stamina for long bridge sessions — not to mention the lengthy postmortems at the bar afterward!
Dear Mr. Rigal:
Dear Mr. Rigal:
In a nutshell, when is four no-trump not ace-asking?
Exceptions, Honolulu, Hawaii
Four no-trump is always ace-asking (or equivalent) if you have established a fit, so let’s only discuss the situations when a trump suit has not been agreed. In competition, a four-no-trump bid will often be for takeout, showing two places to play. Uncontested, if partner opened or rebid no-trump, a jump to four no-trump is natural and invitational, be it direct or after Stayman or a transfer. Four no-trump should also be quantitative when the auction is at the three-level and you could have agreed a suit or made a cue bid. If you have removed partner’s three no-trump to a new suit at the four-level and partner retreats to four no-trump, that is natural and discouraging, not invitational.
Dear Mr. Rigal:
Dear Mr. Rigal:
If partner leads the king of an unbid suit and the queen appears in dummy, which signal should third hand give?
Contextual, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Signal as you would normally, be it attitude or count on the king. My instinct is to give count in a suit contract, but specifically with cards, I play the third highest (or third lowest if playing reverse signals). That way, you will get your ruffs almost all the time when you have two. As usual, the most important thing is that you and your partner are on the same page.
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.
Responses