The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, 31 May 2026
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Dear Mr. Rigal:
What would you do with ♠ J-8-4, ♥ A-10-8-3, ♦ 3, ♣ J-10-8-6-4 after partner opens one diamond and jumps to three clubs over your one-heart response?
Big Fit, Ketchikan, Alaska
Partner’s jump rebid is game-forcing, so a slam might be in the cards. Picture partner with a 5-5 hand, and you do not need much to make 12 tricks. Raise to four clubs to set clubs as trumps, and start cue-bidding. You will bid four hearts over four diamonds to check for a spade control. The fifth trump is huge in context, and diamond shortness may also be helpful in establishing that suit for no loser, or allowing for spade discards from your hand.
Dear Mr. Rigal:
What is the difference between pairs and teams scoring? Which events are played with one form of scoring as opposed to the other?
Duplication, Dayton, Ohio
Teams scoring typically involves a team of four, where one pair sits North-South at one table and one East-West at another table. They play against four members of another team in the opposing seats, and their results are cumulated; the difference is typically converted into international match points. Teams scoring and rubber bridge scoring basically emphasize making the contract as opposed to over- and undertricks. Pairs scoring is more about doing better than others with your cards — the quantum of difference is irrelevant. Most casual events use pairs scoring whereas rubber bridge is far closer to teams.
Dear Mr. Rigal:
What is the percentage play for four tricks with a small doubleton facing A-K-10-9-8?
Restricted Choice, North Bay, Ontario
Your best bet is to finesse the eight. If that loses, finesse the nine on the next round. This picks the suit off whenever at least one of the missing honors is onside (barring a bare honor offside). Both the queen and jack being offside is half as likely as usual because the Principle of Restricted Choice applies.
Dear Mr. Rigal:
You hold ♠ J-9-6-2, ♥ 3, ♦ A-J-2, ♣ K-Q-J-4-2, vulnerable against not. Your right-hand opponent opens one heart, you double and the next hand raises to two hearts. Partner bids two spades, and opener jumps to four hearts. Your call?
Bright Side, Honolulu, Hawaii
There is a good case for bidding four spades here. It could make, especially with my source of tricks in clubs, and the opponents might bid on at these colors if I look confident enough. Note that this call comes with no guarantees!
Dear Mr. Rigal:
Someone told me that there were several excellent pianists in the bridge world. Do you play — and do you know why there should be a possible link between music and bridge?
Graham Crackers, Janesville, Wis.
I am a dedicated (not to say obsessive) listener to classical music, but I am not a player. Two top bridge-playing pianists are Eric Rodwell and Ron Smith, but I also know Scottie Waldron as a violinist. The late Michael Dilkes of the U. K. was a concert-level horn player.
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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