Dear Mr. Rigal: You hold ? 9-7, ? A-J-9-5-4, ? 9-5-2, ? K-J-4, not vulnerable against vulnerable opponents, and hear your partner open one heart. The next hand overcalls two clubs. What say you?

Answer: I am not sure this hand is worth game on its own merit. Yes, we have a 10-card fit, and my club honors are well-placed, but partner will have plenty of losers to deal with because I am so balanced. I would bid three clubs (or two no-trump if that shows support in your methods) to denote a good raise.

Dear Mr. Rigal: We play two clubs Drury as a passed hand when partner opens a major, over which two diamonds from opener shows game interest. What do responder’s bids mean now?

Answer: Opener has not guaranteed more than mild game interest, so responder should sign off in two of the major unless he has a maximum pass. In that case, he can make a natural and descriptive bid of two no-trump with a balanced 11-count, or introduce a new suit with values there, or even jump to three or four of the trump suit.

Dear Mr. Rigal: In a teams match, I picked up ? 9-8-4, ? K-3-2, ? Q-4-3, ? A-10-8-5, everyone vulnerable, and responded one no-trump to partner’s one diamond. He rebid two diamonds, and I passed, missing a good game when partner had ? A-K, ? A-10-9-5, ? K-10-9-6-5-2, ? 9. Should I have done more?

Answer: With a diamond filler for partner’s six-card suit and two quick tricks on the side, three no-trump would be in my sights. It is unlikely that three diamonds will go down, so making a single raise just in case partner is at the top of the range feels right to me. Since a call of two hearts or two spades would be value-showing with a good raise, three diamonds is more of a mild invitation. Partner would drive to game with his actual hand.

Dear Mr. Rigal: Last year, someone asked you how to bid with ? 6-4, ? A-Q-5-3, ? A-K-J-3, ? K-7-2, with everyone vulnerable. After one spade to your left and one no-trump to your right, you doubled and raised your partner’s two-heart call to three, which went down one. My teacher suggested that you have already described your hand with the double.

Answer: Yes, my partner should have four hearts and 3-5 points on average. Yet, would he have done more than bid two hearts with SPADES 7-5-3, HEARTS K-J-9-6-2, DIAMONDS 5-4, CLUBS Q-J-3? Game may not be out of the picture, but I agree it may be less than 50%.

Dear Mr. Rigal: If declarer claims the rest of the tricks when he does not have them, should he be forced to lose the maximum number of tricks, or can we assume reasonable play from then on?

Answer: This is a tricky subject, and one that is best left to the directors. In general, declarer will not be allowed to draw trumps or take a finesse, but he will not be forced to a completely irrational line of play as opposed to an inferior one. This is a fine distinction in many cases!

Contact Barry Rigal, email him at barryrigal@hotmail.com.