Dear Mr. Rigal: Your partner opens one heart, the next hand overcalls three diamonds and you double. Fourth seat passes, and partner bids four clubs. What do you think is this forcing?

Answer: I can see a good case for four clubs to be forcing. Responder has shown a good to reasonable hand to force to the three-level with no guarantee of a fit, and opener has gone past the most likely game of three no-trump. However, what is opener to bid with a minimum 5-5 hand? I see little alternative to four clubs. I can see four clubs being bid with much stronger hands as well, so I doubt it would be passed, but it is not strictly forcing.

Dear Mr. Rigal: I did badly here: ? A-Q-J-3, ? 4, ? J-5, ? K-Q-J-9-7-5. My partner opened one no-trump, and I bid Stayman. To my surprise, partner showed spades. I asked for aces with four no-trump and he showed two, so we played in five spades. Alas, the opponents took a club ruff together with their aces, so we were one down. What would you have done differently?

Answer: After partner’s two-spade response, your four-no-trump call ought to be quantitative natural and invitational. I recommend bidding three hearts with any shortness over two spades. Opener can ask you where your singleton is. Here, I imagine opener would sign off in four spades, and you should probably pass that. Having said that, I believe you can count yourself very unlucky here.

Dear Mr. Rigal: After one of a major and an intervening double, does responder’s redouble say anything in particular?

Answer: Redouble promises values, at least 9 high-card points, typically with no fit for opener’s major and no long suit of responder’s own to bid. There is often a desire to penalize the opponents. Traditionally, subsequent doubles are for penalty, while a pass is forcing up to two of opener’s suit.

Dear Mr. Rigal: You pick up ? J-4, ? 10-7-6-2, ? A-Q-10-8-6-3, ? 3, both sides vulnerable, and hear partner open one spade. You respond one no-trump, and the next hand doubles for takeout. Partner passes, and your right-hand opponent bids two hearts. Would you do anything over that?

Answer: Partner could have bid a second suit with real shape, or rebid spades with six of them. If the opponents have a heart fit, partner must have at least two diamonds. You might not have been intending to play three diamonds on an uncontested auction, but it does not pay to let the opponents play the hand in a potential fit at a low level. So, I would bid three diamonds.

Dear Mr. Rigal: Is it acceptable to leave the table as dummy on the last hand of a set?

Answer: It can be discomfiting for both partner and the opponents if one of them has to turn over dummy’s cards. I think it is impolite unless there is someone else available who is happy to play the dummy for you. Just wait for the play to finish it cannot be that painful to watch partner’s declarer play!

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