Dear Mr. Rigal: What would you bid with A-K-Q-J-10-4, 3, Q-J, K-10-6-3, no one vulnerable, after your left-hand opponent’s one-heart opening is raised to two on your right?

Answer: With the same hand minus all the minor-suit honors and with one spade fewer, I would bid two spades, so that call seems like an underbid here. How is partner to know that two minor-suit fillers will probably produce a game? I would double, intending to bid three spades next, to show a strong hand. It is unlikely that neither side makes a three-level contract here.

Dear Mr. Rigal: If you are in fourth chair, one opponent opens a suit and the other responds in a different suit, what does cue-bidding one of their suits show?

Answer: Bidding responder’s suit should be natural, showing an opening hand with a good six-card holding. Bidding opener’s suit can be used to show the other suits, 5-5 or better, but you can also play it as natural by agreement. This might be an especially good idea if the opening in a minor could be short, and that is my preference.

Dear Mr. Rigal: How should we deal with interference over Stayman?

Answer: If the overcall is two diamonds, opener can just bid his major or double for penalty. If they bid two hearts or two spades, you can play double either as penalty or as showing the other major; I prefer the former. Responder’s reopening double of any two-level overcall should be defensive. If they double two clubs, ignore it, except that bidding directly shows a club stopper, while passing first denies one. (Responder redoubles to re-initiate the Stayman ask.) Redouble by opener is an offer to play.

Dear Mr. Rigal: You hold A-10-6-4, K-7-2, A-9-4-2, A-5, and your partner opens one spade. What is the right bid when the next hand overcalls three hearts, weak?

Answer: I would cue-bid four hearts to show a strong raise to four spades. This does not promise a heart control. A call of four spades would be consistent with a weaker hand. This way, partner may be able to show slam interest with extras. I plan to pass a four-spade sign-off. Note that this is close to a minimum for the call. I would bid four spades with a minimum game-force. Partner will now know I have at least some suitability for slam and may have a chance to judge when to bid past game.

Dear Mr. Rigal: What should opener’s jump to a new suit indicate in a competitive auction such as one diamond — (one heart) — one spade — (two hearts) — four clubs, around the table?

Answer: In competitive auctions, I think splinters should apply only in opponents’ suits. Thus, four clubs ought to be natural and forcing here, especially since three clubs would be non-forcing. Opener must be able to show a big hand with clubs, but four clubs ought to show a lot of shape, maybe 6-5 as a minimum, to forgo three no-trump.

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