Dear Mr. Rigal: You pick up ? 9, ? 10-6-4-3, ? 5-4-2, ? Q-10-8-4-2, vulnerable against not, and the auction starts with one diamond on your left, one spade from partner and pass on your right. You pass, expecting the worst, and the bidding proceeds double — pass — pass. What now?

Answer: The opponents usually have a good reason for penalizing at the one-level, so I tend to run on auctions such as this when I have shortness in partner’s suit. I would redouble for rescue here, or maybe bid one no-trump and redouble for rescue.

Dear Mr. Rigal: Is it acceptable to congratulate your partner for his good play after the opponents have made a mistake?

Answer: I would avoid this. Say partner has just found a great line to make a doubled partscore. The opponents will already be annoyed, so any comment might rub salt into the wound. Bridge is a social game at any level. If the opponents have made no obvious error, then congratulating partner is fine. The trick is not to gloat. If playing online, a private message at the end of the round is the way to go.

Dear Mr. Rigal: As opener, how many points do I need for a jump bid in a new suit at my second turn?

Answer: The thing to bear in mind is that a natural jump rebid is game-forcing, so you must have enough to make game a fair prospect even facing a minimum response with no support from partner. Traditionally, that figure is 19 points, as partner can usually be relied on to produce six or more, boosting it to the needed 25 points. You can have less if you possess significant extra shape or three-card support for partner.

Dear Mr. Rigal: What would you lead from ? A-Q-9-3, ? 10-9-8, ? Q-10, ? 10-6-3-2 after your right-hand opponent had opened one heart and bid game facing a simple raise?

Answer: I would select the heart 10. This is safe and might serve the productive purpose of cutting down dummy’s ruffs. The alternative is a club, which is slightly more dangerous while offering little in terms of offensive prospects. You have no reason to assume dummy will offer a source of tricks (as opposed to a ruffing value).

Dear Mr. Rigal: What does responder’s jump to four no-trump mean over a three-level call in an unopposed auction such as one spade — two hearts — three diamonds? Should this also apply to a later jump to four no-trump by either player when no suit has been agreed?

Answer: In two-over-one, you need not jump or make an artificial bid to set up a force. Thus, you can show your shape, knowing that the auction will never stop short of game. While a jump to four no-trump is generally Blackwood, in our given sequence you would raise partner or cue-bid to set diamonds. So the jump to four no-trump here is quantitative. It shows balanced extras, natural. It shows a three-no-trump bid, too good to limit your hand.

Email Barry Rigal at barryrigal@hotmail.com.