When a player goes to play a card and holds it so that his partner might be able to see it, does this constitute a played card? If so, what are the consequences?

Vision Decision, Sunbury, Pa.

The situation differs for declarer and the defense. Declarer can make a card visible to the defenders without penalty; to consider his card played, it must hit the deck, or very nearly so. By contrast, a defender’s card is deemed played when his card is visible, or might be visible, to his partner. Declarer can insist that the card be played.

Last week, you were discussing not passing with a good suit if pre-empting was an option. Do you have any simple rules about what sort of hand should pass initially, but then pre-empt over RHO’s opening bid at the one-level?

Second Chance, Atlantic City, N.J.

One possible explanation might be that you have a hand too defensive or too weak for an initial action, or just too weak a suit for a first-round pre-empt. Alternatively, you may have some sort of two-suiter, such as a four-card major and seven cards in a minor, that you deemed unsuitable for an initial pre-empt.

I’d like to know your opinion on leading an honor at trick one in no-trump when you want your partner to unblock an honor. Do you prefer the king to be a strong lead, or for the king and queen to ask for the unblock of the queen and jack, respectively?

Questing Beast, Mason City, Iowa

In your first method, the lead of a king requests partner to drop the queen or jack, while you signal attitude on the queen and ace leads. In the other style, the ace or king (depending on partnership agreement) asks for unblock of the queen. The queen asks for the unblock of the jack, while all other signals are attitude. The first method is simpler, but any agreement is better than none — as long as you have the same agreement.

My partnership’s style is that we will routinely upgrade 14 HCP to 15 and open one no-trump. We also downgrade some 18-counts. To disclose fully, we used to announce this as “14-plus to 18-minus” and clarify if anyone asked. I asked a director about it. In his opinion, our style is covered by the 15-17 announcements, and our variations are common in modern bidding. What do you think?

Dumbo, Grenada, Miss.

I don’t agree; your partnership agreements are more codified than those of most pairs, so your announcement seems not only proper, but an ethical requirement. I commend you for seeing this through to its proper conclusion.

My partner and I are unsure about two-over-one game-forcing in competition. We have been having problems determining which auctions are forcing to game. After an overcall, when responder bids a new suit at the two-level, does opener’s new suit at the two or three-level force to game?

How High the Moon, Elkhart, Ind.

When an unpassed hand makes a two-level bid in competition, all opener’s minimum actions should be non-forcing. A reverse or cue-bid sets up a game force, a new suit that is not a reverse is forcing for one round, but not necessarily to game. Similarly, responder’s minimum action over a non-game-forcing rebid would be invitational. A new suit, a jump, a reverse or a cuebid by opener does set up a game force.