Dear Mr. Wolff: One of my opponents responded slowly to a key-card ask, and his partner bid on to a making slam. The responder had four aces and showed one or four key-cards with a five-diamond call. Diamonds was the agreed trump suit. Should we have called the director? â Legal Eagle, Honolulu, Hawaii
ANSWER: The hesitation might make it safer for the ace-asker to bid on. If responder was considering a different call, it makes it less likely that he had a normal hand with one key-card. Of course, if responder had already shown enough high cards such that a hand with one key-card was impossible, I think the continuation would be allowed.