Deal 17	♠ ? ♥ ? ♦ ? ♣ ?		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH pass  BID        You are South and it is your bid. Decide what you would say, then click on BID .
	♠ K 5 2 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ K Q 5 ♣ K Q J 2

 

Deal 17	♠ ? ♥ ? ♦ ? ♣ ?		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH pass 1♣ pass 1♠ pass  BID      This sure looks like an opening 1NT hand, except for one little thing - it is too strong. Make sure you open 1NT ONLY with hands containing 15-17 points. For this one you open 1♣. Partner responds 1♠. What do you bid next?
	♠ K 5 2 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ K Q 5 ♣ K Q J 2

 

Deal 17	♠ A 7 6 3 ♥ 8 4 ♦ J 7 6 ♣ A 9 6 4		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH pass 1♣ pass 1♠ pass 2NT pass 3NT pass pass pass Do not support partner's Major suit response with only 3 cards. It is good to raise partner's Major suit OPENING with 3 trumps because he guarantees a 5-card suit. As a RESPONSE he only promises a 4-card suit, so you should have 4 in the suit to give immediate support. In fact you have a perfect bid. With a balanced hand and 18-19 points you open 1 of a suit, then jump in Notrump. Holding 18 points you bid 2NT and partner raises to 3NT. South plays 3NT. West leads the ♥5. East plays the ♥Q. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ K 5 2 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ K Q 5 ♣ K Q J 2

 

Deal 17	♠ A 7 6 3 ♥ 8 4 ♦ J 7 6 ♣ A 9 6 4		South plays 3NT. West leads the ♥5. East plays the ♥Q. Winner count: ♠ 2 : ♥ 1 : ♦ 0 : ♣ 4 : Total = 7 You need 2 more winners and they will come from the ♦ suit once you have forced out the ♦A. There is a problem though. When the opponents get the lead with the ♦A they might cash 4 ♥ tricks. Of course if it is East who wins the ♦A and if he doesn't have a ♥ to play then all will be well. So you don't take your ♥A on the first trick, nor do you take it on the second trick. At trick 3 you have no choice so you win your ♥A. Now you can take your 4 ♣ tricks if you like. Then lead a ♦ honor. If they don't take their ♦A on this trick you play another ♦ honor. One of the defenders will win this trick. If it is East you will make your contract, if it is West you will go down. Click NEXT to see the full deal.
	♠ K 5 2 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ K Q 5 ♣ K Q J 2

 

Deal 17	♠ A 7 6 3 ♥ 8 4 ♦ J 7 6 ♣ A 9 6 4		Visualize what would happen if you played the ♥A on the first or second trick. When you tried to establish ♦ tricks East would take the ♦A and play a ♥ to West and you would go down 1. By waiting until the third round to take the ♥A you exhaust East of his ♥s. Notice that if West was the one who had the ♦A then you would go down despite your hold-up play. This PLAN is not a guarantee - but if you follow it you will make the contract 50% of the time. If you don't follow it you will make the contract 0% of the time.  Deal 18
♠ 10 4 ♥ K J 7 5 2 ♦ 10 8 3 ♣ 8 5 3		♠ Q J 9 8 ♥ Q 10 3 ♦ A 9 4 2 ♣ 10 7
	♠ K 5 2 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ K Q 5 ♣ K Q J 2