Deal 31	♠ ? ♥ ? ♦ ? ♣ ?		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1♣ pass  BID        You are South and it is your bid. Decide what you would say, then click on BID .
	♠ A 9 8 3 ♥ A K 7 2 ♦ 9 6 5 ♣ 8 3

 

Deal 31	♠ ? ♥ ? ♦ ? ♣ ?		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1♣ pass 1♥ pass 1♠ pass  BID      There is an excellent bidding guideline which tells you how to respond with two 4-card Majors. You bid them "up-the-line". That means you bid 1♥. Partner's rebid is 1♠. What do you bid?
	♠ A 9 8 3 ♥ A K 7 2 ♦ 9 6 5 ♣ 8 3

 

Deal 31	♠ K 7 5 2 ♥ 6 4 ♦ A 8 3 ♣ A K 6 4		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1♣ pass 1♥ pass 1♠ pass 3♠ pass 4♠ pass pass pass This hand shows why responder should bid "up-the-line". Partner can now show a 4-card ♠ suit at the 1-level. Imagine the suits reversed - you first respond with 1♠. If partner wanted to show a ♥ suit he would have to go to the 2-level, and he might not have the strength to do so. Back to the actual situation. Over partner's 1♠ bid you jump to 3♠. This jump shows about 11-12 points and good ♠ support (4 cards). In case you thought this showed 13 or more points that wouldn't be logical. If you had 13 points and 4 ♠s you would jump all the way to game. So 3♠ is invitational. Partner accepts the invitation. North would play 4♠. Click ROTATE
	♠ A 9 8 3 ♥ A K 7 2 ♦ 9 6 5 ♣ 8 3

 

Deal 31	♠ A 9 8 3 ♥ A K 7 2 ♦ 9 6 5 ♣ 8 3		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1♣ pass 1♥ pass 1♠ pass 3♠ pass 4♠ pass pass pass South plays 4♠. West leads the ♦2. East plays ♦J. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ K 7 5 2 ♥ 6 4 ♦ A 8 3 ♣ A K 6 4

 

Deal 31	♠ A 9 8 3 ♥ A K 7 2 ♦ 9 6 5 ♣ 8 3		South plays 4♠. West leads the ♦2. East plays ♦J. Losers: ♠ 1 : ♥ 0 : ♦ 2 : ♣ 2 : Total = 5 Counting losers from the South hand you have 2 ♣ losers to get rid of. If you had counted from the North hand there would have been 2 ♥ losers to get rid of. In any case the plan is the same. Win the ♦A and play ♠A and ♠K. If the ♠s split 3-2 you are home-free. Leave the master trump out and play your ♣ A K and dummy's ♥ A K. Then cross-ruff ♣s and ♥s. Whichever defender holds the last trump is welcome to ruff with it at any time. The defense is also welcome to take their 2 ♦s at any time. Your 10 tricks are safe. Click NEXT to see the full deal.
	♠ K 7 5 2 ♥ 6 4 ♦ A 8 3 ♣ A K 6 4

 

Deal 31	♠ A 9 8 3 ♥ A K 7 2 ♦ 9 6 5 ♣ 8 3		This is another example of the general principle to leave a master trump out. North and South were able to make all their small trumps individually. If East ruffs the fourth ♥ with his master ♠Q South just discards a ♦ loser and makes an overtrick.  Deal 32
♠ J 6 ♥ Q 10 5 3 ♦ K 10 7 2 ♣ Q 9 5		♠ Q 10 4 ♥ J 9 8 ♦ Q J 4 ♣ J 10 7 2
	♠ K 7 5 2 ♥ 6 4 ♦ A 8 3 ♣ A K 6 4