Deal 32
 
 
 
♠ ?
?
?
♣ ?
 
 WEST  NORTH  EAST  SOUTH
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
A 9 8 6
♣ 7 4
 

 
Deal 32
 
 
 
♠ J 4
6 5 3
J 4
♣ A K 9 6 5 2
 
 WEST  NORTH  EAST  SOUTH
pass1NT
pass3NTpasspass
pass

You have 15 points and you have a balanced distribution. You should open 1NT. It is true that you do not have ♣s stopped, but you are not required to have a stopper in all the suits to open 1NT. Partner jumps to 3NT and you pass.

South plays 3NT. West leads the Q.

Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
   
  ♠ A 9 8 3
A K 7
A 9 8 6
♣ 7 4
 

 
Deal 32
 
 
 
♠ J 4
6 5 3
J 4
♣ A K 9 6 5 2
  South plays 3NT. West leads the Q.

Winner count: ♠ 1 : 2 : 1 : ♣ 2 : Total = 6

In many Notrump hands it is good to hold up to disrupt the defender's communications. In this hand you have a double-stopper in s but only a single stop in ♠s and s so win the first trick.

You need 3 more tricks from the ♣ suit. As long as the ♣s split 3-2, which is very likely, you can set up the tricks you need. BUT, if you just play ♣A ♣K and then a small one you'll be sorry. Those extra three ♣s will be established as winners but you will have no entry to them.

Instead, you play your ♣4 to the second trick and also play a low card from dummy. This is called Ducking the trick. East/West will certainly win that trick, but you are in control. You can win whatever suit they play and you still have that ♣7 to reach dummy's solid ♣s.

Click NEXT for the full deal.
   
  ♠ A 9 8 3
A K 7
A 9 8 6
♣ 7 4
 

 
Deal 32
 
 
 
♠ J 4
6 5 3
J 4
♣ A K 9 6 5 2
  You can see that with ♣s splitting 3-2 the Duck insures the contract.

But just imagine you had played ♣A, ♣K, ♣2. At that point ♣ 9 6 5 would all be winners, but don't think East is going to let you reach dummy with either of those two Jacks!

 Deal 33 
♠ K 6 5 2
Q J 10 2
Q 7 3
♣ Q 8
♠ Q 10 7
9 8 4
K 10 5 2
♣ J 10 3
  ♠ A 9 8 3
A K 7
A 9 8 6
♣ 7 4