Deal 43	♠ ? ♥ ? ♦ ? ♣ ?		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass  BID        You are South and it is your bid. Decide what you would say, then click on BID .
	♠ K 8 3 2 ♥ Q 10 9 5 2 ♦ K 7 ♣ 6 2

 

Deal 43	♠ ? ♥ ? ♦ ? ♣ ?		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♣ pass 2♦ pass  BID      Because you have an invitational hand with a 4-card Major (♠s) you use Stayman. After your 2♣ bid partner says 2♦. What do you bid next?
	♠ K 8 3 2 ♥ Q 10 9 5 2 ♦ K 7 ♣ 6 2

 

Deal 43	♠ ? ♥ ? ♦ ? ♣ ?		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♣ pass 2♦ pass 2♥ pass 3♥ pass  BID    Partner does not have 4 (♠s) so you have no 8-card fit there. However, he might have 3 ♥s, so you now bid 2♥. Partner will understand you are showing a 5-card suit. Partner bids 3♥. What do you say?
	♠ K 8 3 2 ♥ Q 10 9 5 2 ♦ K 7 ♣ 6 2

 

Deal 43	♠ A 7 ♥ K 6 4 ♦ Q J 8 4 ♣ K Q 7 3		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♣ pass 2♦ pass 2♥ pass 3♥ pass pass pass This could go either way. You started out with 9 points, but perhaps you could revalue your hand upward after you find the fit. The problem with that is those two doubletons are in the long-trump hand, and taking ruffs in the long-trump hand doesn't usually add tricks. You take the conservative route and pass. South plays 3♥. West leads the ♣J. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ K 8 3 2 ♥ Q 10 9 5 2 ♦ K 7 ♣ 6 2

 

Deal 43	♠ A 7 ♥ K 6 4 ♦ Q J 8 4 ♣ K Q 7 3		South plays 3♥. West leads the ♣J. Losers: ♠ 2 : ♥ 2 : ♦ 1 : ♣ 1 : Total = 6 You may be able to ruff 1 ♠ in dummy, and discard another on a long ♦. And you hope to keep your trump losers to 1. Start by covering the ♣J to set up a sure ♣ trick. East wins the ♣A and returns a ♣, won by dummy's ♣K. It looks better to start the trumps from your side, so play a ♦ toward your ♦K. West wins and plays a ♣, which you ruff. Now lead a ♥, playing the ♥K if West plays low. Assume this wins the trick. Lead a ♥ back, finessing the ♥9 since you think West must hold the ♥A. He does hold it, and takes it right now. West leads a ♠. You win the ♠A in dummy, play the ♠7 to your ♠K, and ruff a ♠ with dummy's last trump. Now lead dummy's ♦ Q J, discarding a ♠ on the last one. You have only good trumps left. Click NEXT to see the full deal.
	♠ K 8 3 2 ♥ Q 10 9 5 2 ♦ K 7 ♣ 6 2

 

Deal 43	♠ A 7 ♥ K 6 4 ♦ Q J 8 4 ♣ K Q 7 3		The play for this hand was not straightforward at all, and might have taken a different path had the East/West cards been arranged differently. However, the general approach of ruffing a ♠ in dummy and setting up the ♦ suit would bring the best result with most arrangements.  Deal 44
♠ J 9 6 ♥ A 7 ♦ A 6 5 2 ♣ J 10 9 4		♠ Q 10 5 4 ♥ J 8 3 ♦ 10 9 3 ♣ A 8 5
	♠ K 8 3 2 ♥ Q 10 9 5 2 ♦ K 7 ♣ 6 2