Deal 69
 
 
 
♠ ?
?
?
♣ ?
 
 WEST  NORTH  EAST  SOUTH
2♣pass BID 
 
 
 
 

You are South and it is your bid.
Decide what you would say, then click on BID .
   
  ♠ 9 2
7 5
K 6 5 2
♣ A J 10 3 2
 

 
Deal 69
 
 
 
♠ ?
?
?
♣ ?
 
 WEST  NORTH  EAST  SOUTH
2♣pass3♣
pass4NTpass BID 
 
 
 

With 9 points you have enough strength to make a positive response.
And with a good 5-card suit you respond 3♣.

Partner says 4NT. What do you bid now?
   
  ♠ 9 2
7 5
K 6 5 2
♣ A J 10 3 2
 

 
Deal 69
 
 
 
♠ ?
?
?
♣ ?
 
 WEST  NORTH  EAST  SOUTH
2♣pass3♣
pass4NTpass5
pass5NTpass BID 
 
 

Partner's 4NT bid is clearly Blackwood. With one Ace you answer 5.

Partner says 5NT. What do you bid now?
   
  ♠ 9 2
7 5
K 6 5 2
♣ A J 10 3 2
 

 
Deal 69
 
 
 
♠ A Q 4
A J 10
A Q J 8
♣ K Q 6
 
 WEST  NORTH  EAST  SOUTH
2♣pass3♣
pass4NTpass5
pass5NTpass6
pass6NTpasspass
pass

Partner's 5NT bid guarantees that your side has all the Aces, and asks for your Kings. With one King you answer 6.

Partner says 6NT and you pass.

North would play 6NT.

Click ROTATE 
   
  ♠ 9 2
7 5
K 6 5 2
♣ A J 10 3 2
 

 
Deal 69
 
 
 
♠ 9 2
7 5
K 6 5 2
♣ A J 10 3 2
 
 WEST  NORTH  EAST  SOUTH
2♣
pass3♣pass4NT
pass5pass5NT
pass6pass6NT
passpasspass

South plays 6NT. West leads the 10.

Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
   
  ♠ A Q 4
A J 10
A Q J 8
♣ K Q 6
 

 
Deal 69
 
 
 
♠ 9 2
7 5
K 6 5 2
♣ A J 10 3 2
  South plays 6NT. West leads the 10.

Winner count: ♠ 1 : 1 : 4 : ♣ 5 : Total = 11

You need just one more winner. If the ♠K is with East then a simple finesse will provide it. This would not be a terrible plan - you can expect it to succeed 50% of the time. Of course that means you will go down the other 50% of the time.

The double finesse in s is better. If East holds EITHER the K OR the Q you will succeed. This raises your chances to 75%.

So win the opening lead with dummy's K. Play the 5, finessing your 10. West will probably win this with either K or Q. No matter. Win West's probable return and take 5 ♣ tricks, discarding your 2 ♠ losers. Lead dummy's 7 and finesse the J. When this wins the rest of the tricks are yours.

Click NEXT to see the full deal.
   
  ♠ A Q 4
A J 10
A Q J 8
♣ K Q 6
 

 
Deal 69
 
 
 
♠ 9 2
7 5
K 6 5 2
♣ A J 10 3 2
  Sometimes you will have two or three possible ways to try for a contract. You need to evaluate them as to which is the most likely to succeed. There are times when this can be very difficult to analyze, but fortunately some choices are pretty easy to make.

The choice between a single finesse and a double finesse is one that you will face many times. So remember that the double finesse works 75% of the time.

 Deal 70 
♠ K J 7 3
Q 7 6 2
10 9 3
♣ 9 5
♠ 10 8 6 5
K 9 4 3
7 4
♣ 8 7 4
  ♠ A Q 4
A J 10
A Q J 8
♣ K Q 6