Deal 85	♠ ? ♥ ? ♦ ? ♣ ?		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH  BID      You are South and it is your bid. Decide what you would say, then click on BID .
	♠ 6 2 ♥ 5 3 2 ♦ A K Q 7 6 4 ♣ 4 2

 

Deal 85	♠ ? ♥ ? ♦ ? ♣ ?		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 2♦ pass 2NT pass  BID    With 11 points and a beautiful 6-card suit this is the perfect hand for a Weak-2 opener. So you open 2♦. Partner responds 2NT.
	♠ 6 2 ♥ 5 3 2 ♦ A K Q 7 6 4 ♣ 4 2

 

Deal 85	♠ A Q 4 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ 8 3 ♣ A J 10 7 3		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 2♦ pass 2NT pass 3NT pass pass pass Partner's 2NT bid is a standard response to a Weak 2-bid. You are expected to rebid your suit if you have a minimum (6-8 point) hand. Otherwise you are to bid an outside suit in which you hold a high card - this is called "showing a feature". And the final possibility is this one, where you have a solid suit, either A K Q x x x or A K J 10 x x. In this case you bid 3NT. North would play 3NT. Click ROTATE
	♠ 6 2 ♥ 5 3 2 ♦ A K Q 7 6 4 ♣ 4 2

 

Deal 85	♠ 6 2 ♥ 5 3 2 ♦ A K Q 7 6 4 ♣ 4 2		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 2♦ pass 2NT pass 3NT pass pass pass South plays 3NT. West leads ♠J. East plays ♠K. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ A Q 4 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ 8 3 ♣ A J 10 7 3

 

Deal 85	♠ 6 2 ♥ 5 3 2 ♦ A K Q 7 6 4 ♣ 4 2		South plays 3NT. West leads ♠J. East plays ♠K. Winner count: ♠ 2 : ♥ 1 : ♦ 3 : ♣ 1 : Total = 7 The ♠ lead assures you of two tricks in the suit. So you only need to create two more. If the ♦s split 3-2 (likely) you could get 3 extra tricks there. But there's a danger - if they split 4-1 you wouldn't have an entry to them. Well, you wouldn't have an entry unless you DUCKED the first ♦. Then a 4-1 split wouldn't prevent you from making 5 ♦ winners. So you win the ♠A and lead the ♦3, planning to duck. West shows out. Make PLAN B, then click NEXT .
	♠ A Q 4 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ 8 3 ♣ A J 10 7 3

 

Deal 85	♠ 6 2 ♥ 5 3 2 ♦ A K Q 7 6 4 ♣ 4 2		So you win the ♠A and lead the ♦3, planning to duck. West shows out. That's tough. No matter how you play them you can only get 3 ♦ winners. So you must turn elsewhere - elsewhere being the ♣ suit. Win the ♦Q but don't play another ♦ yet, you need an entry back to dummy later. Instead, lead the ♣2 and finesse your ♣10. West will win with one of the high ♣s and probably return a ♠. You may as well take the ♠Q now. Play your ♦8 to dummy's ♦K, cash the ♦A, then play the ♣4, finessing your ♣J. Fortunately this wins and when you cash your ♣A both defenders follow. The rest of your clubs are good and you make an overtrick. Click NEXT to see the full deal.
	♠ A Q 4 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ 8 3 ♣ A J 10 7 3

 

Deal 85	♠ 6 2 ♥ 5 3 2 ♦ A K Q 7 6 4 ♣ 4 2		Sometimes you have to change your plan. When the ♦s turned out to be 5-0 you had to get lucky. Your back-up Plan wasn't likely to work - it required the missing ♣ honors to be split, but also required a 3-3 ♣ split, not a likely outcome. But there was no other choice so you have to try it.  Deal 86
♠ J 10 9 8 5 ♥ K J 8 7 4 ♦ -- ♣ Q 9 8		♠ K 7 3 ♥ Q 10 ♦ J 10 9 5 2 ♣ K 6 5
	♠ A Q 4 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ 8 3 ♣ A J 10 7 3