Deal 8	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass  BID      The bidding has gone as shown. Decide what you would say, then click on BID above.
	♠ 8 6 5 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ A Q 9 ♣ 10 6 4 3

 

Deal 8	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A 9 4 ♦ 8 6 3 ♣ A K Q 9		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2NT pass 3NT pass pass pass A square hand, no 4-card Major, and 9 points. This is the very hand that the book said to bid 2NT with. And when you do, partner says 3NT which you pass. Click NEXT to continue.
	♠ 8 6 5 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ A Q 9 ♣ 10 6 4 3

 

Deal 8	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A 9 4 ♦ 8 6 3 ♣ A K Q 9		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2NT pass 3NT pass pass pass The contract would be 3NT played by North. To make South the declarer click ROTATE .
	♠ 8 6 5 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ A Q 9 ♣ 10 6 4 3

 

Deal 8   3NT OL: ♣2	♠ 8 6 5 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ A Q 9 ♣ 10 6 4 3		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2NT pass 3NT pass pass pass South plays 3NT. West leads the ♣2. You must be living right, West gives you a trick with the opening lead. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A 9 4 ♦ 8 6 3 ♣ A K Q 9

 

Deal 8   3NT OL: ♣2	♠ 8 6 5 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ A Q 9 ♣ 10 6 4 3		Winner List: ♠ = 1 : ♥ = 2 : ♦ = 1 : ♣ = 4 :: Total = 8 You got a good break on the opening lead, now you need only one more winner. There is NO CHANCE of creating another winner in ♠s, ♥s or ♣s, so your second good break is that you know it will have to be ♦s.  NEXT
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A 9 4 ♦ 8 6 3 ♣ A K Q 9

 

Deal 8   3NT OL: ♣2	♠ 8 6 5 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ A Q 9 ♣ 10 6 4 3		Winner List: ♠ = 1 : ♥ = 2 : ♦ = 1 : ♣ = 4 :: Total = 8 You got a good break on the opening lead, now you need only one more winner. There is NO CHANCE of creating another winner in ♠s, ♥s or ♣s, so your second good break is that you know it will have to be ♦s. You COULD lead toward dummy's ♦Q, finessing West for the ♦K. That would be a perfectly good 50% chance. But there is an even better play if you look carefully.  NEXT
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A 9 4 ♦ 8 6 3 ♣ A K Q 9

 

Deal 8   3NT OL: ♣2	♠ 8 6 5 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ A Q 9 ♣ 10 6 4 3		Winner List: ♠ = 1 : ♥ = 2 : ♦ = 1 : ♣ = 4 :: Total = 8 You got a good break on the opening lead, now you need only one more winner. There is NO CHANCE of creating another winner in ♠s, ♥s or ♣s, so your second good break is that you know it will have to be ♦s. You COULD lead toward dummy's ♦Q, finessing West for the ♦K. That would be a perfectly good 50% chance. But there is an even better play if you look carefully. Play a ♦ from your hand and if West plays low insert the ♦9. Much of the time East will win with the ♦J or ♦10. If so you are no worse off, you play West for the ♦K. But if it happens that West was dealt both the ♦J and ♦10 then East will have to win that trick with the ♦K, or perhaps not even win it at all! Click NEXT  for the full deal.
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A 9 4 ♦ 8 6 3 ♣ A K Q 9

 

Deal 8   3NT OL: ♣2	♠ 8 6 5 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ A Q 9 ♣ 10 6 4 3		As you see, the Deep Finesse of the ♦9 pays off here, where the straightforward finesse of the ♦Q would lose the contract. Two chances are definitely better than one. But what if West has played the ♦10, splitting his honors? You would put on dummy's ♦Q and East would win the ♦K. But you aren't down yet! Later you lead another ♦ toward dummy's ♦ A 9 and finesse West for the ♦J.  Deal 9
♠ J 9 2 ♥ J 8 5 ♦ J 10 4 ♣ J 7 5 2		♠ K Q 10 3 ♥ Q 10 6 3 ♦ K 7 5 2 ♣ 8
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A 9 4 ♦ 8 6 3 ♣ A K Q 9