Deal 48	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT 2♥  BID      The bidding has gone as shown. Decide what you would say, then click on BID above.
	♠ Q 6 3 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ Q 8 ♣ K Q 10 9 6

 

Deal 48	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A K 5 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ J 8 5 2		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT 2♥ 3♣ pass 3NT pass pass pass After the overcall of your partner's opening 1NT you must make a quick decision with this type of hand: Force to game or settle for partscore. Using lebensohl, a suit bid at the 3-level shows a 5-card or longer suit and is game forcing. You go for it by bidding 3♣ (not Stayman) and partner says 3NT. Click NEXT to continue.
	♠ Q 6 3 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ Q 8 ♣ K Q 10 9 6

 

Deal 48	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A K 5 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ J 8 5 2		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT 2♥ 3♣ pass 3NT pass pass pass The contract would be 3NT played by North. To make South the declarer click ROTATE .
	♠ Q 6 3 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ Q 8 ♣ K Q 10 9 6

 

Deal 48   3NT OL: ♥Q	♠ Q 6 3 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ Q 8 ♣ K Q 10 9 6		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT 2♥ 3♣ pass 3NT pass pass pass South plays 3NT. West leads the ♥Q. You must make an immediate decision whether to hold up or not. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A K 5 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ J 8 5 2

 

Deal 48   3NT OL: ♥Q	♠ Q 6 3 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ Q 8 ♣ K Q 10 9 6		Winner List: ♠ = 1 : ♥ = 2 : ♦ = 1 : ♣ = 0 :: Total = 4 Of course the ♣ suit will produce 4 winners so you need just one more in ♠s or ♦s. First the question of holding up or not. The reason for a hold-up play is to be sure that when East gains the lead he has no ♥s remaining. But in this Deal you can place most of the strength with West so you don't need to hold up. And, in fact, there is a good reason why you shouldn't.  NEXT
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A K 5 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ J 8 5 2

 

Deal 48   3NT OL: ♥Q	♠ Q 6 3 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ Q 8 ♣ K Q 10 9 6		Winner List: ♠ = 1 : ♥ = 2 : ♦ = 1 : ♣ = 0 :: Total = 4 Of course the ♣ suit will produce 4 winners so you need just one more in ♠s or ♦s. First the question of holding up or not. The reason for a hold-up play is to be sure that when East gains the lead he has no ♥s remaining. But in this Deal you can place most of the strength with West so you don't need to hold up. And, in fact, there is a good reason why you shouldn't. Win the first trick with your ♥K and immediately play a ♣, taken by West's ♣A. He plays the ♥J which you win with your ♥A. East followed suit to the second ♥!  NEXT
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A K 5 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ J 8 5 2

 

Deal 48   3NT OL: ♥Q	♠ Q 6 3 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ Q 8 ♣ K Q 10 9 6		Winner List: ♠ = 1 : ♥ = 2 : ♦ = 1 : ♣ = 0 :: Total = 4 Of course the ♣ suit will produce 4 winners so you need just one more in ♠s or ♦s. First the question of holding up or not. The reason for a hold-up play is to be sure that when East gains the lead he has no ♥s remaining. But in this Deal you can place most of the strength with West so you don't need to hold up. And, in fact, there is a good reason why you shouldn't. Win the first trick with your ♥K and immediately play a ♣, taken by West's ♣A. He plays the ♥J which you win with your ♥A. East followed suit to the second ♥! West has 3 ♥ winners in his hand. There is a good chance that he has the ♠K and ♦K as well. So if you play either of those suits, leading toward the Queen, West will jump up with his King and put you down 1. So instead, play a ♣ winner, and when West shows out, play your last ♥! West will smile as he takes his three ♥ winners but then he will frown when he realizes he must lead away from one of his Kings! You, of course, will jump up with dummy's Queen of that suit for your ninth trick. Click NEXT  for the full deal.
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A K 5 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ J 8 5 2

 

Deal 48   3NT OL: ♥Q	♠ Q 6 3 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ Q 8 ♣ K Q 10 9 6		We learn at bridge that you should lead toward high cards to try to establish them. For example, in this Deal leading toward the ♠Q would establish a winner as long as West held the ♠K. Unfortunately you would be giving up the setting trick as you established the winner. Always keep in the back of your mind the possibility of an elimination play. In this Deal that meant you needed to refuse the hold-up because you would need the third ♥ to throw West in with. Deal 49
♠ K 8 2 ♥ Q J 10 9 6 ♦ K 9 5 2 ♣ A		♠ J 10 9 5 ♥ 7 3 ♦ J 10 7 4 ♣ 7 4 3
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ A K 5 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ J 8 5 2