Deal 61	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass  BID        The bidding has gone as shown. Decide what you would say, then click on BID above.
	♠ A Q J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 5 ♦ A J 5 ♣ 9 4

 

Deal 61	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♥ pass 2♠ pass  BID      Wow. You can tell that this is going to be tough to bid scientifically. You decide to start with a transfer bid, 2♥. Partner replies 2♠. What do you say now?
	♠ A Q J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 5 ♦ A J 5 ♣ 9 4

 

Deal 61	♠ K 5 4 ♥ A J ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A K 8 5 3		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♥ pass 2♠ pass 6♠ pass pass pass   Wow. You can tell that this is going to be tough to bid scientifically. You decide to start with a transfer bid, 2♥. Partner replies 2♠. What do you say now? You know there are enough points for slam, but not enough for a Grand Slam. Asking for Aces will get you nowhere because if partner shows only one Ace you will still think you should be in slam. So you take a shot and bid 6♠. (If you don't think you would really do this, I won't hold it against you.) Click NEXT to continue.
	♠ A Q J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 5 ♦ A J 5 ♣ 9 4

 

Deal 61	♠ K 5 4 ♥ A J ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A K 8 5 3		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♥ pass 2♠ pass 6♠ pass pass pass   The contract would be 6♠ played by North. To make South the declarer click ROTATE .
	♠ A Q J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 5 ♦ A J 5 ♣ 9 4

 

Deal 61   6♠ OL: ♥K	♠ A Q J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 5 ♦ A J 5 ♣ 9 4		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♥ pass 2♠ pass 6♠ pass pass pass South plays 6♠. West leads the ♥K. Of course you take your ♥A. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ K 5 4 ♥ A J ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A K 8 5 3

 

Deal 61   6♠ OL: ♥K	♠ A Q J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 5 ♦ A J 5 ♣ 9 4		Loser List: ♠ = 0 : ♥ = 0 : ♦ = 2 : ♣ = 0 :: Total = 2 The Losers are counted from dummy's long-trump hand for simplicity. The ♣ suit must be established to take one of the ♦ losers. But there may be an entry problem since the opening lead has taken out one of your entries already. Pull trumps in two rounds, (you got a break there), leaving the ♠K in your hand as an entry.  NEXT
	♠ K 5 4 ♥ A J ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A K 8 5 3

 

Deal 61   6♠ OL: ♥K	♠ A Q J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 5 ♦ A J 5 ♣ 9 4		Loser List: ♠ = 0 : ♥ = 0 : ♦ = 2 : ♣ = 0 :: Total = 2 The ♣ suit must be established to take of one of the ♦ losers. But there may be an entry problem since the opening lead has taken out one of your entries already. Pull trumps in two rounds, (you got a break there), leaving the ♠K in your hand as an entry. If you now play ♣A, ♣K, and then ruff a ♣ you will succeed when the ♣s split 3-3. But if they are 4-2, then you will fail because you only have the one entry to your hand.  NEXT
	♠ K 5 4 ♥ A J ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A K 8 5 3

 

Deal 61   6♠ OL: ♥K	♠ A Q J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 5 ♦ A J 5 ♣ 9 4		Loser List: ♠ = 0 : ♥ = 0 : ♦ = 2 : ♣ = 0 :: Total = 2 The ♣ suit must be established to take of one of the ♦ losers. But there may be an entry problem since the opening lead has taken out one of your entries already. Pull trumps in two rounds, (you got a break there), leaving the ♠K in your hand as an entry. If you now play ♣A, ♣K, and then ruff a ♣ you will succeed when the ♣s split 3-3. But if they are 4-2, then you will fail because you only have the one entry to your hand. A better plan is to play a small ♣ from each hand. This gives the defense a ♣ trick but you can win their return, play a ♣ to the ♣ A, take the ♣K, then ruff the FOURTH ♣. This will establish the FIFTH ♣ and you still have the ♠K for an entry. Click NEXT to see the full deal.
	♠ K 5 4 ♥ A J ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A K 8 5 3

 

Deal 61   6♠ OL: ♥K	♠ A Q J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 5 ♦ A J 5 ♣ 9 4		This is a really good idea to keep in mind when you have a doubleton opposite A K x x x. If you can afford to lose a trick in the suit you can make do with one fewer entry just by ducking the first round. Basically it gives you three plays in the suit before you take your ruff. But what if the contract had been 7♠? Obviously you couldn't afford to lose a trick so you would have to bang down the two top ♣s, then ruff one and hope the suit was splitting 3-3. Deal 62
♠ 3 ♥ K Q 8 6 3 ♦ Q 9 4 ♣ J 10 7 2		♠ 10 2 ♥ 10 9 7 4 2 ♦ K 10 8 3 ♣ Q 6
	♠ K 5 4 ♥ A J ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A K 8 5 3