Deal 66	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 2NT pass  BID        The bidding has gone as shown. Decide what you would say, then click on BID above.
	♠ A 7 5 3 ♥ K J 10 9 4 ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ 7

 

Deal 66	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 2NT pass 3♣ pass 3♥ pass  BID      First find out about Major suit fits by bidding Stayman. So bid 3♣ and partner says 3♥. What now?
	♠ A 7 5 3 ♥ K J 10 9 4 ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ 7

 

Deal 66	♠ Q 10 9 4 ♥ A Q 8 6 ♦ A K ♣ A J 4		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 2NT pass 3♣ pass 3♥ pass 6♥ pass pass pass   First find out about Major suit fits by bidding Stayman. So bid 3♣ and partner says 3♥. What now? Feel free to use Blackwood. But if partner shows 3 Aces you only have enough points to bid 6, and if he shows 2 Aces you would still bid 6. So Blackwood will keep you out of slam if he has only 1 Ace. Or, you could just take a chance and bid 6♥. Click NEXT to continue.
	♠ A 7 5 3 ♥ K J 10 9 4 ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ 7

 

Deal 66	♠ Q 10 9 4 ♥ A Q 8 6 ♦ A K ♣ A J 4		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 2NT pass 3♣ pass 3♥ pass 6♥ pass pass pass   The contract would be 6♥ played by North. To rotate the hands and make South the declarer click NEXT .
	♠ A 7 5 3 ♥ K J 10 9 4 ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ 7

 

Deal 66   6♥ OL: ♠8	♠ A 7 5 3 ♥ K J 10 9 4 ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ 7		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 2NT pass 3♣ pass 3♥ pass 6♥ pass pass pass South plays 6♥. West leads the ♠8. To play the ♠A or not to play the ♠A, that is the question. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ Q 10 9 4 ♥ A Q 8 6 ♦ A K ♣ A J 4

 

Deal 66   6♥ OL: ♠8	♠ A 7 5 3 ♥ K J 10 9 4 ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ 7		Loser List: ♠ = 2? : ♥ = 0 : ♦ = 0 : ♣ = 0 :: Total = 2 At first thought it seems the ♠ lead has saved you a guess in the suit. By playing low in dummy you will force East to put on the King, (if he has it), winning the trick but leaving you with a pretty good position in ♠s.  NEXT
	♠ Q 10 9 4 ♥ A Q 8 6 ♦ A K ♣ A J 4

 

Deal 66   6♥ OL: ♠8	♠ A 7 5 3 ♥ K J 10 9 4 ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ 7		Loser List: ♠ = 2? : ♥ = 0 : ♦ = 0 : ♣ = 0 :: Total = 2 At first thought it seems the ♠ lead has saved you a guess in the suit. By playing low in dummy you will force East to put on the King, (if he has it), winning the trick but leaving you with a pretty good position in ♠s. That's why it's good to have second thoughts at the Bridge table. Think about the meaning of the ♠8 lead. If it is fourth down, then the Rule of 11 tells you that there will be 3 cards higher than the 8 spread among North, East, and South. BUT YOU CAN SEE 4 HIGHER CARDS. So your conclusion is that West has NOT made a fourth-down lead, but rather has led top-of-nothing, top-of-a-doubleton, or perhaps a singleton. You don't know which of the above, but you do know that East holds both the ♠ K J. The danger is if the ♠8 is a singleton and you play low from dummy they could get a ♠ trick and a ♠ ruff. So don't play low from dummy. Win the ♠A at trick 1, pull trumps and then play ♠s from dummy toward your ♠ Q 10 9, giving East the ♠K but finessing him out of his known ♠J. Click NEXT to see the full deal.
	♠ Q 10 9 4 ♥ A Q 8 6 ♦ A K ♣ A J 4

 

Deal 66   6♥ OL: ♠8	♠ A 7 5 3 ♥ K J 10 9 4 ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ 7		If East led the ♠8 from ♠ 8 6 2 then it wouldn't matter whether you played the ♠A or not, you would always make the contract. If East led the ♠8 from ♠ 8 6 or ♠ 8 2 then it also wouldn't matter whether you played the ♠A or not, you would always make the contract. If East led the singleton ♠8 then you had better play the ♠A or you will be down before you start. It is unlikely that East would lead the ♠8 from any holding containing one or both of the honors. Deal 67
♠ 8 ♥ 7 5 2 ♦ J 10 7 3 ♣ K 9 8 5 2		♠ K J 6 2 ♥ 3 ♦ 9 8 4 2 ♣ Q 10 6 3
	♠ Q 10 9 4 ♥ A Q 8 6 ♦ A K ♣ A J 4