Deal 78	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass  BID        The bidding has gone as shown. Decide what you would say, then click on BID above.
	♠ K Q 8 6 3 ♥ 6 2 ♦ K 7 3 ♣ K 6 2

 

Deal 78	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♥ pass 2♠ pass  BID      With 12 points and a 5-card Major you transfer partner to that Major. You bid 2♥. Partner bids 2♠. Now what do say next?
	♠ K Q 8 6 3 ♥ 6 2 ♦ K 7 3 ♣ K 6 2

 

Deal 78	♠ A 10 ♥ K 7 4 3 ♦ A 6 5 4 ♣ A Q 5		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♥ pass 2♠ pass 3NT pass pass pass   With 12 points and a 5-card Major you transfer partner to that Major. You bid 2♥. Partner bids 2♠. Now what do say next? You must insist on game, but since partner could have a doubleton ♠ you do so by bidding 3NT to give him the choice. He chooses 3NT by passing. Click NEXT to continue.
	♠ K Q 8 6 3 ♥ 6 2 ♦ K 7 3 ♣ K 6 2

 

Deal 78	♠ A 10 ♥ K 7 4 3 ♦ A 6 5 4 ♣ A Q 5		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♥ pass 2♠ pass 3NT pass pass pass   The contract would be 3NT played by North. To make South the declarer click ROTATE .
	♠ K Q 8 6 3 ♥ 6 2 ♦ K 7 3 ♣ K 6 2

 

Deal 78   3NT OL: ♦Q	♠ K Q 8 6 3 ♥ 6 2 ♦ K 7 3 ♣ K 6 2		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♥ pass 2♠ pass 3NT pass pass pass South plays 3NT. West leads the ♦Q. Do you win the first trick or holdup? Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ A 10 ♥ K 7 4 3 ♦ A 6 5 4 ♣ A Q 5

 

Deal 78   3NT OL: ♦Q	♠ K Q 8 6 3 ♥ 6 2 ♦ K 7 3 ♣ K 6 2		Winner List: ♠ = 3 : ♥ = 0 : ♦ = 2 : ♣ = 3 :: Total = 8 A holdup wouldn't hurt you since West would retain the lead. But it probably wouldn't help you much either since you do have 2 stoppers in the suit. You obviously need to establish at least one more winner in ♠s so you won't have to depend on the ♥A being with East. Need it be said that ♥s is the suit you are worried about and East is the Danger hand? Let's say you win the first trick with dummy's ♦K.  NEXT
	♠ A 10 ♥ K 7 4 3 ♦ A 6 5 4 ♣ A Q 5

 

Deal 78   3NT OL: ♦Q	♠ K Q 8 6 3 ♥ 6 2 ♦ K 7 3 ♣ K 6 2		Winner List: ♠ = 3 : ♥ = 0 : ♦ = 2 : ♣ = 3 :: Total = 8 A holdup wouldn't hurt you since West would retain the lead. But it probably wouldn't help you much either since you do have 2 stoppers in the suit. You obviously need to establish at least one more winner in ♠s so you won't have to depend on the ♥A being with East. Need it be said that ♥s is the suit you are worried about and East is the Danger hand? Let's say you win the first trick with dummy's ♦K. Suppose you play ♠A, then ♠ K Q. If they split 3-3 you will be soooo happy because you will make at least 10 tricks. But if East shows out on the third ♠ you will be pretty happy because you can give up a ♠ to West and still make at least 9 tricks. But if West shows out on the third ♠ you could be in deep trouble. You would have to give East the lead to establish an extra ♠ winner, and he might very well lead through your ♥K.  NEXT
	♠ A 10 ♥ K 7 4 3 ♦ A 6 5 4 ♣ A Q 5

 

Deal 78   3NT OL: ♦Q	♠ K Q 8 6 3 ♥ 6 2 ♦ K 7 3 ♣ K 6 2		Winner List: ♠ = 3 : ♥ = 0 : ♦ = 2 : ♣ = 3 :: Total = 8 A holdup wouldn't hurt you since West would retain the lead. But it probably wouldn't help you much either since you do have 2 stoppers in the suit. You obviously need to establish at least one more winner in ♠s so you won't have to depend on the ♥A being with East. Need it be said that ♥s is the suit you are worried about and East is the Danger hand? Let's say you win the first trick with dummy's ♦K. Suppose you play ♠A, then ♠ K Q. If they split 3-3 you will be soooo happy because you will make at least 10 tricks. But if East shows out on the third ♠ you will be pretty happy because you can give up a ♠ to West and still make at least 9 tricks. But if West shows out on the third ♠ you could be in deep trouble. You would have to give East the lead to establish an extra ♠ winner, and he might very well lead through your ♥K. There is a great safety play to protect against a 4-2 ♠ split. Play a low ♠ from dummy and finesse the ♠10. West may win with a doubleton ♠J but you will still make the contract. Click NEXT to see what really happens.
	♠ A 10 ♥ K 7 4 3 ♦ A 6 5 4 ♣ A Q 5

 

Deal 78   3NT OL: ♦Q	♠ K Q 8 6 3 ♥ 6 2 ♦ K 7 3 ♣ K 6 2		With this layout the safety play finesse actually works and you make an overtrick. But visualize the ♠J and ♠7 transposed. If you don't make the safety play it is true that the ♠J will fall. BUT, East will still take the fourth ♠ and when he gets in he will return the ♥Q. Deal 79
♠ 7 4 ♥ A 10 9 8 ♦ Q J 10 8 ♣ J 8 3		♠ J 9 5 2 ♥ Q J 5 ♦ 9 2 ♣ 10 9 7 4
	♠ A 10 ♥ K 7 4 3 ♦ A 6 5 4 ♣ A Q 5