Deal 87	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1♠  BID      The bidding has gone as shown. Decide what you would say, then click on BID above.
	♠ A 7 ♥ A 8 3 2 ♦ Q 6 2 ♣ A K 6 2

 

Deal 87	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1♠ 1NT pass 2NT pass  BID    A takeout double would not be a terrible bid. But if you don't overcall 1NT right now it will be hard to later convince partner that you have 17 points balanced. So you bite the bullet and say 1NT. Partner now bids 2NT. What do you say?
	♠ A 7 ♥ A 8 3 2 ♦ Q 6 2 ♣ A K 6 2

 

Deal 87	♠ K 6 ♥ J 6 4 ♦ K 9 7 5 4 ♣ J 7 3		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1♠ 1NT pass 2NT pass 3NT pass pass pass A takeout double would not be a terrible bid. But if you don't overcall 1NT right now it will be hard to later convince partner that you have 17 points balanced. So you bite the bullet and say 1NT. Partner now bids 2NT. What do you say? There is no point bidding ♥s; you are absolutely sure that partner does not have four of them. He has told you to bid 3NT with a maximum so you bid 3NT. Click NEXT to continue.
	♠ A 7 ♥ A 8 3 2 ♦ Q 6 2 ♣ A K 6 2

 

Deal 87   3NT OL: ♠8	♠ K 6 ♥ J 6 4 ♦ K 9 7 5 4 ♣ J 7 3		South plays 3NT. West leads the ♠8. Of course West leads his partner's suit. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ A 7 ♥ A 8 3 2 ♦ Q 6 2 ♣ A K 6 2

 

Deal 87   3NT OL: ♠8	♠ K 6 ♥ J 6 4 ♦ K 9 7 5 4 ♣ J 7 3		Winner List: ♠ = 2 : ♥ = 1 : ♦ = 0 : ♣ = 2 :: Total = 5 When the going gets tough, the tough better figure out a good plan! Although you MIGHT manage to get an extra trick in ♥s or ♣s, you can see that your only real chance is to find a distribution that will give you 4 ♦ tricks. With that in mind, where do you win the first trick?  NEXT
	♠ A 7 ♥ A 8 3 2 ♦ Q 6 2 ♣ A K 6 2

 

Deal 87   3NT OL: ♠8	♠ K 6 ♥ J 6 4 ♦ K 9 7 5 4 ♣ J 7 3		Winner List: ♠ = 2 : ♥ = 1 : ♦ = 0 : ♣ = 2 :: Total = 5 When the going gets tough, the tough better figure out a good plan! Although you MIGHT manage to get an extra trick in ♥s or ♣s, you can see that your only real chance is to find a distribution that will give you 4 ♦ tricks. With that in mind, where do you win the first trick? Without thinking it through you might decide to save that entry to dummy and win the first trick in your hand. But to get the 4 ♦ tricks you need you are going to have to make them play their ♦A WITHOUT using one of your two honors. That means the ♦A must be doubleton, AND you must lead through it. And EAST is the one most likely to hold ♦ A x.  NEXT
	♠ A 7 ♥ A 8 3 2 ♦ Q 6 2 ♣ A K 6 2

 

Deal 87   3NT OL: ♠8	♠ K 6 ♥ J 6 4 ♦ K 9 7 5 4 ♣ J 7 3		Winner List: ♠ = 2 : ♥ = 1 : ♦ = 0 : ♣ = 2 :: Total = 5 When the going gets tough, the tough better figure out a good plan! Although you MIGHT manage to get an extra trick in ♥s or ♣s, you can see that your only real chance is to find a distribution that will give you 4 ♦ tricks. With that in mind, where do you win the first trick? Without thinking it through you might decide to save that entry to dummy and win the first trick in your hand. But to get the 4 ♦ tricks you need you are going to have to make them play their ♦A WITHOUT using one of your two honors. That means the ♦A must be doubleton, AND you must lead through it. And EAST is the one most likely to hold ♦ A x. You win dummy's ♠K and play a low ♦. When East follows with the ♦3 you play your ♦Q which wins. Then play a low ♦ from your hand, and DUCK IN DUMMY. East plays the ♦A on this trick and you are now home-free! Click NEXT to see all four hands.
	♠ A 7 ♥ A 8 3 2 ♦ Q 6 2 ♣ A K 6 2

 

Deal 87   3NT OL: ♠8	♠ K 6 ♥ J 6 4 ♦ K 9 7 5 4 ♣ J 7 3		When you bid boldly you will get into a lot of contracts that are . . . . challenging. Sometimes you must try to visualize some possible distribution of the defender's cards which will allow you to make your bid and then just go ahead and play for that distribution. Deal 88
♠ 8 5 4 2 ♥ Q 10 5 ♦ J 10 8 ♣ 9 8 5		♠ Q J 10 9 3 ♥ K 9 7 ♦ A 3 ♣ Q 10 4
	♠ A 7 ♥ A 8 3 2 ♦ Q 6 2 ♣ A K 6 2