Deal 94	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass  BID      The bidding has gone as shown. Decide what you would say, then click on BID above.
	♠ K 10 6 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 6 3 ♦ 5 ♣ 7 4

 

Deal 94	♠   ♥   ♦   ♣		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♣ pass 2♦ pass  BID    Yes, you have a 6-card ♥ suit. But you also have 4 ♠s, so you start with a Stayman 2♣. Partner says 2♦; what do you bid?
	♠ K 10 6 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 6 3 ♦ 5 ♣ 7 4

 

Deal 94	♠ Q J 3 ♥ A 5 ♦ A K 8 2 ♣ Q 8 3 2		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 2♣ pass 2♦ pass 4♥ pass pass pass Yes, you have a 6-card ♥ suit. But you also have 4 ♠s, so you start with a Stayman 2♣. Partner says 2♦; what do you bid? OK, no 4-4 ♠ fit. But partner has at least 2♥ so you know you have an 8-card (or better) fit there. With 10 points you have to decide whether to invite or insist, and you like the looks of this hand so you bid 4♥. Click NEXT to continue.
	♠ K 10 6 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 6 3 ♦ 5 ♣ 7 4

 

Deal 94   4♥ OL: ♣J	♠ Q J 3 ♥ A 5 ♦ A K 8 2 ♣ Q 8 3 2		South plays 4♥. West leads the ♣J. You play low from dummy and West continues with ♣10, then ♣9 which you ruff. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ K 10 6 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 6 3 ♦ 5 ♣ 7 4

 

Deal 94   4♥ OL: ♣J	♠ Q J 3 ♥ A 5 ♦ A K 8 2 ♣ Q 8 3 2		Loser List: ♠ = 1 : ♥ = ? : ♦ = 0 : ♣ = 2 :: Total = 3 + ? You don't expect a trump loser, and obviously you cannot afford to have one. So after ruffing the third ♣ you play ♥A, then ♥Q. Aargh! West discards a ♦ on the second trump.  NEXT
	♠ K 10 6 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 6 3 ♦ 5 ♣ 7 4

 

Deal 94   4♥ OL: ♣J	♠ Q J 3 ♥ A 5 ♦ A K 8 2 ♣ Q 8 3 2		Loser List: ♠ = 1 : ♥ = ? : ♦ = 0 : ♣ = 2 :: Total = 3 + ? You don't expect a trump loser, and obviously you cannot afford to have one. So after ruffing the third ♣ you play ♥A, then ♥Q. Aargh! West discards a ♦ on the second trump. East has left the ♥ J 9 while you have the ♥ Q 10 8. If only dummy had another ♥ you could finesse East's ♥J, but, alas, dummy has none. Can you see another way to accomplish the finesse?  NEXT
	♠ K 10 6 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 6 3 ♦ 5 ♣ 7 4

 

Deal 94   4♥ OL: ♣J	♠ Q J 3 ♥ A 5 ♦ A K 8 2 ♣ Q 8 3 2		Loser List: ♠ = 1 : ♥ = ? : ♦ = 0 : ♣ = 2 :: Total = 3 + ? You don't expect a trump loser, and obviously you cannot afford to have one. So after ruffing the third ♣ you play ♥A, then ♥Q. Aargh! West discards a ♦ on the second trump. East has left the ♥ J 9 while you have the ♥ Q 10 8. If only dummy had another ♥ you could finesse East's ♥J, but, alas, dummy has none. Can you see another way to accomplish the finesse? If you could manage to be in dummy after trick 11, and have nothing in your hand but the ♥ Q 10, while East had nothing in his hand but the ♥ J 9 you would have him. But to accomplish this you must use up your ♥8 beforehand. You enter dummy with a ♦, then play a small ♦ and ruff with your ♥8. Then play your ♠K. West wins this and assume he plays another ♠.  NEXT
	♠ K 10 6 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 6 3 ♦ 5 ♣ 7 4

 

Deal 94   4♥ OL: ♣J	♠ Q J 3 ♥ A 5 ♦ A K 8 2 ♣ Q 8 3 2		Loser List: ♠ = 1 : ♥ = ? : ♦ = 0 : ♣ = 2 :: Total = 3 + ? You don't expect a trump loser, and obviously you cannot afford to have one. So after ruffing the third ♣ you play ♥A, then ♥Q. Aargh! West discards a ♦ on the second trump. East has left the ♥ J 9 while you have the ♥ Q 10 8. If only dummy had another ♥ you could finesse East's ♥J, but, alas, dummy has none. Can you see another way to accomplish the finesse? If you could manage to be in dummy after trick 11, and have nothing in your hand but the ♥ Q 10, while East had nothing in his hand but the ♥ J 9 you would have him. But to accomplish this you must use up your ♥8 beforehand. You enter dummy with a ♦, then play a small ♦ and ruff with your ♥8. Then play your ♠K. West wins this and assume he plays another ♠. Win the ♠ in dummy, then play ♦K, and the other ♠ winner. If East has to follow to all these then you will have accomplished your objective; East will be down to ♥ J 9 and will have to ruff trick 12 with one of them - which you will over-ruff. Click NEXT  for the full layout.
	♠ K 10 6 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 6 3 ♦ 5 ♣ 7 4

 

Deal 94   4♥ OL: ♣J	♠ Q J 3 ♥ A 5 ♦ A K 8 2 ♣ Q 8 3 2		One possibility was not mentioned earlier. When you played a third ♦ to ruff with your ♥8, East COULD have ruffed this. If he had, it would have handed you your contract since you could over-ruff and take care of your trump problem immediately. By the way, ruffing a card to purposely shorten your trump holding is called a Trump Coup. Deal 95
♠ A 8 5 ♥ 4 ♦ J 9 7 6 4 3 ♣ J 10 9		♠ 9 7 4 ♥ J 9 7 2 ♦ Q 10 ♣ A K 6 5
	♠ K 10 6 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 6 3 ♦ 5 ♣ 7 4