Deal 6	♠ J 10 9 4 ♥ 7 5 3 ♦ A K 9 ♣ A 9 5		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1NT pass 3NT pass pass pass With his 4-3-3-3 distribution North chooses not to bother with Stayman. South is to play 3NT. West leads the ♥6. East plays the ♥J. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ A Q 8 2 ♥ K Q 2 ♦ Q 6 4 ♣ K 7 6

 

Deal 6      3NT OL: ♥6	♠ J 10 9 4 ♥ 7 5 3 ♦ A K 9 ♣ A 9 5		South is to play 3NT. West leads the ♥6. East plays the ♥J. Winners:   ♠ = 1   ♥ = 1   ♦ = 3   ♣ = 2   Total = 7 You need to get two more winners. The ♥ suit might provide one of them, but you will still have to establish ♠s. The burning question is whether to win the first ♥ or to hold up. If you take this trick you will have a second stopper if West takes the lead, but you will be in extreme danger if East takes the lead. Since the ♠ finesse has to go into West you should not hold up. You win with your ♥K, (keeping West in the dark about who holds the ♥Q), enter dummy with the ♦A and play the ♠J, letting it ride to West's ♠K. Click NEXT .
	♠ A Q 8 2 ♥ K Q 2 ♦ Q 6 4 ♣ K 7 6

 

Deal 6      3NT OL: ♥6	♠ 10 9 4 ♥ 7 5 ♦ K 9 ♣ A 9 5		South is to play 3NT. West leads the ♥6. East plays the ♥J. Winners:   ♠ = 1   ♥ = 1   ♦ = 3   ♣ = 2   Total = 7 You need to get two more winners. The ♥ suit might provide one of them, but you will still have to establish ♠s. The burning question is whether to win the first ♥ or to hold up. If you take this trick you will have a second stopper if West takes the lead, but you will be in extreme danger if East takes the lead. Since the ♠ finesse has to go into West you should not hold up. You win with your ♥K, (keeping West in the dark about who holds the ♥Q), enter dummy with the ♦A and play the ♠J, letting it ride to West's ♠K. West cannot play ♥s without setting up your ♥Q so he will probably exit with a ♣ which you take with the ♣K. Click NEXT .
	♠ A Q 8 ♥ Q 2 ♦ Q 6 ♣ K 7 6

 

Deal 6      3NT OL: ♥6	♠ 10 9 4 ♥ 7 5 ♦ K 9 ♣ A 9		South is to play 3NT. West leads the ♥6. East plays the ♥J. Winners:   ♠ = 1   ♥ = 1   ♦ = 3   ♣ = 2   Total = 7 You need to get two more winners. The ♥ suit might provide one of them, but you will still have to establish ♠s. The burning question is whether to win the first ♥ or to hold up. If you take this trick you will have a second stopper if West takes the lead, but you will be in extreme danger if East takes the lead. Since the ♠ finesse has to go into West you should not hold up. You win with your ♥K, (keeping West in the dark about who holds the ♥Q), enter dummy with the ♦A and play the ♠J, letting it ride to West's ♠K. West cannot play ♥s without setting up your ♥Q so he will probably exit with a ♣ which you take with the ♣K. Play off your 6 winners and concede the last three tricks. Click NEXT to see the full Deal.
	♠ A Q 8 ♥ Q 2 ♦ Q 6 ♣ 7 6

 

Deal 6      3NT OL: ♥6	♠ J 10 9 4 ♥ 7 5 3 ♦ A K 9 ♣ A 9 5		This was almost the same as Deal 5, the difference being in which direction the ♠ finesse had to be taken. But it sure makes a big difference in how you play the hand. This might have turned out even better. If West had decided to play his partner for the ♥Q, (who would have played ♥J from a holding of ♥ Q J x), you would have made an overtrick!  Deal 7
♠ K 3 ♥ A 10 8 6 4 ♦ 10 7 3 ♣ J 8 3		♠ 7 6 5 ♥ J 9 ♦ J 8 5 2 ♣ Q 10 4 2
	♠ A Q 8 2 ♥ K Q 2 ♦ Q 6 4 ♣ K 7 6