Deal 12
 
 
 
♠ Q 7 4
8 5
K J 10 3
♣ 7 5 4 2
 
 WEST  NORTH  EAST  SOUTH
2NT
pass3NTpasspass
pass

South is to play 3NT. West leads the 6. East plays the Q.

Make a Plan, then click  NEXT .
   
  ♠ A K 5
A 7 2
A Q 6 5
♣ K J 6
 

 
Deal 12
 
   3NT
OL: 6
♠ Q 7 4
8 5
K J 10 3
♣ 7 5 4 2
  South is to play 3NT. West leads the 6. East plays the Q.

Winners:   ♠ = 3    = 1    = 4   ♣ = 0   Total = 8

Needing only one more winner you decide to hold up on the first and also the continuation. You take your A on the third round, West having used the 3 to drive out your A.

Click  NEXT .
   
  ♠ A K 5
A 7 2
A Q 6 5
♣ K J 6
 

 
Deal 12
 
   3NT
OL: 6
♠ Q 7 4

K J 10 3
♣ 7 5 4
  South is to play 3NT. West leads the 6. East plays the Q.

Winners:   ♠ = 3    = 1    = 4   ♣ = 0   Total = 8

Needing only one more winner you decide to hold up on the first and also the continuation. You take your A on the third round, West having used the 3 to drive out your A.


You need one trick from the ♣ suit, so you win 4 tricks, then the ♠A, ♠Q, putting you in dummy. Next you play a ♣ from dummy, and when East plays low you put on . . . which ♣?

Click  NEXT .
   
  ♠ A K 5

A Q 6 5
♣ K J 6
 

 
Deal 12
 
   3NT
OL: 6
♠ 7


♣ 7 5 4
  South is to play 3NT. West leads the 6. East plays the Q.

Winners:   ♠ = 3    = 1    = 4   ♣ = 0   Total = 8

Needing only one more winner you decide to hold up on the first and also the continuation. You take your A on the third round, West having used the 3 to drive out your A.


You need one trick from the ♣ suit, so you win 4 tricks, then the ♠A, ♠Q, putting you in dummy. Next you play a ♣ from dummy, and when East plays low you put on . . . which ♣?

This is not a guess. If West has the ♣A he will get the lead and when he does he will set you with 2 more tricks. So you assume that East has the ♣A and play your ♣K.

Click  NEXT to see if your smart play is rewarded.
   
  ♠ K


♣ K J 6
 

 
Deal 12
 
   3NT
OL: 6
♠ Q 7 4
8 5
K J 10 3
♣ 7 5 4 2
  This is a lesson about holding up, and if you had not held up twice in s you would certainly have gone down.

But it's not enough to just be smart enough to hold up, you must also be able to figure out how to make the best plays later as well.

 Deal 13 
♠ 9 6 3
K J 9 6 3
8 4 2
♣ Q 9
♠ J 10 8 2
Q 10 4
9 7
♣ A 10 8 3
  ♠ A K 5
A 7 2
A Q 6 5
♣ K J 6