Deal 17	♠ J 8 ♥ K 7 4 ♦ A J 8 7 6 2 ♣ 5 3		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 2♣ pass 3♦ pass 4NT pass 5♦ pass 5NT pass 6♦ pass 7♣ pass pass pass South is to play 7♣. West leads the ♠K. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ A ♥ A 6 3 ♦ K 5 ♣ A K Q J 9 8 7

 

Deal 17 7♣ OL: ♠K	♠ J 8 ♥ K 7 4 ♦ A J 8 7 6 2 ♣ 5 3		At first glance this doesn't appear to be a difficult hand. You expect to win the opening lead, pull trumps, then establish a ♦ winner by playing ♦K, ♦A, and ruffing a ♦. As long as they split 3-2 you could reach dummy's ♦ winner with the ♥K. So you take the ♠A, pull three rounds of trumps and play ♦K. But when you lead to the ♦A West discards a small ♠.  NEXT
♠ K Q 9 6 3 ♥ Q 9 8 5 ♦ 9 ♣ 10 6 2		♠ 10 7 5 4 2 ♥ J 10 2 ♦ Q 10 4 3 ♣ 4
	♠ A ♥ A 6 3 ♦ K 5 ♣ A K Q J 9 8 7

 

Deal 17 7♣ OL: ♠K	♠ J ♥ K 7 4 ♦ J 8 7 ♣		Time to rethink. You are in dummy now, and you can ruff a ♦, return with the ♥K and ruff another ♦. The last ♦ would be good but you'd have no way to reach it. Think squeeze instead. Ruff a ♦. This turns the ♦J into a Threat card against East's ♦Q. But, the ♠J is already a Threat card against West's ♠Q.  NEXT
♠ Q 9 6 ♥ Q 9 8 5 ♦   ♣		♠ 10 7 ♥ J 10 2 ♦ Q 10 ♣
	♠   ♥ A 6 3 ♦   ♣ J 9 8 7

 

Deal 17 7♣ OL: ♠K	♠ J ♥ K 7 4 ♦ J 8 ♣		Play your ♣J and ♣9, discarding the ♦8 and the ♥4 from dummy. West can afford to discard the ♠9 and the ♥5. East can spare his two ♠s.  NEXT
♠ Q 9 ♥ Q 9 8 5 ♦   ♣		♠ 10 7 ♥ J 10 2 ♦ Q ♣
	♠   ♥ A 6 3 ♦   ♣ J 9 8

 

Deal 17 7♣ OL: ♠K	♠ J ♥ K 7 ♦ J ♣		You are there. Play your ♣8. West cannot throw the ♠Q, so he gives up the ♥8. Dummy's ♠J is of no further value so you dump it. East cannot throw the ♦Q, so he gives up the ♥2. And you take the last three tricks with the ♥ suit. There were only two defenders; one of them had to guard ♠s and the other had to guard ♦s. There was nobody left to guard ♥s.  Deal 18
♠ Q ♥ Q 9 8 ♦   ♣		♠   ♥ J 10 2 ♦ Q ♣
	♠   ♥ A 6 3 ♦   ♣ 8