EW 2N; EW 2♠; EW 2♥; EW 1♣; Par −120

West    North   East     South

            Pass    1♣       Dbl

1♥        Pass    2♣       Pass

2♥        All Pass

West has quite a lot of points for the 2♥ rebid, that’s a bid that would usually be made by a weaker hand with 6 Hearts.  Having said that, AKQJT looks like a 6-card suit to us, but the void in Partner’s Clubs is a negative, causing West to get less than excited by his hand.  Good choice by West, as staying low is the key to success on this hand.  Defending against 2♥, it’s easy to see North attacking with the ♠J.  When that holds, she’ll probably continue, and the defense scores 3 fast Spade tricks and a Spade ruff (Dummy pitching a Diamond).  That might seem like a fun start for the defense but in fact it hands Declarer 9 easy tricks (the 9^th being a Diamond ruff on the board).  But there is a defense which holds Declarer to just 8 tricks … North must lead a trump (or lead the ♠J and shift to a trump), stopping the ruff in Dummy.

Bidding Afterthought

Just as West did well to treat his ♥AKQJT as a 6-card suit, perhaps South could have treated her ♠AKQ2 as a 5-card suit!  Overcalling 1♠ with that hand would no doubt work out rather well.  West would bid 2♥, and East would rebid 3♣.  Now E-W are doomed to go minus!

NS 4♠; NS 3N; NS 2♥; NS 3♣; EW 2♦; Par +500: EW 5♦x-3

West    North   East     South

                        2♦        Pass

3♦        3♠        Pass    4♠

Pass    Pass    Pass

White versus Red, East cared not one jot for the mediocre quality of his suit, he jumped right in with a Weak Two.  West’s raise to 3♦ was purely obstructive, after which N-S lurched into 4♠, making 10 easy tricks.  Yes, E-W have a fine sacrifice in 5♦, going down just three tricks for -500.  Not an easy one to find.

EW 3♥; NS 2♠; EW 3♣; EW 1N; EW 1♦; Par −100: NS 3♠x-1

West    North   East     South

Pass 

1♣       1♠        Dbl      3♠

3NT     Pass    4♥       All Pass

East was not good enough for a 2♥ bid, and might have considered a preemptive 3♥ at anything but unfavorable vulnerability.  Instead, he eked out a Negative Double, showing a few values (very few, in actuality) and at least 4 Hearts.  South’s 3♠ was preemptive, West’s 3NT natural, and 4♥ was a reasonable guess.

4♥ can be beaten if South finds the opening lead of a Club, allowing the defense to score ♣K, Club ruff, and two red Aces.  But South might well lead a Spade, after which Declarer scoots home with 10 tricks.

And 3NT?  That’s down a couple, provided that North does not commit the cardinal sin of winning the first round of Hearts.

S 4N; S 4♠; NS 4♥; N 3N; N 3♠; S 2♦; N 1♦; E 1♣; Par +630

West    North   East     South

Pass    1♦        Dbl      Rdbl

2♣       Pass    Pass    2♥

All Pass

-         With 3-3 in the minors, some players have a tendency to open 1♣, but here, with the Diamonds being so much better, North elects to open 1♦.

-         East’s Takeout Double is decidedly minimum, the principal excuse being possession of both majors.

-         South is about minimum for her strength-showing Redouble.  This bid typically denies a 5-card major (with such a hand and with some values, South can bid 1♥ or 1♠, both of which are forcing bids).

-         West can pass the Redouble if he has no clear preference, but here he does, and bids 2♣.  This bid doesn’t show values, merely more Clubs than in the other suits.

-         South’s winning call now is Double, but that’s not obvious holding only two Clubs.  So, she goes in search of a major suit fit and finds one in Hearts.  And if South had a hand with game aspirations?  Then she can cue-bid 3♣.

2♥ plays rather well, despite the 4-1 trump break.  By the time it comes to play Diamonds, East will be strong favorite to hold the ♦Q (having doubled and being without the ♥A), so Declarer loses just two trumps and a Club. 

NS 4♥; NS 2N; NS 2♠; NS 2♦; N 1♣; Par +620

West    North   East     South

            Pass    Pass    1♥

1♠        Pass    Pass    3♥

All Pass

-         Theoretically, West is a Spade short for his overcall, but he found such a chunky suit hard to resist (see also Board 1).

-         South’s 3♥ was not forcing, but showed a pretty good hand.

-         However, North was not cooperating with that miserable collection.

When Dummy goes down, South can see that 3♥ is in serious jeopardy, but the cards are well-placed for her.  Let’s say that West leads the ♠K, and another Spade.  Declarer ruffs the second round, and the obvious plan is to go for a Diamond ruff on the board.  However, when the ♦Q appears on the second round of Diamonds, that plan looks doomed, so Declarer leads a Club towards Dummy.  West wins his Ace and can persist with Spades, but Declarer ruffs, crosses to the ♣K, finesses in Hearts, and when trumps are 3-3, she has her 10 (very lucky) tricks, losing just one trick in each side-suit. 

NS 3N; NS 5♦; S 3♠; NS 3♥; N 2♠; NS 2♣; Par +400

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    1♦

Pass    1♠        Pass    1NT

Pass    3♦        All Pass

We don’t see hordes of N-S pairs reaching game here, but 3NT and 5♦ both turn out to be reasonable contracts, each one requiring that Declarer hold her Diamond losers to just one.  What’s the percentage play in that suit?  The three ways to play this suit combination are:

-         Cash the Ace: Here the hope is that the suit is 2-2 or that someone has a singleton honor.  The chance of success (for one loser) is 66%.

-        Finesse, and if that loses, play the Ace on the second round: This wins when trumps are 2-2 or when East has KQ.  A 70% chance.

-        Finesse, and if that loses, finesse again: This wins whenever East has at least one honor, and gives the best odds, 76%.

The theoretically superior line is also the winning line on the actual hand.  Playing in Diamonds, the Spade opening lead is won in Dummy, the Diamond finessed, and when that wins Declarer cashes the ♦A and cross-ruffs the hand.

We are not saying that East should split his Diamond honors on the first round (that would look very foolish if West held the singleton Jack or Ace!), but on this hand splitting makes Declarer’s life more difficult.  She could win the Ace and lead another trump, hoping that the suit is 2-2, but that’s only 10 tricks when East wins and plays a third round of trumps.  A more successful line is to leave both missing trumps at large, cash the side-suit winners and try for a cross-ruff.  But the timing must be just right:

            Win ♠A

            Trump to the Queen and Ace

            Cash ♣A and ruff a Club

            Back to the ♥A and ruff another Club

            Cash ♠A and ruff a Spade

            Cross to the ♥K

Now, when the last Spade is led from Dummy, East is helpless.  11 tricks!

EW 5♥; EW 4♦; NS 2N; NS 2♠; NS 2♣; Par −650

West    North   East     South  

3♣

3♦        Pass    3♥        Pass

4♥        All Pass

South’s 3♣ might not suit all tastes, but at least the suit has some fillers and the hand has some shape.  Not that it makes much difference as East is destined to become Declarer in 4♥ with or without the preempt.  And there is not much to the play, with Declarer losing two Aces, for +650.

Perhaps North should have tried a 4♠ sacrifice (which on a luckier day and without a trump opening lead, might even make).  East might push on to 5♥ and still collect his +650, but if North is allowed to play in 4♠ doubled she escapes for -500 (or maybe -200) and a good result.

S 2♣; NS 1♠; EW 1♥; EW 1♦; N 1♣; Par +90

West    North   East     South

1♦        Pass    1♥        1♠

Pass    Pass    1NT     Pass

Pass    2♣       Pass    Pass

2♦        All Pass

First East balances with 1NT, then North balances with 2♣, and West balances with 2♦.  South must have been tempted to make it a complete set of balances by doing something when 2♦ came back to her.  Yes, South might well have doubled, not so much as a penalty Double, more as a bid meaning “Do something that works well, Partner”.  Anyway, nothing much makes on this board, including 2♦ which bites the dust following this defense:

            ♠9 won by Declarer’s Queen

            Club to the King and Ace

            Heart won by North’s King

            Two Spades are cashed

            Club won by North.

The defense has taken its five side-suit tricks and is sure of a trump trick after Dummy takes a ruff in Clubs.

NS 4N; NS 5♦; NS 3♥; NS 4♣; NS 1♠; Par +430

West    North   East     South

            1♦        Pass    2♣

Pass    2NT     Pass    3♦

Pass    3NT     All Pass

South’s 2♣ was game-forcing, and then her 3♦ showed interest in big things in Diamonds.  North returned to 3NT, but might have offered some encouragement with a 3♥ bid.  After all, as 12-14 hands go, North’s collection is not so bad, she does have good controls, a 5^th Diamond and the Ace in Partner’s suit.  If North does bid 3♥, then South can trot out a 4♦ Minorwood bid (assuming that tool is available), find that two Key Cards are missing, and sign off in 4NT.

How many tricks can Declarer make in No Trump?  If East somehow finds a Spade lead, the defense is a tempo ahead, and can set up their Spades before Declarer can set up her Diamonds.  So, Declarer’s only chance of a 10^th trick is the Heart finesse, which works for +430.  However, unfortunately for the defense, East is more likely to start out with an opening Heart lead, giving Declarer two extra Heart tricks and 11 altogether.

EW 6♦; EW 5N; EW 5♣; EW 2♠; NS 2♥; Par −1100: NS 6♥x-4

West    North   East     South

                        1♦        Pass

2♣        Pass    2♦        Pass

3NT     All Pass

-         East’s hand is way too good for a 3♦ preempt, and quite adequate for opening one of a suit.

-         West’s 2♣ is game-forcing in the E-W methods.

-         West’s 3NT show some extras.

-         East is tempted to try for slam, but turned off by those three small cards in Partner’s Clubs.

Playing in No Trump, North leads a Heart and that’s 11 easy tricks.  How does 6♦ fare?  If South is clever enough to lead a Spade (giving away nothing), Declarer can see that he is in a rotten contract, one requiring considerable luck in the Club suit.  The suit must be played for one loser, which would be a 50% proposition if East or West had the Ten.  But without it the odds drop way down to around 30%.  Declarer’s best shot is to play South to hold AQ, with the little bonus that QT doubleton also works.  As it happens it’s that little bonus which brings in the lucky slam.

EW 2♠; EW 3♦; EW 3♣; NS 1♥; Par −110

West    North   East     South

Pass    Pass    1♥        Pass

3♥        All Pass

Here’s an auction with only two bids, both of which may seem rather strange.  First of all, North opens 1♥ with a 4-card suit.  Well, that’s not really so strange, she is in 3^rd seat and would like to encourage a Heart lead.  How about South’s 3♥?  N-S are playing Drury, which allows South to check on the soundness of Partner’s 3^rd seat opening when she has support for her major.  2♣ (and sometimes 2♦) is used for this purpose, and would show a decent hand with (in this case) Heart support.  So, even if you normally play 1♥ 3♥ as invitational, if you also play Drury, then Pass 1♥, 3♥ can be played as preemptive.  As can be seen, preemption was very much South’s intention here, and 3♥ goes down two tricks for the fine N-S score of -100.

E-W can make 2♠ or 3♦, so scoring +100 for defeating 3♥ was not a good result.  Was either player especially to blame?  Not really.  East might have doubled 1♥, but with only 11 HCP and with three small in the unbid major, that was hardly perfect.  In fact, if East does double 1♥, then South will preempt 3♥, as before, after which West is surely going to compete to 3♠, going minus.

EW 3♠; EW 2♥; EW 1N; NS 1♦; EW 1♣; Par −140

West    North   East     South

1♣       Pass    1♥        Pass

1♠        Pass    4♠        All Pass

There’s an element of randomness in the outcome of this deal.  E-W are destined to play in 4♠, played from the West side, and it all depends on North’s opening lead.  If West opens the bidding with 1♦ (as some will), the lead of the unbid Club suit will appear most reasonable, and the defense gets its 4 tricks.  But if West generally prefers to open 1♣ with 3-3 in the minors (unless, perhaps, the Diamonds are much better), he will deter the Club lead and no doubt end up scoring 10 tricks.  So, this deal will be lucky for some, less so for others.  Just like any other board.

EW 3♠; EW 2♥; NS 2♣; Par −140

West    North   East     South

Pass    Pass    1♦        Pass

1♠        Pass    2♠       All Pass

How does Declarer make an overtrick in 2♠?  North leads Diamonds, Declarer ruffs the second round, and cashes the ♣A.  Now Declarer leads a trump, after which the play goes one of two ways:

-         South (improbably) rises with the Ace and returns a trump: Now you get just one ruff, but score three Hearts, and 9 altogether.

-         South ducks: Now you go for two Club ruffs.  You win the ♠Q, ruff a Club, cross to the ♥Q, ruff a Club, play the ♥A and then the ♥K.  If Hearts had been 3-3 you would make 10 tricks, as it happens you get just 9.

EW 5♥; EW 4N; EW 5♣; EW 2♠; EW 3♦; Par −450

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    Pass

1NT     Pass    2♣       Pass

2♦        Pass    3NT     All Pass

What would you lead from the North hand against 3NT?  The winning lead is the aggressive ♦J, holding Declarer to 10 tricks (which are made courtesy of the Declarer-friendly Clubs).

But North might lead a Spade, and that gives Declarer the timing to rack up a whopping 11 tricks:

            Win ♠A on the board

            Finesse the ♣Q

            Finesse the ♥T, losing to the Jack

            Diamond shift, ducked by Declarer

            Diamond continuation is won by Declarer’s Ace

            ♣A drops South’s King

            Finesse the ♥Q, etc. 

E 5N; EW 5♥; W 4N; EW 5♣; EW 2♦; EW 1♠; Par −460

NS 6♥; NS 4♠; NS 3N; Par +980

West    North   East     South

Pass    1♦        Pass    1♥

Pass    2♥        Pass    4♥

All Pass

6♥ turns out to be a terrific contract, requiring no more than East holding either the ♠K or the ♠Q.  That’s pretty good odds, actually 76%.  But with a combined 23 HCP, it’s virtually impossible to bid the slam, and let’s not forget that without those magnificent Spade spots it would be a poor slam indeed.  Take away just that humble ♠9 and the odds of making slam plummet to below 40%, and if you take away the ♠T it gets even worse!  So, be happy that you got to game and took the maximum number of tricks, that alone should be enough for a decent score.

EW 2N; EW 3♦; N 3♣; S 2♣; EW 1♠; NS 1♥; Par −100: N 4♣x-1

West    North   East     South

            Pass    Pass    3♣

All Pass

It would be inexpressibly feeble for South not to jump in there with a third-seat 3♣, after which E-W have no good options.  Sure, West can overcall (some would say overbid) with 3♦, and that is a contract which is likely to make 9 tricks.  But, once West bids 3♦, East cannot pass, his hand is too good.  West could have a considerably better hand, one which makes game possible.  So, if West bids 3♦, East might try 3♠, after which West is pretty much end-played into bidding 3NT.  He does not expect this to make, but maybe he can get out for down a couple, hopefully 3NT down two (mercifully undoubled) is actually a good save against 3♣!

What’s the bottom line?

-         South declares 3♣: That’s down one, with a Spade lead, or with the ♦K lead and a Spade shift.

-        West stumbles into 3NT: Astonishingly, this contract will probably make!  Declarer always has six Diamonds and (aided by the finesse) two Spades.  And the defense is likely to present Declarer with the 9^th by attacking Hearts or Clubs.  The only way to beat 3NT is for the defense to attack one of the E-W suits!  If they lead Spades or Diamonds, 8 tricks will be the limit.

NS 5N; NS 4♥; NS 5♣; NS 4♦; NS 2♠; Par +660

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    1♣

Pass    1♦        1♥        1NT

Pass    3NT     All Pass

It’s hard to eke out any excitement from this one!  West leads a Heart, and now (thanks to the 3-2 Club split), Declarer can count 3 Spades, 2 Hearts, 2 Diamonds, and 4 Clubs.  11 tricks, +660, for a flat board.

NS 4♣; NS 2♠; W 1N; NS 1♦; Par +130

West    North   East     South

Pass

Pass    1♦        1♥        Pass

1NT     3♣      All Pass

The first problem bid in this auction comes to West.  What is your choice opposite Partner’s 1♥ overcall?  Maybe it’s not really such a problem after.  West has three Hearts, but a square and seriously No Trumpish hand.  Also, it might be a good idea to protect that Diamond holding from the opening lead.  So, West bids 1NT which, opposite an overcall, shows something in the general vicinity of 8-11.

Over to North.  She has a hand that, opposite a non-silent Partner, would have jump-shifted, forcing to game.  Do the rules change when Partner failed to take a call?  3♣ still shows a good hand, but opposite a silent Partner, it need not be forcing.    With a really good hand, North must double or cue-bid, or perhaps open 2♣ initially.  So, North bids 3♣, which works out well on the actual deal, as Partner will pass and 10 tricks will be made.

E 2♠; S 2♦; W 1♠; EW 1♥; N 1♦; EW 1♣; Par −110

West    North   East     South

Pass    Pass    Pass    1♦

Pass    2♦        All Pass

Here’s an auction which might have endless variations.  We offer a few thoughts:

-         Some Norths won’t be able to bid 2♦, for them that would be (even by a passed hand) an Inverted Raise, showing a better hand.  Such Norths will be obliged to bid 1NT, which is not such a terrible idea anyway.

-        Some Wests, perhaps not noticing the vulnerability, will overcall 2♣.  North passes, and now there are two ways by which dreadful things can befall E-W.  The most likely one is that South will reopen with a Double, North will pass, and West will go for -200 or -500 on a part-score hand.  Even worse, East might take a shine to his hand (he shouldn’t) and presume that West actually has some values.  If that happens then the final E-W result will be too hideous even to contemplate.

-        Other Wests, we’ll call them the enlightened ones, will overcall 1♦ with 1♥.  Yes, you will no doubt have noticed that there is a small deficit in the length of the Heart suit, but at least it is a bid which does not overstate the robustness of the Club suit, and one which tells East which suit to lead.

EW 6N; EW 6♠; EW 5♥; EW 1♦; EW 1♣; Par −990

West    North   East     South

            Pass    1♣       Pass

1♠        Pass    1NT     Pass

4♣       Pass    4♥        Pass

6NT     All Pass

West’s 4♣ was Gerber, and these were the responses being used by E-W:

            4♦        1 or 4 Aces

            4♥        0 or 3 Aces

            4♠        2 Aces and a bad hand

            4NT     2 Aces and a good hand

As can be seen, these responses are analogous to the Roman Key Card 1430 responses, with the role of the Queen of trumps being usurped by the strength of the hand.

When East shows all three missing Aces, how many tricks can West count?  Six Spades, two Hearts and a Club brings the total to 9.  How many Diamonds?  Should be three, unless East tragically has only two cards in the suit (perhaps his distribution is 2=4=2=5).  Despite that (fairly remote) risk West bids 6NT, where he has the expected 12 tricks with no chance for any more.

EW 5♠; EW 4♣; EW 1N; EW 2♦; NS 1♥; Par −650

West    North   East     South

                        1♦        Pass

1♠        Pass    3♠        Pass

4♠        All Pass

East’s lovely 14-count is full value for the jump raise to 3♠ and West was not quite good enough to make a slam try.  Do you see how Declarer makes 11 tricks, losing just two trump tricks?  Let’s assume that North avoids the helpful Club lead and makes life more difficult for Declarer by leading a Heart:

            Heart to Declarer’s Ace

            Cross to the ♦A

            Diamond ruff

            Spade to the King and Ace

            Club return to the Jack, Queen and Ace

            Diamond ruff

            Cash the ♠Q

            Heart ruff

After this well-timed play, Dummy’s Diamonds are led, and if South ruffs in, Dummy still has a Heart ruff as an entry to the other winning Diamond.  The key play was to ruff a Diamond early, ensuring that Dummy’s Heart ruff entries could be put to good use in the setting up of the Diamonds.

NS 6♦; NS 5♥; EW 3♠; NS 4♣; Par +800: EW 6♠x-3

West    North   East     South

1♥

3♠        4♥        4♠       5♥

All Pass

Usually, when the opponents have been pushed up to the 5-level, it’s a good idea to let them play it there, bidding “5 over 5” is quite often a losing proposition.  So we wouldn’t blame East here for missing the good 5♠ sacrifice.  After all, he had a square shape, and no doubt hoped her ♠A would cash (it didn’t) and that his QTx trump holding would be worth a trick (it wasn’t).  Anyway, well done those E-W pairs who found the profitable Spade sacrifice, but we expect +650 to N-S at most tables.

NS 2N; NS 2♦; NS 1♠; EW 1♥; NS 1♣; Par +120

West    North   East     South

1♥        Pass    1♠        Pass

2♥        Pass    Pass    Dbl

All Pass

When 2♥ is passed around to South it is clear for her to double back into the auction.  With South’s singleton Heart and with no Heart raise from East, there is a chance that North might make a Penalty Pass.  And, failing that, there was the likelihood of a minor suit fit.

As it happens North tries for a penalty and with good defense that will be +300 for N-S:

            J♠ won by Declarer’s Queen

            Club to the Ace

            Losing Diamond finesse

            Spade return which South must take with the Ace (even if North returns the Jack!)

            Heart to the Queen and King

            ♥A is cashed

Now the Diamond ruff in Dummy has been stopped, and by taking care to lead the first round of trumps from the South hand, North will still score three trump tricks (which was why South had to win that second round of Spades).  When the dust has cleared, Declarer will have scored just three trumps and one trick in each side-suit.

NS 4♠; NS 4♣; NS 1N; EW 2♦; EW 1♥; Par +420

West    North   East     South

            2♠        Dbl      Rdbl

Pass    Pass     3♦        3♠

Pass    4♠        All Pass

-         East’s Double is somewhat off-shape, but reasonable.

-         South’s Redouble shows a good hand.  In this case it was a hand which was not good enough to go to game in Spades, but which might be prepared to penalize the opponents at the 3-level, with co-operation from Partner.

-         As for West, his first reaction (over the Redouble) might have been to bid Hearts, but there was no rush to pick the trump suit.  Passing does not say “I want to defend 2♠ redoubled!”, it says “I have no particular preference, Partner, you pick the suit”.  If East were then to bid 3♣, West would bid 3♦ saying “I have Diamonds and Hearts, choose between those”.  This was good bidding from West, if he had bid 3♥ over the Redouble, North would have doubled that and that would be -500 for E-W and a bottom board.

When South finally supported Spades, North went to game, her hand somewhat improved by the singleton in the opponents’ suit.

EW 6♥; EW 5♠; EW 2N; NS 2♦; NS 1♣; Par −1400: NS 7♦x-5

West    North   East     South

                        1♥        Pass

2NT     Pass    3♦        Pass

5♣        Pass    5NT    Pass

6♥        All Pass

-         West makes a good choice when he supports Hearts immediately with a Jacoby 2NT response.  There’s no point in confusing matters by bidding those impressive Spades first, West knows where he’s headed and has the kind of hand that should be taking charge of the auction.

-         East’s 3♦ shows a singleton Diamond.

-         West launches into Exclusion Key Card!  That spectacular leap to 5♣ says “Tell me your Key Cards, but leave out the ♣A from your response”.

-         Following instructions, East shows “two with”, after which West satisfies himself with just 6♥.  Of course, if the ♣A were changed to the ♥A, E-W would have coasted into the cold grand slam, even though they would be missing the ♣A.

West did well to take charge of the auction, look at the mess he might have gotten into if he had wasted time showing his Spades:

            West    East

                        1♥

            1♠        2♣

            2♦        2♠

            3♥        4♣

            Etc.

In this auction, West got himself embroiled in a Fourth Suit Forcing mess, and was unable to agree Hearts at a low enough level.  Consequently, there was no chance of reaching the grand slam when East had the right Key Cards.

NS 4♥; NS 2N; NS 3♦; NS 2♣; NS 1♠; Par +420

West    North   East     South

1♣

Pass    1♦        Pass     1♥

Pass    3NT    All Pass

The N-S auction says “lead a Spade” and that is no doubt what East will do.  Declarer wins that and sets about the Hearts.  East must hop up with the King and find the deadly shift to a Club.  Whichever Club finesse Declarer chooses, West will win, and revert to Spades.  Nice defense, now the defense gets its five tricks before Declarer can get beyond eight.

That was alert defense by East to find the Club shift, but North could have made East’s life a lot harder with a less informative auction.  After 1♣, she might have simply responded 3NT (showing 13-15).  Sure, it’s not perfect, for all North knows the defense might rattle off 5 Hearts, for example.  But usually they won’t and East will be operating in the dark on his opening lead.  He’ll probably lead the ♥K, which is fatal to the defense, allowing Declarer to take 10 tricks.

W 5♥; E 4♥; EW 1N; NS 1♠; W 1♦; NS 1♣; Par −450

West    North   East     South

1♥        Pass    2NT     Pass

3NT     Pass    4♥        All Pass

With the East hand, some might go directly to 4♥, but many play that as a preemptive bid.  Another possibility is a Splinter to 4♣, showing game values and Club shortness, but that is generally frowned upon when the singleton is an Ace.  So East used the Jacoby 2NT, West showed some extra values, and East confirmed a minimum hand with 4♥.

Against 4♥, North leads the ♠T, won by Declarer’s Ace.  Declarer will draw trumps, ruff a couple Spades and a couple of Clubs, hoping for a King to fall.  Finally, Diamonds must be tackled.  Declarer leads to his King, taken by the Ace.  Back comes a Spade, ruffed by Declarer, and now West leads a Diamond towards the board.  North has been doing some counting, of course.  She knows that West’s initial distribution was 1=5=3=4, so with nerves of steel she plays low on the second round of Diamonds.  Declarer finesses the Nine and is held to 10 tricks!  Note that Declarer would have done better to ruff one less Club and one less Spade.  Now, when South wins her doubleton ♦T, she is end-played!  Whichever black suit South leads will hand Declarer his 11^th trick.

EW 5♠; EW 4N; EW 4♣; EW 2♦; NS 1♥; Par −650

West    North   East     South

            Pass    2♠        All Pass

East had a pretty good Weak Two, West reckoned that he was not quite good enough to invite game, and E-W languished in a part-score.  Against 2♠, South leads the ♦K, won in Dummy.  Next comes the ♠K, on which South plays the Ten, giving Declarer a guess.  If South started with QT, he should play for the drop … but if he started with T or T9, or has false-carded from Tx, then he should finesse.  If Declarer guesses right, he makes no fewer than 11 tricks, with the Diamonds providing pitches for two Clubs.

EW 7N; EW 7♥; EW 7♦; EW 6♠; EW 5♣; Par −1520

West    North   East     South

                        1♦        Pass

1♠        Pass    3♠        Pass

4NT     Pass    5♥       Pass

6NT     Pass    Pass    Pass

East’s 3♠ showed around 15-17 with 4-card support, and although he has only 13 HCP, that hand clearly qualifies, given the fine controls and good Diamond suit.  Now, what would be your response as East, when West launches into Roman Key Card Blackwood?  The two options are:

-         Bid 5♥: Showing two Key Cards and denying the ♠Q.

-         Bid 5NT: Showing two Key Cards and a void, and saying nothing about the ♠Q, one way or the other.

The trouble with bidding 5NT is that Partner won’t know whether the void is in Hearts or in Clubs, and there is no guarantee that the void will even be useful.  However, denying the ♠Q might well be useful, so East chooses 5♥, after which West takes a shot at 6NT.

With the Diamonds breaking, there are 12 top tricks, and with various chances for a 13^th.  A Club lead would give away the overtrick immediately, so let’s say that North is lucky or smart enough to lead a passive Diamond.  Declarer cashes the Diamonds, pitching a Spade and a Club.  Then he crosses to the ♠A (noting the fall of North’s Queen), and cashes the ♣A and ♣K.  Here are the remaining cards:

                                    North

                                    ♠

                                    ♥ J873

                                    ♦

                                    ♣ Q

            West                                        East

            ♠ KT                                       ♠ 8

            ♥ Q2                                       ♥ AKT6

            ♦                                              ♦

            ♣ J                                          ♣

                                    South

                                    ♠ J7

                                    ♥ 954

                                    ♦

                                    ♣

The defense has discarded well, both North and South hung on to all their Hearts, offering Declarer the minimum amount of clues.  Now Declarer could just cash the Hearts and, when the ♥J does not drop, try to guess the Spade position.  But a safer play for 13 tricks is the cash the ♠K … maybe North started with doubleton ♠QJ … or maybe North will be squeezed in Hearts and Clubs.  It’s the latter case which wins the day and scores +1020.

NS 4♥; NS 2N; NS 2♠; NS 1♣; Par +620

West    North   East     South

1NT

Pass    2♣       Pass     2♥

Pass    4♥       All Pass

Suppose that South had responded 2♦ to the Stayman inquiry.  What next by North?

-         1NT 2♣, 2♦ 2♠ is used by many to show an invitational hand, with 5 Spades and 4 Hearts.

-         1NT 2♣, 2♦ 3♠ is used to show the same distribution and game-going values (some partnerships play Smolen, where the jump to the three-level is made in the four-card suit, allowing the strong hand to declare the 5-3 major fit, if there is one).

Anyway, if South does respond 2♦, North will treat this hand as invitational and bid 2♠.  But, on the actual hand, when she responds 2♥, the 4-4 fit is enough to take a stab at game.

Against 4♠, West leads his singleton Spade and East wins the Queen and cashes the Ace.  Declarer ruffs the third Spade high.  Now, back to hand with a low trump, ruff another Spade high, and draw trumps, eventually pitching a Club on the Diamonds.  This avoids the need for a Club finesse, but would fail in the event of a 4-1 trump break.  There does not seem to be a way to not only avoid the Club finesse, but also to handle 4-1 trumps.  But all that is academic when the finesse works and the trumps break.

EW 3♥; EW 4♦; EW 2N; EW 3♣; NS 1♠; Par −140

West    North   East     South

1♣       Pass    1♦        1♠

2♦        3♠        4♠       Pass

5♠        All Pass

E-W have a combined 26 HCP but no makeable game.  5♦ is their best shot, requiring that the Club finesse work.  It doesn’t and that is down one.