Board 1 : Dealer North : Nil All West North East South Pass 1H 2C 2NT Pass 4H All Pass

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1 The analysis is based on 4-card Majors, Weak No-Trump (Strong NT mentioned), Transfers and Weak Two Openings in 3 suits A Q J A K J 752 K A 7 J K 94 Q Q J 93 A K Q 64 0 NT N S E W Board 1 : Dealer North : Nil All Pass 1H 2C 2NT Pass 4H South will have a choice of doubling or overcalling with his five card suit. The absence of a fourth spade makes the overcall a safer option. A take out double of one major will usually show four cards in the other major. West with eleven points may try 2NT. A penalty double of 2C will also reap handsome dividends on this particular hand, as East can obtain a diamond ruff and score plus 500. Over 2NT, East has a natural bid of 4H and will lose just two clubs and a trump. 53 A Q 10 8 Q 87 A K Q J 974 K J 5 A 6 J 10 8 Q 954 A K J 10 6 K NT N S E 11 W Board 2 : Dealer East : NS Vulnerable Pass 1S Pass 2C Pass 2D Pass 2H* Pass 3D Pass 3NT North s bid of 2H* is fourth suit forcing to game. He is too strong to bid 3NT at this stage of the bidding. The 3D bid by South shows a fifth diamond and most likely minimum point range. If South had a stronger hand he could investigate a slam as he knows North has a good hand. 3NT will usually be the final contract. A club lead will see declarer win in hand, take spade finesse and likely end up with ten tricks..

2 10 62 K Q 972 Q J 9 A K Q 7543 A A 5 A Q J K J 6 K J NT N S 2 E W Board 3 : Dealer South : EW Vulnerable 4D Pass 4NT Pass 5D Pass 6S The 4D opening will show a solid spade suit and some outside values. (4C opening will show solid heart suit and outside values) 4NT is Roman Key Card Blackwood the 5 th Ace is the King of trumps. East will respond 5D showing 0 or 3 key cards (obviously three). As the spade suit is solid, it must contain the queen. In the play, West will win the likely heart lead and immediately play on diamonds hoping to establish the suit and discard dummy s losing clubs. South will win the second diamond and should switch to a club. It will be necessary for declarer to finesse. A diamond ruffed high (in case diamonds are 4 2) will establish the suit and the slam will come home. A K Q J 4 K K A Q 75 J 962 Q K A J 6 A Q J NT N S E 12 W Board 4 : Dealer West : All Vulnerable Pass 1S Pass 2C Pass 2NT* Pass 4C* Pass 4H Pass 6NT The rebid of 2NT will show 15 to 17 points. South s bid of 4C will be Roman Key Card in Clubs. 4H will show two key cards. With a running club suit South confidently will raise to 6NT. There is nothing to the play. East will have to lead a heart for the defence to score a trick and four to the jack is usually not an attractive lead.

3 A Q A 62 J 86 K J A Q Q 4 K K Q J 743 K J 9 A NT N S E 14 W Board 5 : Dealer North : NS Vulnerable Pass Pass 1H X 1S Pass 2H Pass 2NT Pass 4H Some West players may double on the first round of bidding. That will help South in the play. If West leads Spade Jack, an immediate finesse will enable declarer discard a losing club. The finesse at this stage cannot cost as a losing club can be discarded later. As West has not led a club honour it is a reasonable assumption for declarer to believe that the club honours are split. As West has made a take out double it is also reasonable to place him with Diamond Queen. South can demonstrate his expertise by taking a backward finesse in diamonds and make three tricks in the suit. Leading the Jack is the winning play. If it is covered a finesse of the nine on the way back will lead to declarer making eleven tricks K Q K J 975 J 43 J A Q 4 A J K Q 86 K A Q 84 A NT N S E W 2 2 Board 6 : Dealer East : EW Vulnerable Pass 1NT Some fearless West players will enter the fray with a bid to show both majors, despite partner passing and holding just six high card points. North can bid 2NT using the Lebensohl convention. In this instance, the bid of 2NT shows a hand where North wants to compete in the bidding. South, if East passes, will bid 3C and North now will compete with 3D. The effect of West s intervention is that N/S have reached their optimum spot in diamonds scoring 130 instead of 120 if West had passed. An immediate bid of 3D by North over West s intervention would show a stronger hand and be forcing to game.

4 A 432 A J 7 3 Q J K K Q 754 A J 9 A K Q Q J 87 K 83 8 NT N S E 3 15 W 3 Board 7 : Dealer South : All Vulnerable 1S Pass 2S Pass 3D Pass 4S 3D is a trial bid. It asks partner to advance to game with help in that suit. Here North with two Aces and four trumps and good help in diamonds has an automatic raise to game. In the play, a club can be discarded on the heart Ace. The diamond finesse fails but a club to the king will keep declarer s losers to two. A 3 K Q K Q J 85 Q K J 762 J A 85 Q 94 K A J 63 A NT N S E W 1 2 Board 8 : Dealer West : Nil All Pass 1C 1S X 3S South s double is not ideal but with nine points he must take some action. West s jump to 3S is, showing four spades and competing to the level of the fit. South can do little over West s action another double is ambiguous but should be penalty. North may think it is take out and 4C is not a success. With 24 high card points, N/S will do well to score a plus on the board.

5 A K Q 4 K A K J 9 A 842 K A J Q Q 863 Q J 653 J NT N 9 13 S E W Board 9 : Dealer North : EW Vulnerable 1NT 2D* 2H 3C (!) This hand will be a tug of war between East and West. Some East players will have a system to show diamonds and a major. If East passes, South can introduce Stayman and when North denies a major, South can bid a non forcing 2H. If North had bid a major, South would pass happy to have found a fit. The brave West players who go on to 3C will win the day. A winning spade can be set up by playing Ace King and Jack (running it if not covered) so that a losing heart can be discarded. Q J K A K K J 965 Q Q 2 J 9743 A K Q A 7 A J NT N S 1 E W Board 10 : Dealer East : All Vulnerable 1S P P Many modern players respond 1NT with five points. The old fashioned player who likes at least six will win out here as it is virtually impossible to stay out of game after a 1NT response on the first round of bidding. A 2NT opening is not recommended with two good suits. If partner cannot respond there is no game on. Eight tricks are comfortable in a spade contract. 4H, 5C and 3NT are destined to fail. It is best for your good declarer play to be tempered with caution in the bidding.

6 J 83 Q J K Q 6 A A 83 K 10 Q K A K Q J A J NT N S E W Board 11 : Dealer South : Nil All Pass 2C Pass 2D Pass 3C Pass 3S Pass 4NT Pass 5C Pass 6S The 2D response is a relay. After West shows his excellent club suit, East introduces his spades. That bid will always show at least five cards in the suit. With excellent support West introduces Roman Key Card Blackwood with spades (last suit bid) the agreed suit. Missing an Ace, West will settle for the small slam. If South is listening to the bidding he will know that there is likely a solid club suit on his left which will take care of any loser East may have. An innocuous heart will not be successful. A wise South will lead his diamond Ace and garner a few match points. A K Q J A A J 754 A Q J K Q J 97 K 3 K Q NT N S E 14 W Board 12 : Dealer West : NS Vulnerable Pass 1S Pass 2H Pass 2S* Pass 3C Pass 3H* Pass 4H The 2S rebid will show at least 5. After South introduces his Club suit, with no diamond stopper North shows two hearts. South with only one diamond stopper and a chunky heart suit judges to play in 4H rather than 3NT which is a wise decision. North South s heart spots are good enough to cope with a diamond force and North s spades can be used to get rid of a possible club loser. Eleven tricks in hearts will once again beat the NTers.

7 A 87 J J 65 Q 432 K J 95 Q 10 3 K 92 K 983 A Q J K A A Q NT N S E W 3 2 Board 13 : Dealer North : All Vulnerable Pass 1D 2C X 3C 3S South with his six card suit makes life difficult for his opponents. West makes a negative double. If partner bids hearts, he can retreat to diamonds. North raises Clubs. East has a good hand but his club King is poorly placed. The bid of 3S is just about right. West has no reason to advance to game. Thoughtful defence will result in the contract going down one. After cashing two clubs, South can play Ace and another heart and when North wins the trump Ace he can give his partner a heart ruff. Q 973 A Q K Q 10 A 2 K K J 64 A K J 7 Q 98 A J J NT N 16 9 S E W Board 14 : Dealer East : Nil All Pass Pass 1H X 3H* Pass 4H East s bid of 3H over the double shows a good raise to two hearts without the double. West has poor hearts but has good outside controls and knows his partner s values will be well placed. North will likely lead the club King. Ten or eleven tricks will accrue depending on how well West divines the heart position. North should leave West to his own devices and play low on the first heart.

8 K Q 83 A K J J 10 A Q J 7 A K 6543 Q J Q 10 7 A K NT N S E 1 9 W 1 Board 15 : Dealer South : NS Vulnerable Pass 3C Pass Pass 3D West, with a good six card suit at favourable vulnerability, should set the ball rolling with an opening bid of 3C. North with a minimum opening opposite a passed partner may choose to pass. In the pass out position South may balance with a bid of 3D. North should continue his vow of silence. If East gets frisky at any stage with a raise to 4C, North might find a double and seven tricks is the limit for E/W. In a diamond contract, the favourable diamond and spade position will enable South to make ten tricks. Q 4 Q A K J 953 J K 84 9 J 8742 K A K 2 A Q J 32 A Q 5 4 NT N S E W 1 2 Board 16 : Dealer West : EW Vulnerable Pass Pass 1S X 2S Pass Pass 3D West can just about muster up a raise in spades after a double by South. Apart from spades, East has a poor hand and at unfavourable vulnerability should not bid again. South has a strong hand but his partner has passed throughout. Another take out double is a possibility but bidding a good five card suit is the winning option in this hand. Ten tricks can be made in diamonds. In a heart contract, after cashing two top spades a diamond switch will sink four hearts. If N/S can play in a red suit part score they will score well.

9 J K J J 742 K Q 10 9 K Q J A Q 42 A Q 98 A 8653 A 5 K 8 1 NT N S 3 1 E W Board 17 : Dealer North : Nil All Pass Pass 1H 1S Pass 1NT Pass 2D No doubt there will be some intrepid Norths who will open 3C and one can only have pity for his partner. If South is inspired, he might choose to pass (knowing his partner s style!) but he may try 3NT which will not be a success. East has eleven points but a singleton spade makes an opening bid problematic. In a diamond contract North can obtain two ruffs holding declarer to eight tricks. J J A 7 K Q 953 K Q 8 J 10 9 A K 87 A K J A 654 Q Q 2 2 NT N 21 9 S E W Board 18 : Dealer East : NS Vulnerable Pass Pass 2C Pass 2D Pass 3C Pass 3S Pass 3NT Many players favour a relay bid of 2D over a strong 2C opening. The bid of 3S shows a five card suit and West may try 3NT. The Club suit is not solid and East has no reason to bid any more. With the Club Queen doubleton and spades breaking 3/3, twelve tricks are available in a no trump contract. 6NT is a highly optimistic contract. North has to find the unlikely lead of a heart to stop thirteen tricks.

10 Q J A K A J 9 Q K 8763 Q 4 A J 962 K A K Q 85 J 5 7 NT N S E 4 18 W 4 Board 19 : Dealer South : EW Vulnerable 1S Pass 2S Pass 4S Once a fit is found in the major suit, South with an excellent diamond side suit and good values, bids 4S. The contract is destined to fail as long as West plays low when a spade is played towards dummy. A rush of blood by playing the trump King early will prove costly. In the bidding it is difficult for E/W to enter the auction. The favourable lie of the cards allows ten tricks to sail home in a heart contract. Any East who enters the fray and gets to play in 4H will be well rewarded. K 10 - J 763 A Q A J 4 Q 872 A J Q 954 K A 98 J 72 K K 73 Q NT N S 2 4 E W Board 20 : Dealer West : All Vulnerable 1H 2C 4H North will lead the CA and follow with the C10 indicating a switch to the higher ranking suit - spades, if South can ruff at trick two. (A low club return would indicate a switch to lower ranking suit diamonds). When the spade is returned, West should believe North and rise with the spade Ace. He now overtakes diamond King and leads the heart queen intending to run it if South does not cover. If perchance West plays low on the spade return at trick three, North will win and another Club will see the trump King score the setting trick.

11 K A A 10 4 A J 4 7 Q J K Q J K Q 762 J 8 3 Q A K NT N S E 7 W Board 21 : Dealer North : NS Vulnerable 1H 2S Pass Pass X Weak jump overcalls particularly at favourable vulnerability are a popular feature of modern bridge. In this board such a bid creates difficulties for E/W. After two passes, North should find a takeout double and South passes. West who has a fine hand has nowhere to go. Accurate defence will hold declarer to five tricks. The likely Club lead will see North win cash spade King and defence will take three Clubs, one diamond, one heart and three trumps. J 65 Q 10 5 K 432 Q 10 8 A 973 K 10 4 J 986 K A 76 Q J 98 K 6 A J 752 Q 82 A NT N S E W Board 22 : Dealer East : EW Vulnerable 1C Pass 1H Pass 2C Pass 3NT A straight forward auction will usually see West become declarer in 3NT. North may lead a diamond. A spade lead will be helpful for declarer. West will see the club suit as the best source of tricks. A straight forward finesse will work and with the suit breaking 3/3, declarer will usually end up with nine tricks. North will switch to a heart and defence will usually score three hearts and a diamond. East is not strong enough to make a reverse bid of 2D and his best option will be a simple rebid of 2C. A 1NT rebid would misrepresent the hand.

12 K J 952 Q 73 K Q Q J 52 A 762 J 94 A K J A 86 A K Q NT N S E 13 W Board 23 : Dealer South : All Vulnerable 1NT 2C* 3S* Pass 4S Some partnerships use a bid of 2C to show the minor suits and 2D to show the major suits over a 1NT opening by the opposition. The bid of 3S is forcing to game showing five spades. A bid of 2S would be simply competitive and non-forcing. 4S will frequently fail by one trick. But the bidding may alert South to an unusual play in the trump suit. A low spade to the eight in the first or second round of the play of the suit will hold declarer s trump losers to one. West will have nine cards (at least in the minors) and the trump play may not be all that farfetched. Q Q K J 74 Q 4 A J 97 A K J 753 A Q J 74 3 A K 53 K NT N S 1 E W Board 24 : Dealer West : Nil All 1C Pass 1D Pass 2D Pass 2H Pass 3D* West s bid of 2D will normally show an unbalanced hand. East makes one forward move by bidding 2H. West, with no spade stop has nothing better to do than to show four card support for diamonds and a minimum hand with no stopper in spades. The play is straight forward. As long as North leads a spade the defence will score three tricks. Optimistic bidders will go down in 5D due to the unsuccessful heart finesse.

13 A 963 J 62 Q A 7 Q A Q 97 A J 6 K 9874 J K J 42 K K Q NT N S E 12 W Board 25 : Dealer North : EW Vulnerable Pass Pass 1C Pass 1D Pass 1S Pass 3S/4S Optimistic bidders here will score well due to the favourable lie of the heart suit. 4S depends on only losing one heart. South with a singleton in partner s first suit and a minimum opening is unlikely to bid game if North invites. North has three small hearts but the club Ace is a valuable card and some North players will bid on to game. West will often lead the heart 5 (MUD Middle Up - Down). South may rise with heart King at trick two and play two top trumps ending in hand after spurning the trump finesse. He can now discard a heart on club queen, confining his losers to a heart, a diamond and one trump. A K A J A 643 J 72 Q J A K Q Q 42 K Q 10 8 K 4 J NT N S E 11 W Board 26 : Dealer East : All Vulnerable Pass Pass 1D Pass Pass 1NT hands are problematic. West will open 1D and over the expected 1S response, will rebid 2C. On this hand his partner will pass. South in the balancing position will bid a protective no trump usually (10-14 HCP) but in this instance 10 to 11 having passed originally. It is not essential to have a stopper to bid a protective no trump; rather a balanced hand and one not suitable for a take out double. West may cash some top clubs but the favourable heart position will usually see declarer make eight tricks.

14 J A 95 A K Q K Q J 2 K Q K Q J A 93 A 10 3 J NT N S E 2 9 W 2 Board 27 : Dealer South : Nil All Pass 1C 1H 1NT 2H Pass Pass 3C North drums up a 1H overcall (not ideal). West passes on the second round of bidding. Partner knows that he has a club suit and with four card support bids 3C in the pass out position. If N/S advance to a three level heart contract, East can throw in a sporting double. It will be difficult for N/S to defeat 3C. It takes an unlikely low diamond lead from North to win the day. Otherwise a diamond can be discarded on an established heart. Bidding to the level of the fit is a good policy. E/W have a nine card Club fit and N/S will run into difficulty if they become too active in the bidding. A J 65 K 7 K J K Q A J 92 Q 8653 J A 754 A Q Q 962 K NT N S 1 E W Board 28 : Dealer West : NS Vulnerable Pass 1NT 2H Pass 4H When East overcalls an opening bid of 1NT in third position he should have a reasonable hand a hand he would have opened on. The bid of 2H normally shows hearts and a minor. With two Aces, a singleton and four card trump support West can confidently bid game. Game will be made on careful handling of the club suit. A low club towards the queen nine early and inserting the 9 when North plays low is the winning play. South can ruff two diamonds in dummy and most East players should make ten tricks.

15 A K 10 J 943 J A K A Q 6 K Q 92 A Q 652 Q J K J NT N S E 2 7 W 2 Board 29 : Dealer North : All Vulnerable Pass 1NT Pass Pass 2H Pass Pass X Pass 2S In the protective position, West will balance with 2H showing hearts and a minor. South does not want to sell out with nine black cards, so he produces a take-out double. North should bid 2S as his partner is guaranteeing four and he will be able to ruff a club in his own hand. Eight tricks are available in both majors. In modern bridge bidding, most doubles at the two level are for take-out. Take out means just that take it out rather than writing in minus A 953 J 10 9 K Q K 10 4 A Q K J 10 4 A Q A J 7 J 986 Q K NT N S 1 E W Board 30 : Dealer East : Nil All 1S Pass 3S Pass 4S If West had a fourth spade, he could use a splinter bid. Here with three trumps and a singleton, he invites game which East, with plenty in hand accepts. North is disappointed that he cannot enter the fray but he should stay quiet. South will lead his singleton heart and obtain a ruff. If South switches to a diamond, declarer will have a difficult decision. Declarer might think if he finesses and loses, another heart ruff will follow. It is good play to put declarer under pressure in the early play. Ten or eleven tricks will be the order of the day depending on the diamond play.

16 A 7 Q J 4 Q 3 K J 987 A K Q J Q J 3 K A K 85 A NT N S E W 2 1 Board 31 : Dealer South : NS Vulnerable Pass 1NT Pass 2H Pass 2S South will be tempted to balance the bidding with a bid of 3C in the pass out position. At unfavourable vulnerability, pass is recommended. The play of 2S is interesting. North may lead a heart. Declarer will play the trump queen, which South is best to duck. He can win the next trump and after taking two top diamonds South can give his partner a diamond ruff. North can exit on a heart. Declarer will be unable to get to dummy cheaply to draw the trump and will end up a trick short. On best defence, declarer will lose three trump tricks, two top diamonds and the club Ace. J K 5 K 2 A Q K 965 J 10 A K J 2 A A Q 3 Q J 8 Q NT N S E W Board 32 : Dealer West : EW Vulnerable 1D Pass 1S Pass 2D Pass 3C Pass 3NT Some West players may hide their 5-4 distribution and open a weak NT. The bid of 3C will normally show five spades as well as a club suit. North will lead the heart 7 2 nd highest from a poor suit. South, hoping it is from the nine, will return the heart queen at trick two. West s best play now is to duck a diamond. He will normally make ten or twelve tricks depending on his play of the spade suit. It will be important for South to keep his two spades when the diamonds are being run so as not to expose the position.