False Preference

You are responder and hear partner open 1 ♠. You respond 1 NT (because you have a grubby 6-9 point hand without a fit). Partner now rebids 2 ♦ , showing his 5 ♠-4 ♦ shape (he could be 6 ♠-4 ♦ / 5 ♠-5 ♦ but you assume 5 ♠-4 ♦ until further notice). What now with these?

Hand i)	Hand ii)	Hand iii)
♠ J 2 ♥ J 7 4 3 2 ♦ K 4 ♣ K 7 5 2	♠ 10 4 ♥ A 7 6 2 ♦ J 8 4 ♣ Q 8 3 2	♠ Q 8 2 ♥ Q 4 3 2 ♦ 4 2 ♣ K J 5 3

(i) Bid 2 ♠. Because you have merely put opener back to his first suit, you have not shown support, merely preference. Default number of spades in your hand: two.

(ii) Also bid 2 ♠. This is the classic ‘false preference’. You prefer diamonds, but there are good reasons for going back to 2 ♠. Partner could easily have a good hand, say 17 or 18 points; if you pass, it’s bidding over; if you go back to 2 ♠, partner can bid on. Further, 5-2 fits tend to play better than 4-3 fits.

(iii) This is a trick question You would (I hope) have raised 1 ♠ to 2 ♠ straight away, not bid 1 NT. You should avoid responding 1 NT with three-card support for partner’s 1 ♠ (unless you have three rags in a 4333 shape). Yes, partner could only have four spades, but at least he’ll have 15+ points then (with 12-14 he’d have opened 1 NT). When you go back to 2 ♠, you’ll normally have precisely two spades. Sometimes you’ll like partner’s second suit better (the false preference).

Click here to play this deal

South Deals
None Vul

♠	K 2
♥	10 9 2
♦	A 8 4 2
♣	8 5 3 2

♠	Q 9 8 4
♥	Q 6
♦	K Q 7
♣	Q 9 7 6

N
W		E
S

♠	10 6
♥	J 8 4
♦	J 10 9 6 5
♣	K J 10

♠	A J 7 5 3
♥	A K 7 5 3
♦	3
♣	A 4

West	North	East	South
			1 ♠
Pass	1 N	Pass	2 ♥
Pass	2 ♠1	Pass	3 ♥2
Pass	4 ♥3	Pass	Pass
Pass

False preference – the key cog in the bidding machine. North prefers hearts, but passing 2 ♥ does not give partner another bid (and clearly he lacks the strength to do more than either pass or bid 2 ♠). So he puts South back to 2 ♠, knowing that if he has a standard 5-4 minimumish opener, 2 ♠ will play fine (and probably better than the trickier 4-3 fit 2 ♥ ); but that if he has his actual hand-type, 4 ♥ stays in the frame...
Showing extra values and 5 ♠-5 ♥ .
North’s features (♠ K, ♥ 109 and ♦ A) look very suitable facing ten major suit cards. So much better than, say, ♠ xx, ♥ xxx,♦ KJxx, ♣ QJxx: same shape, same point-count.

4 ♥ by South

Lead: ♦ K

Declarer won ♦ K with ♦ A and correctly started on spades, cashing ♠ K, crossing to ♠ A and ruffing ♠ 5 with ♥ 9. East overruffed with ♥ J and led back ♥ 4. Rising with ♥ K, declarer ruffed ♠ 7 with ♥ 10. He crossed to ♣ A, cashed ♥ A drawing ♥ Q and ♥ 8 and enjoyed ♠ J. He merely gave up ♣ 4 at the end. Eleven tricks and game made plus one.

Red Play (formerly Advanced Play) Weekend

Play with Confidence weekend]

Red Medley

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Next Step Weekend

2026wiwe rpl a

20206wiwe rde a

2026wiwe beg d

2026wiwe ess b

2026wiwe n-s b

2026wiwe pwc a

2026wiwe bob b

2026wiwe trc a

2026wiwe rco

2026wiwe Beg c

2026wiwe imppl a

2026wiwe imp a

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2026wiwe Beg b

2026wiwe ess a

2026wiwe n-s a

2026wiwe bob a

2026wiwe beg a

Red Medley in a Weekend

Responder’s Support Line

Supporting partner’s opened (major) suit is highest priority for responder. Normally he will have four+ cards to support [although he can raise 1 /♠ to 2 /♠ with three cards, when the alternative is the ‘dustbin 1 NT’]. The higher he bids, the better his hand. Here is the
Responder’s Support Line:

Points:	0----5	6----9	10--12	13----
Bid:	Pass	Two	Three	Four

In addition to his point-count, responder should factor in his shape. In particular, shortage (ruffing potential) is very powerful. A doubleton is worth (about) one extra point,
a singleton three and a void five. Having a fifth card in support is also huge: worth (at least) one extra point. Having said all that, though, I should say that the more you play, the less you should compute such strictures and the more you should use your judgement, or ‘feel’.

Exercise: Partner opens 1 ♠. How many would you bid in support with:

Hand (i)	Hand (ii)	Hand (iii)	Hand (iv)
♠ K982	♠ QJ53	♠ AJ982	♠ A82
♥ Q73	♥ 2	♥ Q 10 3	♥ 93
♦ J82	♦ KJ432	♦ -	♦ Q8632
♣ AJ2	♣ 762	♣ 98432	♣ 932

Hand (i): Respond 3 ♠, showing four-card support and 10-12 points.

Hand (ii): Respond 3 ♠. Although you have only seven high-card points, the singleton heart is worth about three extra points.

Hand (iii): Respond 4 ♠. The void is worth about five extra points and the fifth spade is also worth a point or so.

Hand (iv): Respond 2 ♠. Showing 6-9 points and often just three card-support (preferably decent – ie headed by a picture).

Click here to play this deal.

South Deals
None Vul

♠	A J 9 8 2
♥	Q 10 3
♦	—
♣	9 8 4 3 2

♠	4
♥	9 8 7 6 5
♦	A 8 7 4
♣	K Q 10

N
W		E
S

♠	Q 10
♥	A
♦	K 10 9 6 5 3 2
♣	A 7 6

♠	K 7 6 5 3
♥	K J 4 2
♦	Q J
♣	J 5

West	North	East	South
			1 ♠
Pass	4 ♠	Pass	Pass
Pass

Lead: ♣K

Down 1

Down 1

That’s 13 support points: 4 ♠.

The defence to 4 ♠ was very accurate. East overtook West’s ♣ K lead with ♣ A, cashed his singleton A, led over ♣ 7 to (♣ J and) ♣ Q and received a second heart which he could ruff. A swift down one.

Does that mean North’s raise to 4 ♠ on just seven high-card points was a Bridge too far?

Hardly – (a) it took a very unlucky layout (hearts 5-1), coupled with pinpoint defence to defeat 4 ♠; (b) South held a complete minimum opener – an aceless 11 points with four totally wasted minor-suit points and (c) [most compellingly] left to their own devices, East-West would bid and make 6 !
For example, if North had bid only 3 ♠, East would likely have ventured 4 and now West would spring to life.

When finessing, lead from the opposite hand to the card you are trying to promote.

The three basic methods of making extra tricks without trumps are (1) by Force (2) by Length and (3) by Position (The ‘Finesse’). A finesse is an attempt to win a trick with a card when the opponents have a higher card in the same suit. The relative position of those cards is all-important. This is the process:

A. Identify the card that needs to be promoted.
B. Lead from the opposite hand to that card.
C. Assuming the second hand played low, play – third to the trick – the card that you are
trying to promote.

You hope that the opponent playing second holds the missing higher card. The most common mistake when finessing is actually to lead the card you are trying to promote. Unless you also have the adjacent card, this gives you no chance of success: the opponent will simply cover.

Click to play this deal

North Deals
Both Vul

♠	K 9 4
♥	Q 10 7
♦	8 6 5
♣	A K 5 3

♠	Q J 10 7
♥	8 2
♦	J 9 4 2
♣	9 7 4

N
W		E
S

♠	8 6 2
♥	9 5 4
♦	Q 10 7
♣	Q 10 8 6

♠	A 5 3
♥	A K J 6 3
♦	A K 3
♣	J 2

West	North	East	South
	1 NT	Pass	3 ♥
Pass	4 ♥	Pass	6 ♥
Pass	Pass	Pass

6 ♥ by South

Lead: ♠ Q

Made 6

Made 6

What happened?

South declared 6 ♥ on ♠ Q lead. With five trump tricks and three ace-kings, he had 11 top tricks. The twelfth could only come from promoting ♣ J. At the table declarer won ♠ A, drew trumps finishing in hand, then led ♣ J. This passed to East’s ♣ Q and there was no twelfth trick – down one. Note that even if West had held ♣ Q, he would simply have covered ♣ J and nothing would have been achieved.

What should have happened?

In order to promote ♣ J, declarer must lead from the opposite hand (i.e. from dummy), hoping that the player playing second, East, holds ♣ Q. He wins ♠ A, crosses to ♥ 10, then leads ♣ 3 (key play). If East plays low, ♣ J wins the trick, and declarer draws the remaining trumps and cashes out for 12 tricks. Say East rises with ♣ Q and leads a second spade. Winning dummy’s ♠ K, declarer crosses to ♣ J, returns to ♥ Q, then cashes ♣ AK discarding ♠ 5 and ♦ 3. He now leads over to ♠ AKJ and ♦ AK. 12 tricks and slam made.

Tip: When finessing, lead from the opposite hand to the card you are trying to promote. Do not lead the card itself.

If you can choose the danger hand, avoid the one winning a subsequent lead

Usually you (South, as declarer in notrumps) have no choice as to which opponent is the danger hand and which is the safe hand. But consider:

North
xx

South
AJx

Say West leads this suit to East’s king (marking West with the queen) and it looks as if West has five cards and East three. You have two possible strategies: (i) Win the ace immediately. (ii) Duck the ace until the third round.

Strategy (i) makes East the danger hand, leading through your jack.
Strategy (ii) makes West the danger hand, with his two long cards.

Question: Which strategy is better?
Answer: It depends on which opponent (if any) will win a subsequent lead

Click to play this deal

South Deals
None Vul

♠	K 4 3 2
♥	A 7 4 2
♦	8 3
♣	10 9 2

♠	Q 9
♥	Q 10 6
♦	Q 10 7 5 2
♣	K 6 5

N
W		E
S

♠	J 10 8 7
♥	J 9 5 3
♦	K 9 6
♣	8 3

♠	A 6 5
♥	K 8
♦	A J 4
♣	A Q J 7 4

West	North	East	South
			1 ♣
1 ♦	1 ♥	2 ♦	3 NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

3 NT by South

Lead: ♦ 5

Made 3

Made 3

What happened?

West’s ♦ 5 lead went to East’s ♦ K and declarer ducked. He ducked ♦ 9 to ♦ J and ♦ Q and won the third round with ♦ A. Needing tricks from clubs, he crossed to ♠ K and ran ♣ 10. No good: West won ♣ K and cashed two diamonds. Down one.

What should have happened?

Because the club finesse is being taken through East, only West can win the lead in the suit. Appreciating the power of ♦ J, you as declarer should immediately win ♦ K with ♦ A. This makes West into the safe hand, so that when you cross to ♠ K and run ♣ 10 to West’s ♣ K, there is nothing he can do to hurt you. If West follows with ♦ Q and a third diamond, you win ♦ J and cash your winners, emerging with ten tricks. Better for him is to return a passive major suit, but you still score nine tricks. Game made. Note that if you swap your clubs with dummy’s, the club finesse would be taken into East, in which case it would be correct to duck the ace of diamonds until the third round to exhaust him of diamonds (making West into the danger hand).

Tip: If you can choose which opponent to make the danger hand, choose the one who will not win a subsequent lead.

Duck your ace until one opposing hand is void in the danger suit

Notrumps is so often a battle to prevent the opponents from setting up their long suit. Sometimes – especially if the opening leader strikes lucky – you as declarer cannot prevent one opposing hand from setting up his long suit. But all is not lost. If one opponent has set up his suit, he becomes the ‘danger hand’. You must try to ensure that you lose the lead to the other hand, not to the danger hand. You will then survive if:

(1) The partner of the danger hand has no more cards in the danger hand’s suit, and
(2) There is no other suit in which the danger hand can be reached (no ‘entry’).

This deal we focus on the first point: making sure you have exhausted the partner of the opening leader of his cards in the danger suit.

Click to play this deal

South Deals
None Vul

♠	9 5
♥	K J 2
♦	8 7 5 2
♣	A K Q 3

♠	Q J 8 7 4
♥	9 6 4 3
♦	J 6
♣	10 4

N
W		E
S

♠	K 6 2
♥	A 8
♦	Q 10 9 3
♣	J 9 6 5

♠	A 10 3
♥	Q 10 7 5
♦	A K 4
♣	8 7 2

West	North	East	South
			1 NT
Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

3 NT by South

Lead: ♠ 7

Made 3

What happened?

West led ♠ 7 – fourth from the top in his longest and strongest suit – to East’s ♠ K. Unable to resist the temptation to win a king with an ace, declarer scooped up the first trick with his ♠ A.Declarer counted up six top tricks (♠ A, ♦ AK and ♣ AKQ – note he has no top tricks in hearts because he must lose the lead first). Needing three extra, he led ♥ 5 to dummy’s ♥ K. East won ♥ A and returned ♠ 6. West won ♠ J, cashed ♠ Q, then followed with ♠ 84. Down one.

What should have happened?

Declarer should have withheld ♠ A at Trick One. He cannot stop the defence from knocking out his ♠ A, but by delaying winning with the card until the third round, he exhausts East of all his spades. Then, when he knocks out ♥ A (as he must), he has to hope that it is East who holds the card. This time he is lucky, and East has no more spades. He has established three heart tricks – game made.

Tip: Duck your ace until one opposing hand is void in the danger suit

Improver Plus

After 1♥/♠-2♥/♠

You have opened 1 ♥/♠ and caught a weak raise. Bear in mind that partner will often (I’d say, in practice, usually) have only three cards. I’d like to question the generally quoted point-range of six-nine.

Partner will frequently scrape up a raise with a five-count. And with nine, she may go a stronger route: nine-point hands with four-card support are normally 3 ♥/♠ bids (unless 4333); nine-point hands with a side-five-card suit are worth a new-suit response at the Two-level (using the rule of 14). In practice, the oft-quoted 6-9 is more like 5-8.

So rein it in. The sayings, “One- Two, that’ll do” and “One up, shut up” are there for a reason. If you have a balanced hand with only four cards in the major, pass with 15-16. Move with 2 NT, holding 17-18; bid 3 NT only with 19 (partner will pass or correct, according to whether she has a fourth card).

However, you can be much bolder with a shapely hand and a fifth trump, especially the treasured 5431 shape.

The bidding has started 1 ♥-2 ♥ What now with these?

Hand i)	Hand ii)	Hand iii)
♠ K J 2 ♥ A J 6 2 ♦ K 4 2 ♣ A 5 2	♠ K 9 6 3 ♥ A Q 6 2 ♦ A K 2 ♣ Q 3	♠ J 10 2 ♥ A K 10 4 3 ♦ A K J 6 ♣ 6

With the first, pass. Less experienced players bid 2 NT here, not adjusting their bidding plan. Yes, you were expecting to rebid notrumps. However, that was assuming a new-suit response from partner, not the weak raise.

Bid 2 NT with the second, showing 17-18 with only four hearts. Note, there’s no need to bid 2 ♠, for if partner has raised to 2 ♥ with three cards, she will not have four spades (she’d have responded 1 ♠).

The third is much lovelier and I’d probably punt 4 ♥. “You can all shut up because I’m bidding Four!”

Please click here to play this deal

South Deals
None Vul

♠	J 4 3
♥	Q 10 9 3
♦	7 5
♣	A J 9 3

♠	K 10 8
♥	8 7 5 4
♦	Q 8 4 3
♣	10 6

N
W		E
S

♠	Q 7 6
♥	A 6 2
♦	J 9 6
♣	Q 8 7 4

♠	A 9 5 2
♥	K J
♦	A K 10 2
♣	K 5 2

West	North	East	South
			1 ♠1
Pass	2 ♠2	Pass	2 N3
Pass	3 N4	All pass

Opening 1 ♥/♠ with a major and a minor, as per modern Acol.
Classic three-card raise.
Showing 17-18, NOT 15-16.
Responder has four options in this situation. (i) Maximum with three spades (as here): raise to 3 NT. (ii) Max with four spades: jump to 4 ♠. (ii) Minimum with three spades: pass 2 NT. (iv) Min with four spades: bid 3 ♠.

3 NT by South

Lead: ♦ 3

Declarer received ♦ 3 lead – to ♦ J and her ♦ K. At trick two, she led ♥ K (ducked) then ♥ J, overtaking with ♥ Q (key). East won ♥ A this time and led ♦ 9 (ducked) then ♦ 6. Declarer won ♦ A throwing ♠ 3, then cashed ♣ K and led ♣ 2 to (♣ 10 – a welcome sight – and) ♣ J. East won ♣ Q and switched to ♠ 6 but declarer rose with ♠ A, crossed to ♣ A9 and enjoyed ♥ 109. Nine tricks made.

Failing the rule of 14

When you as responder fail the Rule of 14 – because the points in your hand plus the length of your suit gets to 13 at most – you should not bid a new suit at the two-level. You have six+ points and fewer than four cards in support: here are your Rule of 14 - failing options (in priority order):

Bid a higher-ranking suit at the one-level*.
Support partner’s 1 ♥/♠ opener to 2 ♥/♠ with three decent cards (headed by a picture).
The dustbin 1 NT – a last resort.

*Say partner opens 1 ♥ and you hold four spades and a five-card minor: in truth, you should prefer to bid 1 ♠ rather than 2 ♣/♦ unless you have 11+ points (ie even if you satisfy the Rule of 14).

Exercise: Respond to 1 ♠ with these [the focus is on when to raise 1 ♠ to 2 ♠]:

Hand i)	Hand ii)	Hand iii)	Hand iv)
♠ K 8 2 ♥ 7 3 ♦ Q J 8 2 ♣ 5 4 3 2	♠ Q J 3 ♥ 7 6 2 ♦ K Q 8 7 4 ♣ 7 2	♠ A 8 2 ♥ 9 4 3 ♦ K Q 9 4 2 ♣ 10 6	♠ 8 4 2 ♥ Q 7 4 ♦ K J 9 2 ♣ J 8 2

Hand (i): Bid 2 ♠. Clearly preferable to 1 NT with three decent spades and the small doubleton heart that looks poor for notrumps [not that the 1 NT announces a notrump- suitable hand, but occasionally you get left there].

Hand (ii): Bid 2 ♠. You fail the Rule of 14, so not 2 .

Hand (iii): Bid 2♦ . This time you satisfy the Rule of 14, which overrides the three-card support bid.

Hand (iv): Bid 1 NT. Rare to prefer 1 NT to 2 ♠ with three spades, but a 4333 shape with three small spades is the time.

Click here to play this deal

South Deals
Both Vul

♠	Q 7 2
♥	5 3
♦	K 9 4
♣	K 5 4 3 2

♠	10 9 4
♥	K J 9 6 4
♦	Q 7
♣	Q J 10

N
W		E
S

♠	J 5
♥	Q 10 7
♦	J 10 6 5
♣	A 9 7 6

♠	A K 8 6 3
♥	A 8 2
♦	A 8 3 2
♣	8

West	North	East	South
			1 ♠
Pass	2 ♠1	Pass	4 ♠2
All pass

Failing the Rule of 14 (no 2 ♣); 2 ♠ is far better (more useful to partner) than 1 NT.
Hand transformed by the support. Note that after 1 ♠-1 NT-2 ♦ -2 ♠, South would pass, as 2 ♠ sounds more like preference (on a doubleton) than support.

4 ♠ by South

Lead: ♣ Q

West led ♣ Q v 4 ♠ which held (no point in declarer covering with ♣ K – East had to hold ♣ A). West switched to ♠ 4 (to cut down heart ruffs), declarer winning ♠ Q and leading ♥ 3, to ♥ 7, ♥ 8 and ♥ 9. Winning ♠ 10 return with ♠ K, declarer cashed ♥ A and ruffed ♥ 2 with ♠ 7.

Declarer now ruffed ♣ 3 to get back to hand to lead ♠ A (throwing ♣ 4). Needing three diamond tricks, he led ♦ 2 to ♦ 7 and dummy’s ♦ 9. East won ♦ 10 and returned ♦ 5, declarer playing ♦ 3 from hand, beating ♦ Q with ♦ K and leading back ♦ 4 to ♦ 6 and... ♦ 8. A perfect ‘Intra-finesse’: ten tricks and game made.

2026su ess b

Red Defence (was Adv. Defence)

The Red Course (was Advanced)

Improver

Play with Confidence]

Essential

Building on the Basics

Four week Next Step

Four week Beginner

2026su beg e

2026su n-s d

2026su beg d

2026su ns b

2026su pwc a

2026su imp b

2026su rde a

2026su trc a

2026su n-s b

2026su beg b

2026su imp a

2026su impp

2026su Ess a

2026su bob b

2026su bob a

2026su n-s a

2026su Beg a

2026 CC

Tip: If you have to lose a trick in a suit, lose it in the first round

There are twins goals when declaring notrumps: (a) preventing the opponents from setting up their long suit (b) setting up your long suit. Concentrating on (a) over the past few deals, we have studied Avoidance Play.

Now we move to (b): how best to set up your suit. In order to establish a suit, it is imperative that entries (ways of reaching) are preserved in the hand with the long suit. But say there are no entries to that hand, apart from within the long suit itself. All is not lost.

Click to play this deal

South Deals
N-S Vul

♠	9 8 2
♥	10 7 3
♦	A K 6 4 2
♣	6 3

♠	Q 10 7 6 4
♥	J 9
♦	Q 8 7
♣	K J 10

N
W		E
S

♠	J 5
♥	Q 8 6 4 2
♦	J 10 3
♣	Q 8 4

♠	A K 3
♥	A K 5
♦	9 5
♣	A 9 7 5 2

West	North	East	South
			1 ♣
Pass	1 ♦	Pass	2 NT
Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

3 NT by South

Lead: ♠ 6

Made 3NT

What happened?

Declaring 3 NT, South won West’s ♠ 6 lead – to dummy’s ♠ 8 and East’s ♠ J – with ♠ K. He crossed to ♦ K, cashed ♦ A and led a third diamond. With both opponents following to all three rounds, dummy’s two long cards were both masters. But there was no way to reach them. West won ♦ Q and pressed on with ♠ Q. Declarer (who had by now realized the error of his ways) forlornly won ♠ A, cashed his seven top tricks, and resigned. Down two.

What should have happened?

Even on a 3–3 diamond split, declarer must lose a round of the suit. And here is the key motto: if you have to lose a trick in a suit, it is best to lose the first (for communication purposes). Declarer wins ♠ K and leads ♦ 9 but, crucially, plays dummy’s ♦ 2 (key play). East wins ♦ 10 and returns ♠ 5 but, provided diamonds are 3–3 (a pre-condition of success), declarer is in control. He wins ♠ A and leads ♦ 3 to ♦ AK. With the 3–3 split revealed, he is in dummy and so able to enjoy ♦ 64. The two long diamonds added to his seven give nine. Game made.

Question: why establish diamonds rather than clubs – both have seven cards?
Answer: even on a 3–3 split, playing clubs means losing the lead twice. The defence would be able to set up spades and a 5–2 split in the suit would lead to defeat.

Tip: If you have to lose a trick in a suit, it is best to lose in the first round.

Don’t allow the ‘danger hand’ on lead

When one opponent can do damage to your (notrump) contract, but the other opponent cannot, you must focus on losing the lead to the safe hand.

Exercise: Say West is the danger hand. Play the following suits to try to avoid him winning the lead.

(a)	(b)	(c)
North	North	North
A J 3 2	8 6 3	K 9 4 2
South	South	South
K 10 9 8	A K J 5 2	A J 7 5

(a) Lead the king and run the ten. If West holds the queen, you have not lost a trick; if East holds the queen, the finesse has lost to the safe hand.

(b) Cash the ace-king to catch a doubleton queen in West’s hand. If both follow low, lead a third round in the hope that East holds the queen.

(c) Cash the ace, then lead low to North’s nine. You only lose a trick to West when he holds Q10x or better.

Click to play this deal

South Deals
N-S Vul

♠	9 2
♥	K Q 5
♦	8 7 3
♣	A 10 5 3 2

♠	K Q J 5 3
♥	10 8 2
♦	Q 9
♣	Q 7 4

N
W		E
S

♠	10 8 6
♥	9 7 6 4
♦	10 6 5
♣	K J 9

♠	A 7 4
♥	A J 3
♦	A K J 4 2
♣	8 6

West	North	East	South
			1 ♦
1 ♠	2 ♣	Pass	3 NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

3 NT by South

Lead: ♠ K

Made 3NT

What happened?

Declarer correctly ducked ♠ K lead, then ♠ Q, and won ♠ A on the third round. This had the desired effect of exhausting East of spades (he knows this from West’s overcall in the suit – promising five cards).

At Trick Four declarer cashed ♦ A but, knowing that the best odds to avoid losing a trick to ♦ Q was a finesse, crossed to ♥ Q and led back to ♦ J. Oops! West won ♦ Q and cashed two more spades. Down one.

What should have happened?

Declarer only needed four diamond tricks so could afford to lose a trick provided it was to East (who, thanks to holding up ♠ A until the third round, held no more spades). So cash ♦ AK at Tricks Four and Five. On the actual hand West’s ♦ Q drops, promoting ♦ J42, and ten tricks are made. If only low diamonds appear under ♦ AK, lead a third round in the hope that East holds ♦ Q.

Tip: Look for ways to prevent the danger hand from winning the lead.

In notrumps, focus on each opponent separately and ask yourself: ‘safe hand’ or ‘danger hand’?

It is notrumps and the opponents lead a suit in which you have just one stopper. You hold it up enough times to exhaust one opponent of his cards in the suit. If you lose the lead to him, there is nothing he can do to hurt you. He is the ‘safe hand’. His partner, with more winners in the suit led, is the ‘danger hand’. It is imperative that if the lead must be lost it should be the safe hand who wins the defensive trick.

Click to play this deal

North Deals
N-S Vul

♠	J 5
♥	A Q 6
♦	A K 7 5 2
♣	A 8 6

♠	7 3
♥	10 5 3 2
♦	Q 9 3
♣	Q 9 7 5

N
W		E
S

♠	K Q 10 9 4
♥	J 9 4
♦	J 10 6
♣	K J

♠	A 8 6 2
♥	K 8 7
♦	8 4
♣	10 4 3 2

West	North	East	South
	1 ♦	1 ♠	1 NT
Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

3 NT by South

Lead: ♠ 7

Made 3NT

What happened?

East’s overcall marked him with five (six) spades, leaving West with at most two. So declarer correctly ducked the first spade – to dummy’s ♠ J and East’s ♠ Q – and won ♠ K continuation with ♠ A. Needing to develop two more tricks, declarer played ♦ AK, planning to lose a third round. Had West retained ♦ Q, his plan would have succeeded because West, the safe hand, would have won the third diamond. Declarer could win any return from him and cash two long diamonds. However, West made the fine defence of throwing ♦ Q under ♦ K. Now East won the third diamond with ♦ J and was able to cash three spade winners. Down one.

What should have happened?

You as declarer need to keep East off lead and must hope West holds ♦ Qxx. You must lead through West, so that if he plays ♦ Q on the first or second rounds, you let him win the trick.Win ♠ A on the second round and lead ♦ 4. Assuming West plays low, win ♦ K. Then return to ♥ K and lead ♦ 8. If West plays ♦ Q, duck in dummy; assuming he plays low, win ♦ A and lead a third round. West wins ♦ Q, but dummy wins a club/return return and the two long diamonds can be cashed. Game made.

Tip: In notrumps, focus on each opponent separately and ask yourself: ‘safe hand’or ‘danger hand’?

2026su n-s b

2026su beg c

2026su rco

2026su trc

2026su pwc

2026su rde

2026su Beg b

2026su ess a

2026su n-s a

2026su Imp

2026su Beg a

2026su Bobwe

2026su Redpl

In notrump contracts, play your long suit when you win lead

Many players are frightened of declaring notrumps – without the security blanket of a trump suit. Whilst it is true that notrump contracts can fall apart (typically if the opponents are able to run through a long suit), they are generally easier to declare than trump contracts because there are fewer options available (issues such as whether to draw trumps do not arise). Many notrump contracts boil down to a race: can the opponents set up their long suit before you set up yours? You have the advantage of being able to play both your hand and dummy; but the opponents have the advantage of leading the first card. Let us see a typical such race.

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South Deals
E-W Vul

♠	9 7 5
♥	Q 5 3 2
♦	K J 4 3
♣	Q 2

♠	10 8 6 4 3 2
♥	9
♦	7 5 2
♣	A K 8

N
W		E
S

♠	J
♥	K J 8 6 4
♦	Q 10 9 6
♣	5 4 3

♠	A K Q
♥	A 10 7
♦	A 8
♣	J 10 9 7 6

West	North	East	South
			1 ♣
Pass	1 ♦	Pass	2 NT
Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

3 NT by South

Lead: ♠ 4

Made 3

What happened?

West led ♠ 4 – fourth from the top of his longest and strongest suit – and declarer beat East’s ♠ J with ♠ Q. To pass time, he next cashed ♠ K. He then began his long suit (clubs), leading ♣ 6 towards dummy’s ♣ Q. West stepped in with ♣ K and led a third spade, declarer winning ♠ A. Declarer followed with ♣ 7 but West took ♣ A and cashed ♠ 1086. Down one.

What should have happened?

Declarer lost the race because he cashed ♠ K unnecessarily at Trick Two. He should devote all his attention to setting up his long clubs (very unlikely to make nine tricks without the suit). After winning ♠ Q he immediately leads ♣ 6. West wins ♣ K and leads ♠ 2. He wins ♠ K and leads ♣ 7. West wins ♣ A and leads ♠ 3 but declarer is in control. He wins ♠ A, cashes the established ♣ J109, follows with ♥ A and ♦ AK, and nine* tricks are his. Game made.

Tip: Notrump contracts are frequently a race between both sides to set up their long suit. Play your long suit each time you win the lead.

*There is a squeeze on East for the 10th trick.

Do not overlook a long suit, even a weak one

Length is possibly the most important word in the whole of Bridge, and certainly in notrumps.

Yet it is easy to neglect the power of a long suit, particularly one without high cards. That was certainly the mistake declarer made on this deal, in which he was also hypnotised by the strength in spades.

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South Deals
None Vul

♠	K J 10
♥	8 6
♦	J 7 4
♣	7 5 4 3 2

♠	7 2
♥	K J 9 5 2
♦	K 10 8
♣	J 8 6

N
W		E
S

♠	8 6 5 4 3
♥	Q 10 7
♦	A 9 5
♣	10 9

♠	A Q 9
♥	A 4 3
♦	Q 6 3 2
♣	A K Q

West	North	East	South
			2 NT
Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

3 NT by South

Lead: ♥ 5

Made 3

What happened?

The opening lead of ♥ 5 (fourth from the top in his longest and strongest suit) went to East’s ♥ Q and declarer correctly ducked his ♥ A. He ducked East’s ♥ 10 continuation and won the third round with ♥ A. Though it was not particularly relevant here, it was good technique to keep back his ♥ A until the third round as it exhausted one opponent (East) of all their cards of the suit. Blinded by the riches in spades, he then cashed his ♠ A, crossed to dummy’s ♠ K and returned to his ♠ Q. He cashed his ♣ AKQ bringing his trick total to seven, and then looked around. There wasn’t much hope of any more tricks but he tried ♦ 2. West rose with♦ K, cashed ♥ KJ, then led ♦ 10 to East’s ♦ A. Down two.

What should have happened?

Dummy’s club suit may look emaciated, but it is the key to success. Provided the opposing clubs split 3–2 (as they usually will), declarer’s ♣ AKQ will remove all the missing clubs and the way will be clear for declarer to cross to dummy (in spades so he must must not play the spades out first) to enjoy the two remaining length
winners in clubs. There are seven top tricks: three spades, one heart, no diamonds and three clubs. Aim to score the two extra tricks with dummy’s long clubs. The correct line is as follows: win the third round of hearts with ♥ A, cash ♣ AKQ (observing the 3–2 split), lead ♠ 9 to dummy’s ♠ 10, cash ♣ 75 (these are the two extra tricks) discarding ♦ 32, then cash ♠ K and lead to ♠ A. Nine tricks and contract made.

Tip: Do not overlook a long suit, even a weak one

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Club Membership 2026.

Use this planning process for notrumps

Here is the planning process for notrumps:

Count top tricks.
Work out how many extra tricks are needed.
Decide where to get the extra tricks.
Go for the extra tricks as soon as possible.

There are three basic methods of establishing extra tricks in notrumps:

By Force: flushing out an opposing higher card or cards, using sequential lower cards.
By Length: exhausting the opponents of all their cards in a suit in which you are longer.
By Position (‘finessing’): leading from the opposite hand to a card you are trying to promote in the hope that the opponent playing second will have the missing higher card.

Force winners do not rely on the opposing split and where the missing high card(s) is located. So, when available (and provided you can afford to lose the lead) Force is usually the preferred method.

Click here to play this deal

South Deals
None Vul

♠	J 10 5 3
♥	K 3 2
♦	A Q 4 3
♣	10 4

♠	K 4
♥	J 9 7 5 4
♦	J 8
♣	K 9 7 6

N
W		E
S

♠	A 8 7 6 2
♥	10 8
♦	10 9 7 5
♣	Q 8

♠	Q 9
♥	A Q 6
♦	K 6 2
♣	A J 5 3 2

West	North	East	South
			1 ♣
Pass	1 ♦	Pass	1 N1
Pass	3 N	Pass	Pass
Pass

15–17 points and a balanced hand.

3 NT by South

Lead: ♥ 5

What happened

Declarer won ♥ 5 lead with ♥ Q and immediately turned to his long suit, clubs. His ♣ 2 went to ♣ 6, ♣ 10 and ♣ Q. East returned ♥ 8 and declarer won with dummy’s ♥ K. Declarer then played ♣ 4 to ♣ J and West’s ♣ K. West led back ♥ 7 to ♥ A (East discarding ♠ 2) and declarer cashed ♣ A. East discarding was a blow and declarer had no winning option at this point. He tried leading the ♠ Q but West won ♠ K, cashed ♥ J9 and ♣ 9 before leading to East’s ♠ A. Down three.

What should have happened

First, count top tricks. You have no spades (having to lose the lead first), three hearts, three diamonds and one club. You need two more and they will both come from spades, forcing out ♠ AK. 100%.

Win Trick One with ♥ Q and lead ♠ Q. Say West wins ♠ K and leads ♥ 4. Win ♥ A and lead ♠ 9. Say East ducks his ace (best). Your ♠ 9 wins and you lead to dummy’s ♦ Q and lead ♠ J. East wins ♠ A and leads ♦ 7. Win ♦ K, cross to ♦ A, then cash ♠ 10. ♥ K and ♣ A are your eighth and ninth tricks. Game made.

Tip: Look out for Force winners, even in a short suit.

The Unblocking Rule

Last deal we looked at how to count top tricks. Here we learn how to ‘cash’ them (play them out) without getting stuck in the wrong hand. Consider the following suit: AQ2 facing KJ43. You have four top tricks, but cashing them correctly may not be trivial.

Here is the Unblocking Rule: If you are leading from the hand with the Longer length, lead the Lowest card (L-L). If you are leading from the hand with the sHorter length lead the Highest card (H-H). NB: The Unblocking Rule is only to be used when the relevant cards are in sequence, not when there are gaps. Back to AQ2 facing KJ43. The first round should see the ace and three appear (regardless of which hand leads); the second round should see the queen and four; the third the jack and two and the fourth the king.

Our featured deal – a small slam – sees West lead ♣ K. Following the correct procedure, you count up your top tricks before even playing from dummy. You have four spades, four hearts, three diamonds and one club. Most contracts have fewer top tricks initially than the number of tricks ultimately required to succeed; sometimes many fewer. Here you have the 12 top tricks you need. The only problem is cashing them in the right order.

Click here to try our deal

South Deals
None Vul

♠	A Q J 3
♥	K Q 2
♦	A 4
♣	9 8 6 3

♠	10 9 7
♥	8 6
♦	J 9 5 2
♣	K Q J 10

N
W		E
S

♠	8 6 5 4
♥	10 9 7 5
♦	10 8 7 6
♣	5

♠	K 2
♥	A J 4 3
♦	K Q 3
♣	A 7 4 2

West	North	East	South
			1 ♥
Pass	1 ♠	Pass	1 N1
Pass	4 N2	Pass	6 N
Pass	Pass	Pass

15–17 points and a balanced hand.
Quantative (bid six with a maximum)

6 NT by South

Lead: ♣ K

What happened

I won’t dwell on this, but declarer’s last three cards were ♣ 742 and dummy’s were ♠ QJ and ♣ 9. The trouble was that the lead was in declarer’s hand.

What should have happened

Win ♣ A, cash ♠ K, lead ♠ 2 to ♠ J, cash ♠ AQ (discarding ♣ 42). Cash ♥ KQ, lead ♥ 2 to ♥ J, cash ♥ A (discarding ♣ 3). Lead ♦ 3 to ♦ A, return ♦ 4 to ♦ Q, cash ♦ K. Lose ♣ 7 at Trick 13. Slam made.

The order of which suit to play fi rst, second and third is irrelevant; but how to play each individual suit matters hugely.

Tip: The Unblocking Rule for which order to play out sequential high cards: If you are leading from the hand with the longer length, lead the lowest card. If you are leading from the hand with the shorter length lead the highest card.

Count and make a plan.

We are concentrating on forming a plan as declarer. This should occur before playing from dummy to the first trick. The three stages are:

Count top tricks;
Work out how many extras you need;
Decide where to get the extras.

Here we focus on (1) – counting top tricks – only those tricks that can be made before losing the lead. Look at each suit in turn, taking your hand and dummy in conjunction. If you do not have the ace in either hand, you have no top tricks (having to lose the ace first); if you have the ace but not the king, you have one top trick; if you have the ace and king but not the queen, you have two top tricks; if you have the ace, king and queen but not the jack, you have three top tricks; and so on.

Note that you can never have more top tricks than the number of cards held in the longer length (this declarer’s common mistake). Count the top tricks on our featured deal. You have four spade tricks, three heart tricks (with only three cards in each hand there can be no more), no diamond tricks (no ace) and one club trick. Total eight.

Click here to play this deal

South Deals
E-W Vul

♠	A K J 3
♥	J 10 9
♦	K 4 2
♣	7 6 4

♠	10 5 4 2
♥	8 6
♦	10 8 5
♣	K 10 8 5

N
W		E
S

♠	9 8 7
♥	7 5 4 3 2
♦	A J 9
♣	Q 9

♠	Q 6
♥	A K Q
♦	Q 7 6 3
♣	A J 3 2

West	North	East	South
			1 ♦
Pass	1 ♠	Pass	2 N1
Pass	3 N	Pass	Pass
Pass

17–18 points and a balanced hand.

3 NT by South

Lead: ♣ 5

What happened

Declarer won the ♣ 5 lead (to East’s ♣ Q) with ♣ A. Excited by holding the six top hearts (expecting six tricks), he cashed ♥ AKQ. Sad at only making three tricks, he turned belatedly to diamonds, leading ♦ 3 to ♦ K. East won ♦ A and cashed ♥ 75. He then switched to ♣ 9. Declarer played low, but West overtook with ♣ 10 and cashed ♣ K. Down one.

What should have happened

Win ♣ A and immediately lead ♦ 3 to ♦ K (key play). East wins and returns ♣ 9. Declarer ducks (best) and say West also plays low. East switches to ♥ 5. Win ♥ Q and, having made an extra trick in diamonds to bring the total to nine, start cashing the top tricks. Cash ♦ Q, ♥ AK, then turn to spades. Begin with ♠ Q (important), then ♠ 6 to ♠ J. Finally cash ♠ AK. Nine tricks and game made.

Tip: Count top tricks fi rst, and remember that you cannot have more top tricks in a suit than the number of cards in your longer length.

Tip: Do not rush to make the seemingly ‘obvious’ play before following the three key stages.

Declarer must take a timeout before playing from dummy at Trick One. He should try to form some sort of a plan first:

Stage One: count the top tricks in each suit – just the ones that can be made without losing the lead.
Stage Two: work out how many extra tricks are needed for the contract.
Stage Three: work out where those extra tricks are coming from. NB: particularly in notrumps, those extra tricks should be established early. We will concentrate on each stage in more detail over the next few deals, but this deal focusses on the whole process. West leads ♥ 6 to 3 NT. Form a plan (before playing from dummy).

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Stage One: there are four top tricks in spades; two in hearts; none at all in diamonds (without losing the lead) and one in clubs. Total seven.

Stage Two: two extra tricks are required.

Stage Three: though length is often a good source of extra tricks, it is not always.

South Deals
None Vul

♠	J 4 3
♥	K 2
♦	K Q 6
♣	A 9 8 6 3

♠	10 7
♥	J 9 8 6 3
♦	A 9 2
♣	K J 4

N
W		E
S

♠	9 8 6 5
♥	Q 10 5 4
♦	10 8 7 5
♣	Q

♠	A K Q 2
♥	A 7
♦	J 4 3
♣	10 7 5 2

West	North	East	South
			1 N
Pass	3 N	Pass	Pass
Pass

3 NT by South

Lead: ♥ 6

What happened

Declarer won the ♥ 6 lead with ♥ A, then led ♣ 2 to ♣ A and returned ♣ 3. East discarded ♠ 5 and West won ♣ J. He followed with ♥ 3 to ♥ K. Declarer then led ♣ 6. West won ♣ K and led ♥ 8. East won ♥ Q and returned ♥ 10. West overtook with ♥ J and cashed ♥ 9 and ♦ A. Down two.

What should have happened

Playing on clubs will work if the suit splits 2–2. But why take the risk? Instead look at diamonds. Flushing out the opposing ♦ A MUST create the two extra tricks required.

Win ♥ 6 lead with ♥ A (or ♥ K) and lead a diamond (say ♦ J). West wins ♦ A (if he ducks, then play a second diamond) and continues with ♥ 3. Win ♥ K, cash the promoted ♦ KQ and lead out the remaining fi ve top tricks (♠ AKQJ and ♣ A). Contract made.

Tip: DO pass if you can’t make your planned rebid

Say you open 1 ♣ holding:

♠ 10 8 6
♥ A Q 3
♦ A J 6
♣ A Q 9 7

With a balanced 17-point hand, your planned rebid is a jump in notrumps over partner’s new suit response. Say he bids 1 ♠. You are just about to bid 2 NT when right-hand opponent steps in with a bid of 2 ♦. No big deal – you can go ahead and make your planned rebid: 2 NT.

Now cut to another scenario. This time you hold:

♠ 10 8 6
♥ A 5 3
♦ A J 6
♣ A Q 9 7

With this balanced 15-point hand you open 1 ♣ and plan to rebid notrumps at the lowest level over partner’s new suit response. Partner responds 1 ♠ and you are just about to rebid 1 NT when right-hand opponent steps in with 2 ♦.

If I was given one pound for every player who thinks it is correct to bid 2 NT at this point I would be... [think of amusing analogy conveying wealth]. It is not – for a bid of 2 NT – being a jump over partner’s response – shows 17-18 points, just as it would if there had been no overcall. With this 15-point hand you must grit your teeth and pass – after all partner is still there.

Play this deal - click here

North Deals
None Vul

♠	K Q 4
♥	A 4
♦	7 4
♣	A K 10 9 5 2

♠	9 2
♥	K J 9
♦	A Q J 10 5 2
♣	Q 4

N
W		E
S

♠	10 8 7 5 3
♥	10 7 6
♦	9 8
♣	J 8 3

♠	A J 6
♥	Q 8 5 3 2
♦	K 6 3
♣	7 6

West	North	East	South
	1 ♣	Pass	1 ♥
2 ♦	3 ♣1	Pass	3 N2
Pass	Pass	Pass

By being a jump over partner’s 1 ♥ response, North’s 3 ♣ shows 16+ points.
Trusting his partner not to bid 3 ♣ with a hand that was planning to rebid 2 ♣, South looks at his positional diamond stopper and takes a pot at the notrump game.

3 NT by South

Lead: ♦ Q

On our 3 NT deal, West led ♦ Q. If declarer had taken his ♦ K, both opponents would be danger hands and given that he cannot establish clubs without losing the lead to one or other, he would fail. Instead declarer made the key play of letting ♦ Q win.

Now West had to decide whether or not to continue diamonds giving declarer his ♦ K, making only him the danger hand (East would now be out of diamonds) or (his actual choice) to switch suits, in which case only his partner would be the danger hand (able to lead a second diamond through ♦ K).

Declarer won ♠ 9 with ♠ J and led ♣ 6. If West had played ♣ Q, declarer would have ducked in dummy. West played ♣ 4 so declarer won ♣ K, overtook ♠ Q with ♠ A and led ♣ 7, letting West’s ♣ Q win the trick. He won ♥ 9 with ♥ A (no need for risks) cashed ♣ A felling ♣ J and followed with ♣ 10 9 5. Game made.

Note that if West had persevered with diamonds at trick two, declarer would have lost the club trick to East’s ♣ J.

DO bid a cheaper four-card suit before repeating a six-card suit.

With a one-suited shape such as 6322 and 6331, you plan to open and repeat the six-card suit. With a two-suited shape such as 5422 or 5431 ,you plan to bid the five-card suit and rebid the four-card suit.

What about with a 6421 or 6430 shape – in a sense both a one-suiter and a two-suiter? You open the six-card suit, then face a choice of rebids: do you repeat the six or introduce the four? The answer is... it depends. It depends on which comes cheaper. Say you have six hearts and four clubs and 13 points. After opening 1 ♥, you should rebid 2 ♣ over 1 ♠ but 2 ♥ over 2 ♦. Cheaper.

♠ A Q 8 6 5 2
♥ 6 2
♦ K Q 4 3
♣ 2

Open 1 ♠ and rebid 2♦ over 2♣;

but 2♠ over 2♥

♠ A
♥ K J 9 4
♦ 4 2
♣ A J 9 7 4 2

Open 1♣ and rebid 1♥,

over 1 ♦; but 2 ♣ over 1 ♠

There are two other factors you should consider when deciding your rebid with a 6-4 shape: (i) relative suit-quality and (ii) major v minor.

♠ 2
♥ A Q J 9 6 2
♦ K 3
♣ J 8 5 2

Open 1♥ and rebid 2♥ whether

partner responds 2♦ or 1 ♠

Click here to play this deal

South Deals
None Vul

♠	2
♥	A K 6
♦	A J 6 2
♣	A 7 4 3 2

♠	K Q 9 4
♥	Q J 9 5 4
♦	9 5
♣	Q 10

N
W		E
S

♠	10 5
♥	10 7 2
♦	10 8 7
♣	K J 9 6 5

♠	A J 8 7 6 3
♥	8 3
♦	K Q 4 3
♣	8

West	North	East	South
			1 ♠
Pass	2 ♣	Pass	2 ♦1
Pass	6 ♦2	Pass	Pass
Pass

Correctly introducing the cheaper four-card diamond suit in preference to repeating the spades.
What a fabulous hand now that the diamond fit has been found. No need to ask for aces – given that North has three himself.

6 ♦ by South

Lead: ♥ Q

On our deal West led ♥ Q v the good 6 ♦ (although an unlikely trump lead would have left declarer too much to do). Winning ♥ K, declarer crossed to ♠ A and ruffed ♠ 3. He cashed ♥ A, ruffed ♥ 6, then led ♠ 6, ruffing it low (best – even though East could overruff).

If East refused to overuff, declarer could cash ♣ A, ruff ♣ 2 with ♦ 4 and crossruff his way to 12 tricks (making all eight trumps separately). So East overruffed and returned a trump. Declarer rose with ♦ Q underplaying dummy’s ♦ J, ruffed ♠ 7 (with ♦ A), cashed ♣ A, ruffed ♣ 2, cashed ♦ K pleased to see both opponents follow and tabled ♠ J8. 12 tricks and slam made.

Cute – that play of ruffing the third spade low.

Think before playing at trick one

Imagine you are declarer: the opening lead has been made and you have given your thanks to partner for their dummy. What next? What you must NOT do is actually play a card from dummy – yet. If you play without looking ahead, or with reference to your own hand, you may suffer a fate similar to this declarer.

Click here to declare this deal:

South Deals
None Vul

♠	K 8 4
♥	J 7 4 2
♦	A K Q
♣	10 8 7

♠	Q 10 7 5 3
♥	K 10 6
♦	10 8 7
♣	6 4

N
W		E
S

♠	J 9 6
♥	A 9 8
♦	J 9 5 4
♣	A 3 2

♠	A 2
♥	Q 5 3
♦	6 3 2
♣	K Q J 9 5

West	North	East	South
			1 NT1
Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

5332 is a balanced shape, so South is correct to open 1 NT rather than 1 ♣. Open 1 NT and he does not need to find a rebid over a change of suit from partner; open 1 ♣ and he must find a rebid (which he does not have)

3 NT by South

Lead: ♠ 5

What happened

West led ♠ 5 against the 3 NT contract. Declarer quickly played low from dummy and beat East’s ♠ J with ♠ A. He then looked around, and correctly saw the necessity of removing the opponents’ ♣ A. At Trick Two he led ♣ K.

Can you see what East did? He withheld his ♣ A. Declarer followed by leading ♣ Q, but East again ducked his ace. He won declarer’s ♣ 5 continuation with his ♣ A and then led ♠ 9. Declarer was now in a complete mess, unable to reach his two remaining clubs. He ducked ♠ 9, won ♠ 5 with ♠ K, then led ♥ 2 to ♥ Q. West won ♥ K, cashed ♠ Q10, then led ♥ 10. Declarer covered with ♥ J and East won ♥ A and cashed ♥ 9. Down three.

What should have happened

Declarer should have taken a little time-out before playing from dummy at Trick One. He would realise the need for retaining his ♠ A for access to his clubs.

He should have won dummy’s ♠ K at Trick One (key play), then led ♣ 10. Assuming East ducks, he follows with ♣ 8 to ♣ 9 (East ducking again) and ♣ K to East’s ♣ A. He wins East’s ♠ 9 return with ♠ A, cashes ♣ QJ, then leads to ♦ AKQ. Nine tricks and game made.

Tip: Do not play from dummy at Trick One without looking ahead.

Open 1♣ – not 2NT

A 2 NT opener shows 20–22 balanced (4333, 4432, 5332). Occasionally the distribution will be ‘semibalanced’ (5422, 6322 with a six-card minor, even 4441 with a singleton honour). But it should not be more unbalanced than that.

Click to play this hand

South Deals
E-W Vul

♠	10 8 5
♥	J 8 3
♦	K 7 4 2
♣	Q 3 2

♠	K 9 7 6 2
♥	K 9 6 4
♦	Q 9
♣	9 4

N
W		E
S

♠	A Q 4 3
♥	10 7
♦	10 8 6 5 3
♣	10 6

♠	J
♥	A Q 5 2
♦	A J
♣	A K J 8 7 5

What Happened

West	North	East	South
			2 N1
Pass	3 N	Pass	Pass
Pass

South’s hand is not even ‘semi-balanced’. To open with a bid that shows a notrumpy hand was a costly mistake.

3 NT by South

Lead: ♠ 6

South would have liked to open 2 ♣. But a 2 ♣ opener is not like a 2 ♦, 2 ♥ or 2 ♠ opener. It shows any hand with 23+ points. Instead South unwisely tried opening 2 NT. He was to regret it.

In 3 NT, declarer received ♠ 6 lead. East won ♠ A and returned ♠ 3. West won ♠ K (declarer sheepishly discarding), returned ♠ 2 to East’s ♠ Q, won ♠ 4 with ♠ 7 and cashed ♠ 9. Declarer took the rest with his clubs and red suit top-tricks but was down one.

What should have happened

West	North	East	South
			1 ♣1
Pass	1 ♦	Pass	2 ♥2
Pass	3 ♣	Pass	5 ♣
Pass	Pass	Pass

Unable to open 2 ♣ (or 2 NT), South has no choice but to open 1 ♣. If partner cannot respond, there may not be a making game.
Catching up. A jump rebid in a new suit by opener is forcing to game.

Lead: ♠ 6

Had South opened the recommended 1 ♣, he would have reached 5 ♣. Game in a minor is generally undesirable, but his singleton spade – facing a partner that can neither bid spades nor notrumps – is a suffi cient disincentive to try notrumps.

Defending 5 ♣, West would lead ♠ 6 (the unbid suit) to East’s ♠ A and declarer would trump ♠ 3 return. Declarer cashes ♣ AK, pleased to observe the 2–2 split, then leads ♦ J to ♦ Q and ♦ K, followed by ♥ 3 to ♥ Q. West takes ♥ K and leads ♠ K, but declarer can trump, lead ♥ 2 to ♥ J, ♥ 8 to ♥ A (East discarding), then trump ♥ 5 with dummy’s ♣ Q. He crosses back to ♦ A and takes the last two tricks with his last two trumps. 11 tricks and game made.

Tip: Open 1♣ – not 2NT – holding a profoundly unbalanced 20–22 point hand with strong clubs.

Red Play (was Advanced Play)

2026su Imppluswe

DON’T assume a 1NT response is balanced

The 1 NT response is often termed the ‘dustbin 1 NT’. It is what you bid with those weak responding hands, six points up to at most nine, that belong nowhere else. You are not saying that you want to play notrumps; that you have a balanced hand.

What you are saying is that you do not have a strong enough hand to bid a new suit at the two level [the best test here is the Rule of 14: whether the number of points in the hand added to the number of cards in the long suit get to 14]. You are also saying that you have no higher-ranking four-card suit – that you can bid at the one-level. And that you do not have any support for partner – three decent cards would suffice to raise them to Two.

Exercise: Which of these hands would respond 1 NT to partner’s 1 ♥ opener? What should the others do differently?

Hand (i)

Hand (ii)

Hand (iii)

Hand (iv)

♠ J 2

♥ A J 4

♦ K 9 4 2

♣ J 9 8 3

♠ 6 3

♥ Q 6 2

♦ K J 4 3 2

♣ 7 6 2

♠ 9 6 4 2

♥ 7 3

♦ Q 10 2

♣ A 9 3 2

♠ 8 2

♥ -

♦ A J 9 4 2

♣ J 9 7 5 4 2

Answers: With Hand (i) bid 2 ♣; too strong for 1 NT, you bid the cheaper of four-card suits. With (ii) you should raise 1 ♥ to 2 ♥ – preferable to 1 NT holding ♥ Qxx. With (iii) bid 1 ♠ – 1 NT denies a higher-ranking four-card suit. Only with (iv) – the one unbalanced hand of the four – and how – should you bid 1 NT.

Here are some more examples of unbalanced 1 NT responses... this time partner opened 1 ♠:

Hand (i)

Hand (ii)

Hand (iii)

♠ 2

♥ J 9 6 5 3 2

♦ K 9 4 2

♣ K 2

♠ -

♥ J 6 2

♦ Q 8 4 3 2

♣ A 9 7 6 2

♠ -

♥ J 9 7 3

♦ J 2

♣ A 10 9 6 4 3 2

Click to play this deal

North Deals
None Vul

♠	A Q 8 5 3 2
♥	A K 2
♦	5 2
♣	K Q

♠	10 9 6
♥	8 7 4
♦	K Q 9 8 6 3
♣	7

N
W		E
S

♠	K J 7 4
♥	Q 10 5
♦	A 10 7
♣	J 9 4

♠	—
♥	J 9 6 3
♦	J 4
♣	A 10 8 6 5 3 2

West	North	East	South
	1 ♠	Pass	1 NT
Pass	3 ♠	Pass	4 ♣
Pass	5 ♣	Pass	Pass
Pass

5 ♣ by South

Lead: ♦ K

Made 5

On our 5 ♣ deal – the only making game – West led ♦ K, East encouraging with ♦ 10, then ♦ 3 to ♦ A and East led ♦ 7 hoping to force dummy to trump (and promote his ♣ J).

Declarer trumped in hand (throwing ♠ 2) crossed to ♣ Q and trumped ♠ 3. He crossed to ♣ K (West discarding), trumped ♠ 5, cashed ♣ A (throwing ♥ 2), crossed to ♥ K, cashed ♠ A, trumped ♠ 8 (bringing down East’s ♠ K), crossed to ♥ A and cashed the promoted ♠ Q at trick 13. Game made.

DON’T jump in a new suit as responder

Look at the bidding from first principles. Your first goal as a partnership is to find a fit. Your second goal is to decide how high to bid, particularly whether to go for a game contract. Fit first.

It is a mistake for responder to waste space (by jumping a level) when bidding a new suit. Do so and you are taking the two fundamental bidding goals in the wrong order: the fit has not yet been found.

Exercise: Partner opens 1 ♦. What so you respond with these?

Hand (i)

Hand (ii)

Hand (iii)

♠ A Q 9 6 3

♥ K 6

♦ 9 2

♣ A Q J 2

♠ K Q 3

♥ A J 7 5 4 2

♦ A 2

♣ Q 7

♠ K 9 8 2

♥ A K Q 3

♦ J 2

♣ Q J 4

Answers:

(i) 1 ♠. Not 2 ♠. Bid 2 ♠ and what would you do if partner now bid, say, 3 ♦? Would you bid 4 ♣ and go past 3 NT? Or bid 3 NT and miss a good slam? Simply bid 1 ♠, then you can bid 3 ♣ over 2 ♦. Nothing bad will happen.

(ii) 1 ♥. Not 2 ♥. Bid 2 ♥ and what would you do if partner rebid, say, 3 ♣? Repeat those emaciated hearts and risk missing 3 NT when partner has no stopper in the unbid spades? Bid 3 NT and risk missing 4 ♥/6 ♥?

(iii) 1 ♥. Cheaper of fours. Take it slowly until the fit is found.
Remember that your new suit bid is unlimited – partner cannot pass.

Click to play this deal

North Deals
None Vul

♠	6 5
♥	Q J
♦	A Q 9 7 4 3 2
♣	Q 10

♠	Q 10 8 4 2
♥	K 9 7 6 2
♦	6
♣	8 6

N
W		E
S

♠	9
♥	8 5 4 3
♦	K J 10 8
♣	A 7 4 2

♠	A K J 7 3
♥	A 10
♦	5
♣	K J 9 5 3

West	North	East	South
	1 ♦ (1)	Pass	1 ♠ (2)
Pass	2 ♦	Pass	3 ♣
Pass	3 ♦	Pass	3 NT (3)
Pass	Pass	Pass

3 NT by South

Lead: ♥ 6

(1) Might open 3♦, but the maximum pointcount for such preempts is normally ten.
(2) NOT 2♠. Project the auction forward. Bid
2♠ and the auction becomes cramped: 1♦ -
2♠ - 3♦ - 4♣?...Bid 1♠ and the auction
progresses smoothly: 1♦ - 1♠ - 2♦ - 3♣...
(3) Giving up on higher places after hearing nothing but diamonds and more diamonds opposite.

A well-controlled auction saw N-S reach the only makeable game contract – and even 3NT would have failed on an unlikely minor-suit lead from West. Declarer won West’s ♥6 lead with dummy’s ♥J and correctly went after clubs, using his sequential high cards. East let ♣Q win and ♣10 that followed.

Declarer crossed to ♠K (no finesse) and led ♣K. East won ♣A this time and led ♥3. Declarer won ♥A and cashed ♣J9, ♠A and over to ♦A. Nine tricks and game made.

DON’T bid 3♣/♦ over partner’s 1NT

Because of the undesirability of declaring the 5 ♣/♦ games (too many tricks to win) the 3 ♣/♦ response to 1 NT is normally pretty pointless. ‘I was hoping you’d bid 3 NT, partner’, is the plaintive cry of the 3 ♣/♦ bidder who has seen partner support his minor, leading to a failing 5 ♣/♦.

Rather than bid and hope partner will bid 3 NT, why not bid 3 NT yourself.

Exercise: What would you respond to 1 NT with these hands?

Hand (i)

Hand (ii)

Hand (iii)

♠ K 8 2

♥ K

♦ J 8 2

♣ A K Q 9 3 2

♠ A 9 3

♥ J 2

♦ A Q 9 7 3 2

♣ Q 2

♠ J 9

♥ Q 3

♦ K 2

♣ A K 7 5 4 3 2

Answer: 3 NT with them all!

Apart from slammy hands, you would need a void or a seven-card suit with a side small singleton to bid 3 ♣/♦. Note that it is entirely different with major suits, where even flattish game-going hands with a four-card major should look for a fit (via Stayman).

Contrast:

Hand (i)

Hand (ii)

♠ Q 2

♥ J 2

♦ A K 8 6 3 2

♣ K 7 6

♠ Q 2

♥ A K 8 6 3 2

♦ J 2

♣ K 7 6

Responding to partner’s 1 NT, holding (a) you would bid 3 NT, holding (b) you would bid 4 ♥. There’s a huge difference in practice between trying to make one more trick than the 3 NT game (ie 4 ♥/♠) and two more tricks (5 ♣/♦).

Click to play this deal

South Deals
None Vul

♠	Q 5
♥	K 4
♦	J 8 5
♣	A K 8 4 3 2

♠	A J 9 7 2
♥	J 9 7 6
♦	Q 7 2
♣	7

N
W		E
S

♠	10 8 6
♥	Q 10
♦	K 10 9 4
♣	J 9 6 5

♠	K 4 3
♥	A 8 5 3 2
♦	A 6 3
♣	Q 10

West	North	East	South
			1 NT
Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

3 NT by South

Lead: ♠ 7

West led ♠ 7 v 3 NT, declarer making the first key play by rising with dummy’s ♠ Q, the only chance he had of making a trick with the card. Needing to keep East from winning the lead – for a fatal second spade through ♠ K – at trick two declarer led ♣ 2 to ♣ 10 (the second key play).

Declarer did not mind if ♣ 10 lost to ♣ J in West’s hand for he only needed five club tricks (to go with ♠ Q, ♥ AK and ♦ A); the key was keeping East off lead and ♣ 2 to ♣ 10 would be necessary if, as here, East held ♣ Jxxx.

On the layout ♣ 10 won, so declarer could cash ♣ Q, cross to ♥ K and cash ♣ AK84. In his efforts to secure nine tricks, declarer emerged with ten.

DON’T bid again after opening 1NT

I tell my less experienced students that, after opening 1 NT, you should mentally go to the bar and buy the drinks (evening classes) or to the kitchen and boil the kettle (day classes). Only return when the bidding is over. The point I am stressing is that, having opened 1 NT, you have described your hand very accurately and can leave further bidding to partner.

Exercise: You open 1 NT and partner bids 2 ♥, a weakness take-out. What do you bid now with these?

Hand (i)

Hand (ii)

Hand (iii)

♠ K J 7 2

♥ 3 2

♦ Q 8 2

♣ A K 3 2

♠ K Q 2

♥ A K 2

♦ Q 4 3 2

♣ 10 7 5

♠ A J 3

♥ Q 8 7 6 2

♦ K J 4

♣ Q 2

Answer: Pass with all three.

Think of partner as holding six hearts and no points (yes, she might have five hearts and yes, she might have up to 10 points). Facing six hearts and a ‘bust’, you do not want even to countenance bidding.

What if the bidding went 1 NT-(P)-2 ♥-(2 ♠)-? Although you are now losing the auction to right-hand opponent’s 2 ♠, you should still remain silent (although a 3 ♥ bid with (iii) would be acceptable).

What must be borne in mind is that partner has another bid. If he really has the bust, he will be relieved to pass; but if he has a few values, say seven or eight points, he can repeat a six-card heart suit or introduce a second suit with a five-five shape.

Click to play this hand

North Deals
None Vul

♠	A 6 3
♥	A Q
♦	J 7 4
♣	J 8 5 3 2

♠	Q 10 7 5 4
♥	K 8 5 4
♦	Q
♣	A K 9

N
W		E
S

♠	9 8 2
♥	J 7
♦	K 10 9 3
♣	Q 10 6 4

♠	K J
♥	10 9 6 3 2
♦	A 8 6 5 2
♣	7

West	North	East	South
	1 NT	Pass	2 ♥
2 ♠	Pass	Pass	3 ♦
Pass	Pass	Pass

3 ♦ by South

Lead: ♣ A

Made 3

West led out ♣ AK v 3 ♦, declarer trumping and leading ♥ 2 to ♥ Q. The finesse successful, he cashed ♥ A noting East’s ♥ J, then led ♦ 4 to♦ A, noting West’s ♦ Q.

At trick six declarer led ♥ 10 for a ruffing finesse through West’s ♥ K8, discarding ♥ 3 when West played ♥ 8 (he knew West held ♥ K because ♥ 2 to ♥ Q won). East trumped and exited with ♠ 9, but declarer won ♠ K and trumped ♥ 6 with ♦ J. East overruffed with ♦ K and cashed ♦ 10 but declarer could win ♠ 8 with ♠ A, trump ♣ 5 and cash ♥ 9. Nine tricks and contract made.

Book a Course

Andrew:

False Preference

Red Play (formerly Advanced Play) Weekend

Play with Confidence weekend]

Red Medley

Red Conventions (was Advanced Plus) Weekend

Beginner Weekend Course

Red Defence (was Adv. Defence) Weekend

The Red Course (was Advanced Weekend)

Improver Plus Weekend

Improver Weekend

Essential Weekend

Building on the Basics in a Weekend

Next Step Weekend

2026wiwe rpl a

20206wiwe rde a

2026wiwe beg d

2026wiwe ess b

2026wiwe n-s b

2026wiwe pwc a

2026wiwe bob b

2026wiwe trc a

2026wiwe rco

2026wiwe Beg c

2026wiwe imppl a

2026wiwe imp a

2026wiwe rme a

2026wiwe Beg b

2026wiwe ess a

2026wiwe n-s a

2026wiwe bob a

2026wiwe beg a

Red Medley in a Weekend

Responder’s Support Line

When finessing, lead from the opposite hand to the card you are trying to promote.

If you can choose the danger hand, avoid the one winning a subsequent lead

Duck your ace until one opposing hand is void in the danger suit

Improver Plus

After 1♥/♠-2♥/♠

Failing the rule of 14

2026su ess b

Red Defence (was Adv. Defence)

The Red Course (was Advanced)

Improver

Play with Confidence]

Essential

Building on the Basics

Four week Next Step

Four week Beginner

2026su beg e

2026su n-s d

2026su beg d

2026su ns b

2026su pwc a

2026su imp b

2026su rde a

2026su trc a

2026su n-s b

2026su beg b

2026su imp a

2026su impp

2026su Ess a

2026su bob b

2026su bob a

2026su n-s a

2026su Beg a

2026 CC

Tip: If you have to lose a trick in a suit, lose it in the first round

Don’t allow the ‘danger hand’ on lead

In notrumps, focus on each opponent separately and ask yourself: ‘safe hand’ or ‘danger hand’?

2026su n-s b

2026su beg c

2026su rco

2026su trc

2026su pwc

2026su rde

2026su Beg b

2026su ess a

2026su n-s a