North (Dclr) JT952 ♠ T7 ♥ 5 AQ4 ♦ KJ7 ♣ is an West East Bidding analysis: North’s 4♦ 743 Q Cure bid, indicating slam interest ♠ ♠ J86 Q9 after strong rebid. Because North ♥ ♥ South’s 3♠ 7632 KJT98 is interested and has her Diamond loser ♦ ♦ A86 T9543 covered, South pushes on to slam, off 1 Ace. ♣ ♣ South AK86 With 9 trumps including the AK Declarer Play Options: ♠ AK5432 for the drop of the Queen, and set up long Hearts ♥ I’ll play 5 with a high trump 3rd round ruff. It works or not. ♦ Q2 ♣ Declarer has all the higher Club Defensive Strategy: honors than so my East’s Journalist ♣10 lead, I’ll take ♣Ace now. North AQ942 ♠ 532 ♥ 6 T ♦ QT54 ♣ A Spade splinter by West West East (Dclr) Bidding analysis: 5 73 and both minor suit Ace-showing cue bids. ♠ ♠ AQ76 KJT98 East normally should not start RKCB1430 ♥ ♥ A876 KQJ5 with 2 Spade losers, but she knows West has ♦ ♦ K872 A9 one or none. ♣ ♣ South KJT86 After losing the opening Spade Declarer Play Options: ♠ 4 lead, with a Spade ruff in the West hand for the ♥ it’s cold, 9432 12th trick. ♦ J63 ♣ double of the Spade splinter Defensive Strategy: North’s got N/S their only trick. Note the Journalist lead. ♠T
5 North (Dclr) ♠ JT952 ♥ T7 ♦ AQ4 ♣ KJ7 West ♠ 743 ♥ J86 ♦ 7632 ♣ A86 East ♠ Q ♥ Q9 ♦ KJT98 ♣ T9543 Bidding analysis: North’s 4♦ is an Cure bid, indicating slam interest after South’s strong 3♠ rebid. Because North is interested and has her Diamond loser covered, South pushes on to slam, off 1 Ace. South ♠ AK86 ♥ AK5432 ♦ 5 ♣ Q2 Declarer Play Options: With 9 trumps including the AK I’ll play for the drop of the Queen, and set up long Hearts with a high trump 3rd round ruff. It works or not. Defensive Strategy: Declarer has all the higher Club honors than East’s Journalist ♣10 lead, so I’ll take my ♣Ace now. 6 North ♠ AQ942 ♥ 532 ♦ T ♣ QT54 West ♠ 5 ♥ AQ76 ♦ A876 ♣ K872 East (Dclr) ♠ 73 ♥ KJT98 ♦ KQJ5 ♣ A9 Bidding analysis: A Spade splinter by West and both minor suit Ace-showing cue bids. East normally should not start RKCB1430 with 2 Spade losers, but she knows West has one or none. South ♠ KJT86 ♥ 4 ♦ 9432 ♣ J63 Declarer Play Options: After losing the opening Spade lead, it’s cold, with a Spade ruff in the West hand for the 12th trick. Defensive Strategy: North’s double of the Spade splinter got N/S their only trick. Note the ♠T Journalist lead.
StrongHandBidding.docx