North (Dlr) 43 ♠ QJ75 ♥ 9 JT32 ♦ J32 ♣ is a West (Declarer) East Bidding analysis: 5♥ ♠Queen Ask, AJT76 KQ98 knowing East has 3 Aces, not zero, for her ♠ ♠ 8 A9 response to 1430. Without the East ♥ ♥ 5♦ ♠Q, AKQ76 98 would she bids her ♦ ♦ bid 5♠, but, having it, 65 AK987 lowest King. That nails it for West. Making ♣ ♣ 13 tricks only with a perfect 30 HCP. South 52 6 Spades (including a Diamond Declarer Play Options: ♠ KT6432 ruff), 2 Clubs, 1 Heart and 4 Diamonds = 13 tricks. ♥ 54 ♦ QT4 No good lead, nor a bad one either: a Defensive Strategy: ♣ cold 13-trick slam contract. North K98532 ♠ 7 ♥ 10 T853 ♦ 96 ♣ Bidding analysis: West has a difficult West East (Dclr) Q4 AJ6 decision after WJO, but decides, ♠ ♠ South’s 4♣ KQJ95 AT842 with no Aces, to simply put East in game. ♥ ♥ QJ92 AK76 East has good shape with 4 high honors and a ♦ ♦ 72 J stiff Club, so pushes on to the Heart slam, off ♣ ♣ just the She knows West has the ♣A. ♥K. South T7 No discards anywhere with the Declarer Play Options: ♠ 63 4 4 Diamond fit, so the Spade finesse must work. But ♥ – 4 with plus in Clubs and the South might have ♦ ♣AKQ ♠K, AKQT8543 bid not so the Spade finesse odds are OK. ♣ 2♣, 3♣, The lead, after WJO, Defensive Strategy: ♣Q South’s shows the the she follows with ♣AKQ++. Winning ♣Q, the so as not to finesse North. South knows she has the ♣K only defensive Ace, so no in North is possible: no ♦Ace Diamond ruff by South on the 3rd trick is possible.
9 North (Dlr) ♠ 43 ♥ QJ75 ♦ JT32 ♣ J32 West (Declarer) ♠ AJT76 ♥ 8 ♦ AKQ76 ♣ 65 East ♠ KQ98 ♥ A9 ♦ 98 ♣ AK987 Bidding analysis: 5♥ is a ♠Queen Ask, knowing East has 3 Aces, not zero, for her 5♦ response to 1430. Without the ♠Q, East would bid 5♠, but, having it, she bids her lowest King. That nails it for West. Making 13 tricks only with a perfect 30 HCP. South ♠ 52 ♥ KT6432 ♦ 54 ♣ QT4 Declarer Play Options: 6 Spades (including a Diamond ruff), 2 Clubs, 1 Heart and 4 Diamonds = 13 tricks. Defensive Strategy: No good lead, nor a bad one either: a cold 13-trick slam contract. 10 North ♠ K98532 ♥ 7 ♦ T853 ♣ 96 West ♠ Q4 ♥ KQJ95 ♦ QJ92 ♣ 72 East (Dclr) ♠ AJ6 ♥ AT842 ♦ AK76 ♣ J Bidding analysis: West has a difficult decision after South’s 4♣ WJO, but decides, with no Aces, to simply put East in game. East has good shape with 4 high honors and a stiff Club, so pushes on to the Heart slam, off just the ♣A. She knows West has the ♥K. South ♠ T7 ♥ 63 ♦ 4 ♣ AKQT8543 Declarer Play Options: No discards anywhere with the 4 – 4 Diamond fit, so the Spade finesse must work. But with ♣AKQ plus in Clubs and the ♠K, South might have bid 2♣, not 3♣, so the Spade finesse odds are OK. Defensive Strategy: The ♣Q lead, after South’s WJO, shows the ♣AKQ++. Winning the ♣Q, she follows with the ♣K so as not to finesse North. South knows she has the only defensive Ace, so no ♦Ace in North is possible: no Diamond ruff by South on the 3rd trick is possible.
StrongHandBidding.docx