Hand Of The Day

This hand can be bid to 4 hearts if played by you or 3 spades if bid by the opposition. It all depends who stops bidding first. In 4H If you play very well you can make 11 tricks.

This hand can be overcalled and will make 4 Spades even though the opposition have a very makeable 2 Heart contract. It all depends who has faith in their own hand and keeps the bidding going.

Standard American Players – you can take the contract 3 light for 150 points to your side!

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Acol Players -So….lead your fourth highest card from your longest and strongest suit and every time you get the lead, keep on leading your diamonds so that when the opposition run out of trumps, you have winners and can take the contract 3 light for 150 points to your side!

This is a challenging hand to play but is much more fun because of it, to make 4S you need to delay drawing all trumps as 4-0 trump split requires you to perform ruff at the same time discard a heart from dummy. It is much easier to make 4H.

As long as the opposition don’t lead spades this hand can make any of the contracts – 3NT 4S, 4H, 6D or 4C. Redeal this hand and try playing in all of those contracts and see!

This hand makes 10 tricks in hearts and also makes 2NT, redeal the hand and play it again. Bid and check for yourself

This hand also can make 5D, 4NT, 5S or 2C! use the Hand: > Redeal menu Item to rebid and replay this hand.

This hand can make 3C and 1H

With this hand you can make either 1D or 2NT.
In 1NT you get 4 Diamond tricks, 2 club tricks, 2 heart tricks and 1 heart trick. If opposition lead a heart, win with the KH lose the AD, and the rest of the heart suit leads then win the club return with QC and win all the tricks except the AS.

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In the post mortem, partner will probably say ‘yes but with a 6 card spade suit you can bid 1S! why didn’t you?’ You can make at least 9 tricks in a heart contract.

As it turns out the Club split 2-2 and the finesse fails. so unfortunately 4S goes 1 light doubled. However this is a much better score for your partnership (only -100 pts) than if East-West are left playing and making 4 Hearts vulnerable (-620 pts)

Making 12 tricks. Think about points now, opposition are vulnerable that means -620 points for you if they make, however even doubled if you are 1 trick light it is only -100 points for your side as you have 9 tricks in your own hand and partner has supported you on top of that!

Duplicate bridge scores are always about how well you did compared to everyone else with the same hand. Did you find the fit and bid game? Making 12 tricks losing only to the QS.

North/South can make either 1S, 2C, 2D or if south plays it (meaning South has to bid 3NT with a worthless doubleton) , 3NT. You can’t make overtricks.

You make 4S with this hand also you can make 3NT even though the combined point count is only 22 HCP. So from this you can see that the bidding guidelines for bridge are just that. Sometimes in Bridge you can make contracts with far less points than the rules state, but be prepared to be unpopular with your partner. Sometimes you also go light when you have the ‘required points’, it all comes down to cards, distribution and playing skills. If instead you have bid 4S or 3NT, there is no way if you play well that this contract can be taken light.

Making 3 club tricks. If you follow three of the playing rules linked to in “The Play” you can make 11 tricks with this hand.

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This hand can make 13 tricks if played in spades

This hand can make 12 tricks if you never lead out the club suit waiting for the opposition instead to help you get 3 winners in clubs.

You have contracted to make 8 tricks. But at first glance you can only count 7 winning tricks. To make 8 tricks in this contract you need to develop some club tricks. If you perform a direct finesse leading your highest club from dummy twice up to your KC, you can make at least 1 club trick, 1 heart trick and 6 spade tricks

In 3D you can make 12 tricks from this hand. You need to delay drawing trumps until you have finessed east for the KC, west for the AH, and ruffed the two low clubs in declarers hand. All that effort for only 170 points! If you only make 9 tricks you will only get 110 points.
If you leave the opposite side in a spade contract you can take them 1 light doubled for a score of 100 points

This hand can make 2D or 4S. If south is naughty with less than 10 points bids you may find game.
However your partner will not trust you if you keep on bidding with less than 10 points.

Making this 4S depends on squeezing the opposition to discard cards in a suit that you need to develop winners in. The trick here was to discard a diamond on the table (not AD) fooling them that you were only going to play 1 more round of diamonds (the opposition if they have not been counting the diamond suit will be unaware you have 10D in hand)

This hand can make 4NT or 6C or 5D. Try bidding those contracts and see for yourself.

You can make 8 tricks with this hand if you are in a suit. North/South can make 2S or 1D or 1H with this hand. Its important to delay drawing trumps so you have entries to dummy’s hand.

You and your partner can take this contract 1 light doubled!

You can take this contract 3 light doubled and vulnerable which nets you 1100 points. Even if you bid 6C and make it (which you can with this hand as long as you avoid playing diamonds and cross ruff the hearts and spades) you will only get 920 points.

With only 23 points this is a hand where South can easily make 11 tricks losing only the AS and AH. The key play with this contract is you play as if the KD is with East, so finesse for the KD.

Did you bid to game? 10 tricks in all, but if you play really well you can make 11 tricks.

You are in diamonds, unless the defense mess it up you can only make 8 tricks so you are light vulnerable. The opposition can make 2S – or you can make 2D or 2C a 4-1 diamond trump split ruins your game.

If you take the club finesse you can make 11 tricks in 4H with only 23HCP and great distribution. If the finesse fails or you do not take it you will still make 10 tricks.

North/South can make 10 tricks in hearts or 9 tricks in diamonds or 8 tricks in clubs with this hand. With 20 HCP the correct place to be is in 3H.

This hand can make 8 tricks in No Trumps. However is possible to make 11 tricks playing in in 3D.

The opposition if they bid can make 3H (9 tricks). You can also make 9 tricks in diamonds if the hand that has the length in diamonds also has length in spades, allowing you to discard a losing heart in dummy.

If you get 7 tricks you have made your contract but with excellent playing, squeezing the opposition so they discard winners and if you make a direct finesse in clubs and finesse hearts twice you can make 9 tricks.

11 tricks are yours if you make 2 finesses of spades against east and ruff the JD and a low heart in dummy before drawing all the trump suit.

Its not smart of declarer to give you a second club ruff, really you should only take the other side 2 light doubled and vulnerable.

Bridge is all about points scored compared to others….taking the opposition light in this situation delivers many more points than if you were in the 4S game in which you can make 11 tricks if only you could bid it. (redeal the hand and try just bidding 4S!)

If you handle your spades carefully and lead low from dummy up to the KC in your hand you can make 9 tricks, otherwise you will make only 8 tricks. Its important to play for the ‘drop’ when you have 9 cards in a suit rather than finessing as this has a slightly better chance of success. (53% as opposed the the finesses 50%). The opposition can make 1C or 1H with these hands.

Counting the cards as you play you see that Declarer is out of spades after three rounds (so is partner) You need to switch to a side suit where partner may have some winners- either hearts or spades are good. I fyoiu and partner end up in 3S you go 1 light for -100 points

North South can make 3S = 9 tricks with this hand even though there is a very nasty trump split 4-0 and the clubs are distributed 8-0. Taking the club finesse does not make you any more tricks on this hand.

Partners opening lead makes a difference to the results for this hand.

This is an easy game to make 12 tricks even though you don’t have enough points to bid slam. The key play is ‘playing for the drop’ in the heart suit (playing the Ace in the first round hoping the King is a singleton), otherwise you make 11 tricks.

Sometimes when you are bidding you have to tell a little untruth…. the skill is in deciding on the least damaging untruth to tell. Here you only have 2 spade cards not the 3 required in each suit for a takeout double. If you extract all trumps, finesse and drop the diamonds and finesse the spades this hand can make 12 tricks in hearts or in diamonds.

This hand can you can make make at least 10 tricks (5C) in a club contract even though you only have 15 HCP between you and your partner. This is the power of long suits and pre-emptive bidding.

Makes 11 tricks if you lose to the club Ace and finesse the KS to be in wests hand. Delay drawing trumps until you have lost to the AC before you lose the ability to ruff small hearts from the opposition

In 1 NT this hand can make 9 tricks (150 points). In 2C it can make 10 tricks (only 110 points).

Returning partners opening lead at the first opportunity results in East/West being 3 light – 300 points to your side.

You can make 10 tricks with this hand if you discard your losing diamonds on your club winners. If the opponent’s lead hearts or diamonds you have a much more difficult time making this contract. West has to lead back a spade heart or club after winning with the AS, thank goodness he didn’t have any diamonds left.

With this hand you can make 13 tricks if you only play the club suit once. The tricky thing about this hand is actually bidding the slam to obtain the slam bonus points. I f you bid only game you will get very poor marks compared to other competitors.

North – South can make 4 hearts with only 20 HCP – but East West can make 3 spades with their 20 HCP

Three rounds of hearts establishes the low hearts. Most people will not be in a spade game or slam, but if the opposition keep bidding its possible to be pushed into getting there. Notice you get only 230 points if you are in part game making 12 tricks but you will get 980 points if you have bid slam and make it.

If you play the KC after playing the AD and KD, you will make 11 tricks in this contract.

Making 10 tricks

Making 12 tricks. Most players will be in part-game or game. Advanced players may bid and get into the slam even without enough points.

You can make at least 10 tricks with this hand leaving you wondering ‘why didn’t I bid it?’ In fact with the deep finesse you only lose 1 round of trumps but west gets a ruff in spades.

The powerful nature of a hand that is weak in points but strong in trump suit length can be seen in this game in which North/South only have 18 HCP’s between them. Makes 10 tricks if you cross ruff clubs hearts and diamonds.

You only raise partner’s bid to 3NT if you have points in the higher range for a 1 level opening bid. From partner’s 2NT bid you know that they have 11-12 HCP and a hold in spades. Makes 9 tricks.

If you make a penalty double of the 3D contract you can make 100 points.

You can make 11 tricks (game) in Acol and Standard American but your partner may get cross with you if you always bid game with under strength hands

Even if you disobey the rules and bid 3C after partners pass of your takeout double, the opposition still bid up to 3D. Either lead gives you 50 points by taking opposition light. If you make a penalty double after the 3D bid you can double your points

Are you adventurous or timid? You are 1 point short to bid slam but you can make it if the opposition lead the heart suit.

You obviously have a fit in spades and hearts here. Will you make a sacrifice bid to keep the opposition from making game points? Or will you take the chance that they’ll go light and make a penalty double?

Easts double indicates that they have points – if any finesses are needed you should be playing for east to hold the honor cards. Usually you’d want to be in NoTrumps with minor suit fits but sometimes its just too dangerous.

If you rebid 2D instead of 3D at your second bid you end up in 4S. Making 12 tricks if no one leads out clubs. For an experiment try this hand in 3NT and then in 4S – which contract is better in your estimation.This hand can make 5 Spades or 4 Diamonds. In a No Trump contract If the opposition lead club suit whenever possible, things become more difficult for declarer. Count the opposition discards to make overtricks

Bidding conventions make your final slam contract much less risky.

If you remember to stop playing trumps after they’ve all been drawn out you will have 2 trumps in dummy and 1 in your hand to ruff the small side suit cards. You can make 10 tricks with this deal

The decision to go to 4S is made by evaluating the rest of your cards – do you have lots of 9’s and 10’s which may develop into winning tricks? Or are your small cards exactly that, small cards. In this situation because you are Vulnerable it’s probably best not to take the chance – you will be punished harshly if you go light.

If you make a takeout double your partner bids 3H and you only have a singleton, so you need you will take partner out by bidding 4C. If trumps are split 4-2 you will lose one more trick

In 3NT you can make 11 tricks. For fun try bidding 6C instead of 3NT for some fun. With a 4-1 trump split the only way to make your contract is to delay drawing the last 2 trumps until you have ruffed the remaining diamonds in dummy, then use QH to enter dummy draw the last 2 trumps, take the finesse of east for the QS, the rest of the tricks are yours.

Your triple jump bid to game is a shutout and partner should have stop there, and he did. Making 12 tricks.

This hand can make 6NT and 6S – some players will take a punt and bid it (and don’t we all hate these players?) but if you follow the rules slam shouldn’t really be bid.

Can you make 11 tricks?

Finding your optimum contract can be more difficult when both parties are bidding

Take 1SX light for 300 points

If you bid 2NT (but you shouldn’t as you don’t have the points) after partner’s takeout double he will raise you to 3NT which you can make.

The correct opening lead and defensive plan results in taking this contract 3 light for 300 points your way. Try leading other suits as opening leads and see how well your side does. Leading a spade a high club or a diamond gives the opposition 10 tricks – leading a low club gives them 9 tricks. The opening lead can be crucial

This hand can be played in either 4H or 4S. In 4H you make 10 tricks in 4S you can make 11 tricks.

You won’t find your 4S contract if you overcall diamonds . A 5D contract goes light whereas a 4S contract makes. See how oppositions pre-empt interrupts with your finding the best contract?

In this deal six hearts makes despite the lack of controls in South’s hand if the QH can be dropped by leading out AH then KH – also the opposition holdings in hearts must be split either 3-1 (with a heart queen singleton), or 2-2 (heart queen on either side).
A second condition which makes this game contract into a slam contract is if the heart queen can be finessed because its in East’s hand, this can be accomplished with a 1-3 or even a 0-4 heart split.

If you make a penalty double of the opponent’s 2C they will save into diamonds, a much better place for them.

In 2S making 2 East-West gain 110 points. Forcing them to bid by competing up to 3S earns your side 100 points. If you bid 4D going only 1 light the opposition earn only 50 points. The trick to taking 3S light is to lead diamonds and the heart suit leading through strength

This is why sometimes other people get into slams that shouldn’t have been bid, but some gambler always does – and shouldn’t make – but its there, cold. There’s nothing you can do about it but its very frustrating if you are obedient and follow the rules strictly.

This is another one of those frustrating hands where you only have 21 HCP points and should be in part game but… 10 tricks in spades can be made.

If you are tempted to bid 2C with your 4 card club suit and with only 5 points partner will bid 3NT and then you have lots of problems. Try it and see

Partner overbids their hand and it’s up to you to play your partnership out of trouble. Entries to declarer’s hand are the key to making this contract.

A 5D contract goes light.You need to develop the JC and KH as entries to each respective hand.

You can get a top board by ensuring you keep the opposition to as few tricks as possible.Leading a spade the opposition make 9 tricks. Leading a heart they make 8 tricks. Lead a low diamond and you take them light!!!!! lead your top club and they make 8 tricks lead your bottom club and they make 8 tricks. Partner playing low when second to play to the trick and careful counting of cards allow you to take a solid contract light. East throws his KH under the AH in order to stay in his hand as he only has 2 other entries (QS and AC) to his hand

This is an example of a contract that has more than sufficient points and cards in suits – but cannot be made if you cannot stop the opposition leading their spade suit.

You and partner don’t have enough points to be in 5D, remember you need 27, but in this situation bidding game pays off. With nine cards in a suit and the queen missing you would play for the drop but with the King missing finesse to try to flush out the KD if east holds it,

As responder don’t jump to 3C which shows 16+ points 5 hearts and 4 clubs. This is one of those tricky hands where you have enough points to be in 3NT but not solid spade stoppers. You have to take all your winners without losing the lead.

Counting each suit as you play allows you to make thirteen tricks for 1470 points

With East opening the bidding and your side holding 22 points you can estimate which hand contains most of the outstanding high cards. Entries to Dummy are the most important feature in playing this hand to make 10 tricks

Its important to lead low from dummy up to the high cards concealed in your hand – to that end you should ensure you uses both the AS and QC as entries to dummy to draw trumps. If you don not do this you make only 8 tricks and the contract goes light

Clubs and Diamonds are your long suits so as you play them if you can extract all the opposition cards in those suits you will have developed small cards as winners. You have eight diamond cards so try that suit first.

If you don’t overcall the opponents bid 2H and make it for -120 points against you. Cross ruffing and being careful about your entries gives you 11 tricks and 150 points.

Making 10 tricks for 130 points

2H – gives 10 tricks.
1NT gives 9 tricks

The beauty of opening this hand at the 3 level is that it stops the opposition from finding their club and heart fits. Also your partner knows that to bid another suit they will need to have a very strong hand at least 16+ points

The opposition have two possible optimum contracts with their 27 points. If you lead your Diamond suit they cannot make their contract either the 3NT or 4H. If you lead your longest and strongest suit continuously whenever you have the opportunity they will not make their contract. You make 5 tricks.

This hand can make 9 tricks

You can make 5C for 400 points or you can let the opponents bid 3H and double them for penalties 3 light for 500 points.

For 12 tricks. This hand makes 6H and 5D! Which score do you want to get?

The Trick in NoTrumps contracts is to lose your certain losers before losing control in the other suits. The second rule in NoTrumps is deciding is it better to grab all your winners first or lose your certain losers? You can make 10 tricks with the correct decision.

Choose to switch to the spade suit because the opposition have 2 certain winners in diamonds and you are trying to punch holes in their ability to score tricks. At trick 4 make sure you lead out your JS (top of an interrupted sequence JS-TS-5S) so there are no ‘cheap’ tricks given to the other side, notice East is forced to win your JS with his AS. 2 light! yay

Makes 12 tricks. Most people would take the chance that they will be able to finesse or drop one of the Kings and would bid 6NT. But after asking about Kings you don’t have any choices left you are committed to slam but you need to choose either 6NT or 7NT.

Although it feels dangerous to need all these finesses to work – face it! if they don’t you will go light despite your combined 35 Total Points. Sometimes having enough points doesn’t assure you of making a slam

Sometimes its best to just leave things alone. 2NT makes 9 tricks.

You can make 4H (10 tricks) with good declarer play even though you only have 23 points in the combined hands.

Try bidding 3NT and see how many tricks you get ( you can make 11) – this will show you the value of incorporating the Stayman convention into your system

Makes 11 tricks.

With good defensive plays like leading partners suit, you can take this contract light for 50 points your way. otherwise the opposition make 10 tricks for 130 points their way.

Hahahaha! that got them… 790 points your way instead of only 690 if the opposition had not doubled you. Revenge is sweet!

You need 10 tricks to win this contract, and with good declarer play you will make 12 tricks.

You can make 11 tricks with good declarer play, and if west doesn’t play his AS or QS in this contract. If he does you only make 10 tricks

You can make 11 tricks in this contract although you only needed to win 9 tricks to make your contract.
*A link to our Declarer Play lessons

Making 12 tricks. If opponents lead a heart you cannot make 12 tricks.

You can make 12 tricks for +490 points by playing well.

* Review the bidding at any time by clicking on the blue menu item along the top titled ‘Auction.’
*The first player to bid the suit of the final contract becomes the Declarer and their partner is now called Dummy.
*Dummys cards are always placed face up on the table after the opening lead has been made by the opposition.
*You can check which hand you need to play from because there is a small golden halo around the hand that is due to be played next.

You can make 10 tricks in this contract for 130 points

At opening lead lead the 7C, on your second lead play KC and then a low club to partner, you logic is if partner has no side entries this will allow him to run his long club suit

With all the Kings and Aces you can make 7H. Bidding 7H is another challenge. If you use the Blackwood convention to find your slams. After finding that partner has the outstanding Ace – King asking (5NT) commits you to 7H when partner responds 6S showing 3 kings, if partner had only 1 king they would respond 6H and you would sign off 6NT.

Making 11 tricks. If you don’t take the finesses in this game you end up making only 10 tricks. Winning at Bridge is all about getting every little point you can from the cards you hold.

Makes 9 tricks, now you ask, should you have accepted partners invite to 3NT????

Making 3H for 140 points. If you don’t overcall the opposition get into a 3C contract which they can easily make, and you will score -110 points, a difference of250 points overall.

Making 8 tricks. Try not making the finesses and see what your score is then You need to make your contract as soon as you can because the opposition have lots of winners they will play as soon as they get the lead

If you haven’t drawn trumps you can usually hope for two rounds in a suit before the opposition can cross ruff tricks.

Standard American: North/South can take this contract 1 light defense. for 50 points undoubled or 100 points doubled.

Acol: North/South makes 3D easily. for 110 points.

If you pass in the first round of bidding your partner makes a takeout double ‘X’ and you are forced to reply, bidding your hearts. The defense give you a trick here by playing the KC and QC to the same trick. The opposition can make 1D or 2S, if they can bid it.

In 2NT you can make 8 tricks
In 2S you can make 9 tricks
In 2H you can make 9 tricks
In 1D you can make 7 tricks
In 1C you can make 7 tricks

If you are in 1NT you go light losing -100 points.

With the opposition in 1S and making it you only lose -80 points

Partner has bid Hearts but you have no cover in Spades, so don’t be tempted to leave their NoTrump bid in. Its often a hard and thankless task choosing a safer but lower scoring contract. Makes 10 tricks in diamonds but goes light in NoTrumps

With 27 HCP this hand can make 7NT. Do you dare bid it? And will the opposition play differently if you are in 7NT. Some partnerships will be able to bid it because they have advanced slam bidding systems.

The opposition can make 4H if they bid it. But with 19 points they may not find it.

You have 26 HCP and balanced hands but virtually nothing can stop you going light in this contract. Unless you are ruthless in leading from low cards towards your high cards you cannot make this contract. Also in a tight contract you need to count the oppositions discards. West discards a heart on your second round or spades, shortening his heart holding, allowing your 7H to be a winning card on the last trick. If east guards his hearts you cannot make this contract

Refresh the page and rebid up to to 7D, see if you can make it. HINT: you need to do a deep finesse of west for the QD and 10D, you need to assume west also has 4 spades and 4 hearts. To make 7D- Win the heart lead, finesse the QD to be in West’s hand, Play 4 rounds of spades throwing the losing heart in dummy. ruff a low heart, ruff a club, ruff the last heart, ruff another club. Play KD and AD with the best spade remaining.

If your trump suit were distributed 4-4 between yours and dummy’s hand, drawing trumps would mean that you would lose control of the trump suit. Then East could use it to make the oppositions diamonds into winners for them.

This contract makes 7(13 tricks) in every suit apart from hearts where it only makes 5(11 tricks).
Are you brave enough to bid it?

You can make 11 tricks by playing you winning hearts and retaining entries to dummy.

5D makes easily, but you only receive 600 points.

4S makes if you play carefully but you get 620 points.

Usually second i hand you would play your lowest card, but with only 2 diamond cards, you want to unblock the diamonds so that if partner has subsequent winners in diamonds he can play them.

You can take 3H light for 50 points, or you can make 4C and get 130 points.

You can make 10 tricks if west has KD and east has KH. But you will be 1 trick light if not.

It almost doesn’t matter how you play this difficult hand you almost always end up with at least 10 tricks.

This deal can make 4H, or 3S or 2NT

Making 12 tricks! with a squeeze play

1800 points! well done you. If you have another turn and bid 7C redoubled you can score 2660 points, with only 22 points between you and partner

Making 11 tricks

This contract makes 12 tricks in hearts and 12 tricks in spades if you can find the spade contract with a diamond lead. An AC lead means you only get 11 tricks in heart contract.

Can you make 7H? If you count the outstanding trump cards only the QH is higher than your top 6 trump cards. If you just cross ruff all of your side suits planning to over-ruff if the opposition ruffs, then you can make 13 tricks!

The contracts 6C,6H and 6NT all make 12 tricks.