Did you spot the low diamond safety play that insures the contract? Did you choose it? If you did, 9 tricks are assured. On this hand it’s not good enough. Diamonds break 2–2 and 11 tricks are claimed by playing ♦A at trick 2. So how do you decide?

The percentages favor playing the ♦A at trick 2. There are 8 cases where the diamonds run and 6 where they don’t (57%). In addition, the contract will also make if N holds ♠A. So with chances of success above 75%, it’s best to run the diamonds at match points. Save the safety play for the team game on Monday 😀

For no reason other than “cover an honor with an honor” I played the ♦K, and Natalie made me pay for my lack of thought. Now she could score all four diamond tricks, ultimately making 5NT, for an excellent NS result.

I hope you make the right decision by playing low on the first diamond lead, and the second, and the third. The only way the defense can keep declarer from scoring 4 diamonds is if declarer has fewer than 4 diamonds, which is likely given that you can see 8 already. Bridge “rules” serve to cover common situations, but we need to learn when to break them.

P.S. Double dummy analysis says that 5NT should always make on any lead. Not soooo fast. Looks to me like it takes losing two heart tricks early, then taking the winning diamond finesse.Then East ends up squeezed in spades and clubs. Not a percentage line of play. 

Partner’s 2♠ suggested a club card (suit preference). Looking at dummy however, it didn’t look like there was any hurry to cash quick winners, so I passively returned a trump...WRONG 🥺

Declarer promptly cashed 5 diamonds, discarding two clubs, making the contract. Oh, and an observant reader might ask “how come you weren’t in 4♠s?” Yeah, that’s a subject for another conversation. Maybe you can get there.

It wasn’t a good day 🙁

7♠! Let Lady Logic be your guide. At this point you’re confident in 5 spade tricks, 5 or 6 heart tricks, ♦A , ♣A. If hearts only provide 5 tricks, the 13th trick can come from ruffing a diamond. Opener has shown only 10 HCP with her 5♠ Bid, so could easily have ♣K , or ♦K , providing the thirteenth trick. What could go wrong? Trump could break 5–0; or if you need to ruff a diamond and trump break 4-1, one opponent may be holding 10xxx; or the opening lead could be ruffed. The probability of any of these occurring is significantly less than 5%. So don’t let visions of “what could go wrong” deter you. Count your tricks and if it adds to 13….bid 7! 😎

It’s time to PASS. As South you don’t expect to make 3M with an 8 card fit. Down one is -100, which could be a winner; but West could, and should, double, putting all the match points on the line. With accurate defense EW hold NS to 8 tricks, scoring +200 for a big win.

Partner has shown an unbalanced hand with more clubs than Spades. West, with the direct 3♥ bid, likely has six hearts. So with nine trump for each side, there are 18 total tricks.

THE LAW says that if EW can make 3♥, 3♣ is your limit as well; but 4♣ is only -50, unless it makes for +130; Oh, then 3♥ is -100, which still wins if allowed to play.

So North can’t pass! Bidding 4♣ covers all the bad things that can happen by passing 3♥, and is safe, but the real winner….DOUBLE. 

You will be playing for a top, or bottom. Playing accurate defense is hard, but sometimes you need to let the opponents know you that bidding according to ‘THE LAW’ still has its risks😎

There are generally three criteria necessary for successful execution of “the strip and end play “.

1. Enough trump: Draw Trump and have Trump remaining in each hand.👍

2. The Strip: eliminate all but one side suit from both hands. Play 3 rounds of clubs and 2 rounds of spades.

3. The End Play: Here there are two options. If the last card you’ve played is the ♠J , then the opponent who wins will be end played. If South wins, they must give up a ruff–discard (ruff–sluff) or a free finesse. If North wins and leads a diamond, declarer must allow South to win, again end playing South.  If declarer prematurely loses the spade trick, he can recover but must win the last club in dummy. Regardless of which diamond he leads, covering North’s diamond end plays South.

Two-suited bids are used primarily as preemptive interference in competitive auction. The idea is to quickly force the auction to the THREE level while painting a picture for partner of a likely fit. They work best when the initiator has a relatively weak hand and intends no further action.  
Here East is better placed to overcall 1♥, comfortable with introducing diamonds later up to the three level. East has a highly constructive hand, and should focus on finding the right level and fit for the best offensive result.

There are two situations where it is appropriate to use a two-suited bid with constructive values; when you have the equivalent of an opening 2♣ bid (8.5-9 tricks); or with no game interest opposite a passed hand partner.

This is a complicated hand that I got  wrong at the table. By ruffing two clubs in dummy, 11 tricks are possible. And if I can start ruffing before drawing trump, I might even handle a 3–1 trump break. So, a club to the ♣Q, losing to the ♣A; spade back, ruff; diamond back, ruff. -1 and a 9% board. Diamonds didn’t have to be 6-1, but there was  better and SAFER choice. Once the 9♠ is led at trick 1, draw three rounds of trump, play the ♠A, ♦A, and ♦Q, pitching the ♠7 . Now ruff out the ♠Q and the ♠8 will be good for the 11th trick.

It’s not an easy game😎

In most ways, East’s hand is a classic minimum weak 2♦ opener. The detracting feature is the 4 card spade suit. There has been recent literature that advocates ignoring 3/4 major suits when deciding to preempt. East opened 2♦. I would have passed. 
South must get in the auction, and doubled. (South would have opened 1♣ had east passed). West chose to pass following the double, perhaps hoping further NS bidding would lead to a big penalty. (As West, I see 6 diamond tricks, 2 Aces, and the likely ♣K for 9 tricks and would try to steal the contract with a 3NT bid!, perhaps prepared to runout to 4♦ if doubled) . 

North, forced to bid, bids 2♥, and South, with plenty extra raises to 3♥. West is now in the “hot seat” again. Maybe “The Law” can help? 18-19 total tricks. Looks like both 4♦ EW and 3♥ NS can make, so west should…bid 4♦. West chose to pass, perhaps swayed by the strong heart holding, but should back up that thinking with a penalty double. (At the table N played in 3♥, making)

Let’s see where the auction might end if East passes and South opens 1♣ . West will either double or bid 1NT, either of which should keep North out of the auction. East will eventually show long diamonds ending in diamond part score. Should west double, it’s possible East will bid Spades first and never realize their ♦ Fit. 

There are some interesting takeaways from this hand:

1. Regardless of system, the auctions’ nexus is at the three level where risk-reward decisions decide the final contract.

2. Note how the introduction of a strong NT bid (in this case an overcall) facilitates the EW auction, and dampens NS enthusiasm for competing.

3. Three diamonds is the most common contract, but it’s not the most interesting 😎
 

If you chose your fourth best spade you did well. The defense likely comes to 4 spades, 1 club, and 1 heart, for an average +. 

I chose the 'obvious' J♦ and watched a talented declarer (Lisa Mita) read me for four diamonds, scoring 5 diamond tricks, 3 club tricks, and 1 heart trick for a top board.

Opening leads are always challenging and subject to debate and second guessing. Always finding the best lead is not possible. Using the best thought process to find a lead that has the best probability of success is achievable for all of us.  

Prioritize possible leads against suit contracts and NT contracts, take heed of the bidding, and use that information to make your best lead...and use the same process every time.  Thats winning bridge!

I'm leading J♦ next time 

West has made an aggressive overcall of 2♣.  Your choice? West is showing partner where his values are, and there is very little risk of being doubled for penalty.

East now has a decision to make. Using “The Law”: Our side has at least 10 trumps, the opponents 8+. I’ll estimate 19 total. Assuming NS is making 4♥ that leaves 9 tricks for EW. At this vulnerability, even if we do get doubled that’s –300, vs –620, so I’m bidding 5♣ !

What if NS can’t make 4♥ ? Then you might lose ….this time. You should assume, however, that your opponents, who have freely bid game, expect to make it.

It’s situations like this that make bridge a fascinating game, both as declarer and defender. As declarer you first realize there is an arrangement of defenders' cards that will allow you to lose only one club. And as you are about to lead low toward the ♣J ( playing south for both the ♣K and ♣Q , when they win they are endplayed), you realize there is another choice……what if North holds a doubleton honor? Now playing the ♣A first and then a low club, will endplay North 😎. 
Which choice is best? The probabilities are about equal. Some say always play for split honors when faced with these choices.

Knowing that you have a winning option that you can execute successfully puts you in the top 10% of most fields.

its not an easy game 🤯
 

East wins one for the defense.  When declarer rises with the ♣Q (begging East to cover); East says NO! Declarer wins, tests hearts. On the third heart dummy ruffs with the ♣9 but east has retained the ♣K to over ruff and return a trump. Now Declarer can only claim 10 tricks.

It’s not an easy game 😎