Hand of the Week #130 (Solution) ♠
N E S W 1♥ X 1♠ P 1NT P P P On the defence of the opening ♦K lead, which we duck, and then a spade switch, we have a problem. That problem is that South has been passive so they have not given us any
Hand of the Week #130 ♠
N E S W 1♥ X 1♠ P 1NT P P P A fairly routine bidding sequence sees East land in a NT partscore. East opens 1♥ and rebids 1NT showing their 15-17 balanced hand, but West is not interested in anything further with their 7 count,
Hand of the Week #129 (Solution) ♦
N E S W 1NT P 2♦* P 2♥ P 3NT P 4♥ P P P Given the opening lead of a top spade our contract is in bad shape, there's no two ways about that. On another lead we could have thrown one of our spade
Hand of the Week #129 ♦
N E S W 1NT P 2♦* P 2♥ P 3NT P 4♥ P P P North opens the bidding with 1NT (much better than opening 1♣, even with their 5332 shape), East passes, South responds with a red suit transfer to hearts, West also passes, and
Hand of the Week #128 (Solution) ♥
N E S W 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥ X P 4♠ P P P As mentioned before, we are almost certainly ruffing this opening heart lead, but what is the plan for the rest of the hand? It is best to analyse West's hand for losers, so
Hand of the Week #128 ♥
N E S W 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥ X P 4♠ P P P West opens 1♠, North intervenes with a 2♥ overcall, East raises their partner to 2♠ and South follows suit by also raising their partner one level, based on the level of the fit.
Hand of the Week #127 (Solution) ♣
N E S W 1♠ P 2♦ P 3♠ P 4♠ P P P Analysing the losers in our hand (South), we have 1 potential loser in spades (possibly 2 if they break badly) and 1 heart loser. The minor suits are of no worry whatsoever, so
Hand of the Week #127 ♣
N E S W 1♠ P 2♦ P 3♠ P 4♠ P P P South starts off the bidding with 1♠, North replies with 2♦ showing 10+ points and 4+ diamonds, but denying 4 cards in spades. South jump rebids to 3♠ which represents 6+ spades and
Hand of the Week #126 (Solution) ♠
N E S W 1♠ P 2♣ P 2♦ P 2♥* P 2NT P 3♦ P 3♥* P 3♠* P 4♣ P 5NT P 6♦ P 7♦ P P P Given the nature of dummy, it looks like this hand will play much easier on a 'dummy
Hand of the Week #126 ♠
N E S W 1♠ P 2♣ P 2♦ P 2♥* P 2NT P 3♦ P 3♥* P 3♠* P 4♣ P 5NT P 6♦ P 7♦ P P P East starts off this rather long auction with a simple 1♠ opener and West replies with 2♣.