Tricks of the Trade

As South, answer each question.

1.	Q 9 6 3			West	North	East	South
Both vul	8 5 3					Pass	1 NT
	A 6			Pass	2	Pass	2
	A 8 4 2			Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
				Pass
Lead: 4		East plays Q
	J 10 4
	A K 6
	K Q 2
3 NT South	K J 6 5

How many top tricks do you have in all four suits? 

How many additional tricks do you need to make your contract? 

Which suit(s) may yield an extra trick by an honor? 

Which suit(s) may yield an extra trick by length? 

Does the lead look like Fourth best, Short suit or Honor sequence? (F S H) 

Do you plan to use the holdup play on the first trick? 

Is one specific opponent more dangerous than the other? If so, who? 

In which suit do you plan to establish your first additional trick? 

Quit

Top Tricks of the Trade

2.	Q J 5 4 3			West	North	East	South
N-S vul	A 10 9 6						2 NT
	A 2			Pass	3	Dbl	3
	6 4			Pass	3	Pass	3 NT
				Pass	6 NT	All Pass
Lead: 5		East plays 9
	A 10
	Q J 8
	K Q J 10 7
6 NT South	A K 8

How many top tricks do you have in all four suits? 

How many additional tricks do you need to make your contract? 

Which suit(s) may yield an extra trick by an honor? 

Which suit(s) may yield an extra trick by length? 

Does the lead look like Fourth best, Short suit or Honor sequence? (F S H) 

Do you plan to use the holdup play on the first trick? 

Is one specific opponent more dangerous than the other? If so, who? 

In which suit do you plan to establish your first additional trick? 

Quit

Top Tricks of the Trade

3.	6 5 4			West	North	East	South
E-W vul	9 7 2						1 NT
	4 3			Pass	2 NT	Pass	3 NT
	A K 8 5 2			Pass	Pass	Pass
Lead: 3		East plays K
	A 8 2
	A 4 3
	A K Q 8 2
3 NT South	10 3

How many top tricks do you have in all four suits? 

How many additional tricks do you need to make your contract? 

How many suits may yield an extra trick by an honor? 

Which suit(s) may yield an extra trick by length? 

Does the lead look like Fourth best, Short suit or Honor sequence? (F S H) 

Do you plan to use the holdup play on the first trick? 

Is one specific opponent more dangerous than the other? If so, who? 

In which suit do you plan to establish your first additional trick? 

Quit

Top Tricks of the Trade

© 1990 Richard Pavlicek