Practice 4Q01 Main

Combining Your Chances

by Richard Pavlicek

West

Pass
Pass
All Pass NORTH
1
2
4 East
1
Pass
Pass South
Dbl
3
5 Board 1 10 3
K 4
A K 2
A K J 10 5 3 Trick
1 E
2 E
3 E
4 N
5 S
6 N
7 N
8 N
9 N
10 N Lead
K
A
Q
5
2
K
J
K
A
K! 2nd
2
6
9
4
9
8
4
6
3
Q 3rd
5
8
J
Q
A
2
4
5
9
10 4th
3
10
3
7
6
3
5
7
6
7 W L
0 1
0 2
1 2
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 2
J 8 5
Q 10 7 3
8 7 6 5
9 7 Table A K Q 7 4
9 8 6
Q 3
8 6 4
Bidding

Play Negative double
Cue-bid general force
Combine chances

9 6 2
A J 5 2
J 10 9 4
Q 2
5 North 10 top tricks Win the rest made 5 +400

West

4 North

All Pass EAST
2 South
Pass Board 2 K 9 8 7 3
J
K 10 8
J 10 9 8 Trick
1 S
2 N
3 E
4 E
5 N
6 W
7 E
8 W
9 E
10 S
11 W Lead
2
J
K
2!
10
4
5
5
8
4
Q 2nd
5!
K!
7
6
6
3
10
8
Q
A
8 3rd
10!
3
2
J
4
4
A
6
3
8
7 4th
3
2
J
K
A
10
7
A
9
6
5 W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
6 3
7 3
8 3
Q J 5 4
A 3 2
A Q 5
A 7 2 Table 2
K 9 8 6 5 4
7 6 3
K Q 6
Bidding
Play

Defense
Resp to weak two-bid
Combine chances
Ducking play
Finesse against dummy
Attack dummy’s entry

A 10 6
Q 10 7
J 9 4 2
5 4 3
4 East 9 top tricks Claim the rest made 4 -420

West

2 NT North

Pass East

3 NT SOUTH
Pass
All Pass Board 3 A 8 3
J 10 9 5
5 3
J 10 8 7 Trick
1 N
2 W
3 W
4 W
5 E
6 N
7 W
8 E Lead
J
A
K
2!
2!
9
J
5 2nd
4
8
7
3
6
6
5
9 3rd
8
2
3
A
J
2
K!
10 4th
A
6
4
4
A
K
8
3 W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
K J 10
A K
J 10 9 2
A K Q 4 Table 7 5 2
6 4
A K 7 6
9 5 3 2
Bidding
Play Opening 2 NT & response
Combine chances

Q 9 6 4
Q 8 7 3 2
Q 8 4
6
3 NT West 7 top tricks Cash 2 more winners made 3 -600

WEST
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
All Pass North
1
3
4
5 East
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass South
2
4
4 NT
6 Board 4 2
A K 8 4 2
Q 5 4
K 7 5 2 Trick
1 W
2 W
3 N
4 S
5 N
6 S
7 S
8 S
9 N
10 N
11 N Lead
A
7
2!
6
4!
A
K
3
A
K
8 2nd
2
4!
5
7
6
5
8
4
9
J
9 3rd
3
6
9
Q
10
5
2
K
6
8
J 4th
4
K
3
2
7
3
8
9
10
Q
J W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
8 1
9 1
10 1
A J 8 7 5
Q 10 7 3
7
Q 10 4 Table Q 10 9 6 3
J 9 6 5
8 3 2
9
Bidding

Play
Control-showing bid
Blackwood convention
Combine chances
Ruff winner for entry

K 4
—
A K J 10 9 6
A J 8 6 3
6 South 10 top tricks Claim the rest made 6 +1370

Practice 4Q05 Main

Top Combining Your Chances

Combining Your Chances II

West

Pass
All Pass NORTH
1
2 East
Pass
Pass South
2
4 Board 1 A Q 10 9 7 3
6
A 9
J 8 3 2 Trick
1 E
2 N
3 W
4 N
5 S
6 E
7 N
8 S
9 S
10 N
11 S Lead
5
6
4
3
9
K
2
K
J
10
10 2nd
8
5
A
6
2
7
7
3
K
8
4 3rd
2
7!
J
K
9!
2
A
3
Q
J
8 4th
9
Q
6
4
A
7
6
9
3
5
10 W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
3 1
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 2
9 2
4 2
K Q 4 2
Q 8 5 4 3 2
6 Table 6 5
A 8 5 3
K J 10
Q 10 9 7
Bidding
Play
Resp to 1 of a suit
Combine chances
Loser-on-loser play

K J 8
J 10 9 7
7 6
A K 5 4
4 North 9 top tricks Lose 1 more trick made 4 +420

West

1 NT
3
3 NT North

Pass
Pass
All Pass EAST
1
3
3 South
Pass
Pass
Pass Board 2 Q J 10 8 3
A J 6
J 10 2
9 2 Trick
1 N
2 E
3 E
4 E
5 W
6 E
7 W
8 W Lead
Q
A
Q
7!
3!
5
K
5 2nd
A
9
4
7
6
7
8
2 3rd
2
3
4
K
K
6
3
A 4th
5
2
10
J
2
3
9
8 W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
7 0
8 0
K 6 5
8 4 3
K 6 4 3
10 6 5 Table A
K 10 5
A Q 8 7 5
A Q 4 3
Bidding

Play
Rebid after 1 NT resp
Strength-showing bid
Create extra entry
Combine chances

9 7 4 2
Q 9 7 2
9
K J 8 7
3 NT West 6 top tricks Cash 1 more winner made 3 -400

West

Pass
Pass North

1
3 NT East

Pass
All Pass SOUTH
1
1 NT Board 3 8 5 2
A Q J 8
K 4 3
K 7 6 Trick
1 W
2 S
3 E
4 W
5 S
6 E
7 N
8 N
9 N
10 S
11 S Lead
4
3!
9
3
3
Q
A
K
7
5
7 2nd
2
9
6
8
2
5
4
8
6
7
K 3rd
J
6
10
2
J
2
5
4
A
3
Q 4th
Q
10
5
A
K
K
9
J
Q
10
6 W L
1 0
1 1
1 2
2 2
2 3
3 3
4 3
5 3
6 3
7 3
8 3
K 10 7 4 3
9 2
9 7 2
Q J 9 Table J 9
K 10 6 4
Q J 10 6
10 8 2
Play

Defense
Combine chances
Avoidance finesse
Overtaking play
Keep correct stopper

A Q 6
7 5 3
A 8 5
A 5 4 3
3 NT South 7 top tricks Lose 1 more trick made 3 +400

WEST
1
2 NT
3
5 North
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass East
1
3 ¹
4 NT
6 South
Pass
Pass
Pass
All Pass Board 4 Q 10 9 7 6 3
9 6 5
J 4
Q J Trick
1 S
2 E
3 W
4 E
5 E
6 W
7 E
8 N
9 W
10 W
11 E
12 E Lead
3
7
2
A
2
5!
2
3
A
3
10!
4 2nd
5
3
6
2
6
10
8
7
J
6
7
9 3rd
Q
K
Q
J
K
K
J
6
10
8
5
K! 4th
A
5
4
9
4
4
Q
A
8
9
7
J W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
6 1
7 1
8 1
9 1
10 1
11 1
A J 5
K J 2
A K 5 3
K 10 5 Table K 2
A Q 10 8 7
10 7 2
A 8 4
Note 1
Bidding
Play
new minor forcing
Opener’s third bid
Combine chances
Show-up finesse

8 4
4 3
Q 9 8 6
9 7 6 3 2
6 East 11 top tricks Win the last trick made 6 -1430

Practice 4Q09 Main

Top Combining Your Chances

Combining Your Chances III

West

1
Pass NORTH
1
2 !
3 NT East
Pass
Pass
All Pass South
1
2 NT Board 1 A 6
K Q J
A Q 8 6 2
K 9 2 Trick
1 W
2 S
3 N
4 N
5 N Lead
J
J!
K
Q
J 2nd
6
4
5
7
8 3rd
2
K!
3
4
A 4th
Q
7
6
2
3 W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
K J 10 9 3
6 2
J 10
A 8 4 3 Table 5 4 2
8 7 5
K 9 7
Q 7 6 5
Bidding

Play

Cue-bid general force
Choose best game
Combine chances
Placing enemy cards
South succeeds if West
has A or K

Q 8 7
A 10 9 4 3
5 4 3
J 10
3 NT South 7 top tricks Cash 4 more winners made 3 +400

West

2
3 NT North

Pass
All Pass EAST
1 NT
2 South
Pass
Pass Board 2 9 8 2
Q 10 4 3
Q 10 9 8
9 8 Trick
1 S
2 E
3 W
4 S
5 W
6 S
7 E
8 W
9 E
10 E Lead
4
5
2
3
3
Q
4!
3
A
7 2nd
5
2
9
A
8
2
5
9
6
9 3rd
8
K!
10
2
J
9
7
A
5
J 4th
J
4
Q
6
K
K
8
6
3
Q W L
1 0
2 0
2 1
3 1
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
7 3
A 5
A K J 8
7 5 3 2
7 3 2 Table K J 6
7 6 5
A K 4
A J 10 4
Bidding
Play

Stayman convention
Avoidance finesse
Watch spot cards
Finesse club early while
South is safe

Q 10 7 4 3
9 2
J 6
K Q 6 5
3 NT East 8 top tricks Win the rest made 4 -430

West

Pass North

4 East

All Pass SOUTH
Pass Board 3 K 4 3
K Q J 9 8 3 2
K 10 9
— Trick
1 E
2 N
3 S
4 E
5 S
6 N
7 N
8 S
9 S Lead
K
J
2!
7!
3
K
3
A
2 2nd
2
6
6
10
7
7
4
Q
Q 3rd
8
A
10
5
9!
4
5
3
K 4th
2
4
J
8
5
8
7
9
A W L
1 0
2 0
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
7 2
Q J 10
4
Q 8 7 6
A J 8 7 5 Table A 9 8 7
7 6
J 5
K Q 10 9 4
Bidding

Play

Third seat strategy
Choose weak opening
Avoidance finesse
Create extra entry
North succeeds if West
has J Q or A

6 5 2
A 10 5
A 4 3 2
6 3 2
4 North 9 top tricks Lose 1 more trick made 4 +420

WEST
1 NT
2
4 North
Pass
Pass
Pass East
2
4
6 South
Pass
Pass
All Pass Board 4 10 8 7 6
6 3
Q J 10 7
K J 8 Trick
1 N
2 W
3 W
4 E
5 W
6 E
7 W
8 W Lead
Q
A!
4
8
6
9
Q
Q 2nd
3
8
J
2
K
6
7
6 3rd
9
2
7
J
A
Q
4
4 4th
A
3
5
3
7
6
9
K W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
7 0
7 1
Q 3
Q J 5 4
A 5 2
A Q 6 4 Table A J 9 4
A K 10 9 8 7
4 3
2
Bidding

Play

Stayman convention
Gerber convention
Combine chances
Use trumps as entries
Try to ruff out K
before spade finesse

K 5 2
2
K 9 8 6
10 9 7 5 3
6 West 9 top tricks Claim the rest made 6 -1430

Practice 4Q13 Main

Top Combining Your Chances

Combining Your Chances IV

West

All Pass NORTH
1 East
Pass South
1 NT Board 1 Q 2
J 6 3
A K J 10 5
Q 9 3 Trick
1 W
2 S
3 N
4 N
5 N
6 N Lead
10
3
A!
9!
Q
3 2nd
2
2
7
2
7
8 3rd
6
K
4
4
10
J 4th
J
6
9
5
6
2 W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
A 10 9 8 5
K Q 5 2
9 2
6 5 Table K 6 4
A 9 8
Q 7 6
K 8 7 2
Play Combine chances

J 7 3
10 7 4
8 4 3
A J 10 4
1 NT South 3 top tricks Cash 1 more winner made 1 +90

West

3
4
5 North

Pass
Pass
Pass EAST
1
3
4 NT
6 South
Pass
Pass
Pass
All Pass Board 2 9 7 5 3
6 5
K 10 9 7 6
8 5 Trick
1 S
2 E
3 E
4 N
5 E
6 W
7 E
8 W Lead
Q
Q
5!
5
7
3
2
4 2nd
4
2
2
A
3
6
10
7 3rd
3
4
J
8
K
8
A
9 4th
K
5
K
6
6
8
7
A W L
1 0
2 0
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
6 4
A K 4
Q J 4 3
A 6 4 3 Table A K 2
Q J 10 9 8 7
5
K J 2
Bidding

Play
Defense Control-showing bid
Blackwood convention
Combine chances
Second-hand play

Q J 10 8
3 2
A 8 2
Q 10 9 7
6 East 10 top tricks Win the rest made 6 -980

West

1
3 North

Pass
Pass East

2
4 ! SOUTH
Pass
Pass
All Pass Board 3 K 10 8
10 2
10 9 6 4 2
K Q 10 Trick
1 N
2 N
3 S
4 W
5 W
6 W
7 E
8 E Lead
K
Q
J
A
K
3
A
8! 2nd
2
5
5
2
2
10
7
Q 3rd
9
A!
10
4
3
K
3
6 4th
3
4
8
9
5
Q
4
6 W L
0 1
0 2
1 2
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
A Q 5 3
A 8 7 6 5 3
K
4 3 Table 6 4 2
K J 4
A J 8 3
8 5 2
Bidding
Play
Defense Follow up major raise
Combine chances
Overtaking play

J 9 7
Q 9
Q 7 5
A J 9 7 6
4 West 8 top tricks Lose 1 more trick made 4 -620

WEST
Pass
All Pass North
2 NT East
Pass South
6 NT Board 4 A K 4
A K 7 4
A 6 3
K 6 5 Trick
1 E
2 S
3 W
4 N
5 N Lead
10
2!
7
A
K 2nd
K
9
A
7
Q 3rd
2
4!
5
3
6 4th
3
5
4
10
J W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
J 10 9
J 8 3
J 7 2
Q 9 7 3 Table Q 7 5
10 9 2
10 9 8 5
10 8 4
Bidding

Play Opening 2 NT & response
Slam decision
Combine chances

8 6 3 2
Q 6 5
K Q 4
A J 2
6 NT North 10 top tricks Win the rest made 6 +1440

Practice 4Q17 Main

Top Combining Your Chances

Combining Your Chances V

West

All Pass NORTH
1 NT East
Pass South
3 NT Board 1 Q 4
K J 10
A K Q 4
J 10 9 2 Trick
1 E
2 N
3 N
4 N
5 S
6 E
7 S
8 N
9 S
10 N Lead
5
A
K
2!
2!
3
5
J
5
K 2nd
6
8
7
3
4
A
7
5
6
8 3rd
J
2
3
A
J
2
Q
K!
10
7 4th
Q
6
3
4
A
4
10
8
8
9 W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
8 1
9 1
J 9 7 2
Q 9 6 4 3
6
Q 8 4 Table K 10 8 5 3
A 8
J 10 8 7
5 3
Bidding
Play Response to 1 NT
Combine chances

A 6
7 5 2
9 5 3 2
A K 7 6
3 NT North 6 top tricks Lose the rest made 3 +400

West

1
4 North

Pass
All Pass EAST
1
1 NT South
Pass
Pass Board 2 7
A 9 7 6
7 4 2
J 9 7 3 2 Trick
1 N
2 S
3 E
4 N
5 W
6 W
7 W
8 S
9 E Lead
3
5
3!
7
K
Q
2!
5
5 2nd
4
Q
8
9
7
7
6
8
K 3rd
K
2
J
10
2
3
4!
9
9 4th
6
A
A
A
6
4
10
A
7 W L
0 1
1 1
1 2
2 2
3 2
4 2
4 3
5 3
6 3
K Q J 10 9 8
J 2
A 6 5
Q 6 Table A 3 2
Q 5 4 3
K J 9 3
A 4
Bidding
Play
Rebid by responder
Combine chances
Ruff out enemy honor

6 5 4
K 10 8
Q 10 8
K 10 8 5
4 West 9 top tricks Win the rest made 4 -420

West

Pass
Pass
All Pass North

3
4 East

Pass
Pass SOUTH
1
4
6 Board 3 Q 4 3
A 6 5 4 3
A 7 6
K J Trick
1 W
2 S
3 S
4 N
5 W
6 S Lead
J
K
7
6!
10
6 2nd
3
2
2
4
Q
4 3rd
8
3
A
Q
K
J! 4th
A
J
5
K
8
2 W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
3 1
4 1
5 1
J 10 9 2
2
K J 9 2
Q 9 8 4 Table K 8 7 6 5
J
10 5 4
10 5 3 2
Bidding
Play Control-showing bid
Combine chances

A
K Q 10 9 8 7
Q 8 3
A 7 6
6 South 10 top tricks Win the rest made 6 +980

WEST
1
4 NT North
Pass
Pass East
2 NT
6 NT South
Pass
All Pass Board 4 Q 10 8 7 4
7 5
10 7
9 5 3 2 Trick
1 S
2 E
3 W
4 S
5 E
6 W
7 E
8 W
9 E
10 W
11 W Lead
J
2
6!
8
4
2
8
5
10
Q
6 2nd
2
8
10
3
9
7
4
8
6
5
10 3rd
5
A
3
7
K
A
A
J
K
J
K 4th
A
7
J
Q
4
3
2
9
3
7
? W L
1 0
2 0
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
8 1
9 1
0 0
6 5 2
K 4 3 2
A K 6
A K Q Table A K J
A Q 6
5 4 3 2
J 10 8
Bidding

Play
Resp to 1 of a suit
Quantitative 4 NT
Combine chances
Automatic squeeze

9 3
J 10 9 8
Q J 9 8
7 6 4
6 NT East 10 top tricks South is squeezed made 6 -1440

Practice 4Q21 Main

Top Combining Your Chances

Combining Your Chances VI

West

1
2 NT NORTH
Pass
Pass
Pass East
1
1
3 NT South
Pass
Pass
All Pass Board 1 Q 2
A 5
J 10 9 6 5
J 10 9 6 Trick
1 N
2 W
3 S
4 E
5 N
6 W
7 E
8 S
9 W
10 E Lead
J
3!
8
2
9
2
4!
9
10!
9! 2nd
5
5
3
8
3
5
K
J
Q
5 3rd
2
10
6
6!
4
Q
7
2
K
A 4th
K
Q
Q
A
A
8
6
6
4
? W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
2 2
3 2
4 2
4 3
5 3
6 3
0 0
A 10
J 7 6 3
7 3 2
A K 7 3 Table K 9 6 3
10 4 2
A K Q 4
Q 5
Bidding
Play

Defense Rebid by responder
Combine chances
Automatic squeeze
Choose lead at notrump

J 8 7 5 4
K Q 9 8
8
8 4 2
3 NT West 8 top tricks North is squeezed made 4 -430

West

Pass
Pass North

1
4 EAST
Pass
Pass
All Pass South
Pass
2 Board 2 A Q 9 8 7
A Q
A K J
9 4 2 Trick
1 E
2 E
3 S
4 E
5 N
6 N
7 W
8 N
9 S
10 N
11 S Lead
K
3
2!
4
A
4
3
9
4
Q
10 2nd
3
10!
5
2
7
5
A!
10
J
9
5 3rd
7
5
Q
6
3
8
7
J
8
K
J 4th
2
7
K
9
6
J
2
6
8
4
Q W L
0 1
1 1
1 2
2 2
3 2
3 3
4 3
5 3
6 3
7 3
8 3
6 5
J 6 5
8 5 4 3
A J 7 6 Table 4 3
K 9 8 7
Q 10 7
K Q 10 5
Play
Combine chances
Set up dummy’s suit

K J 10 2
10 4 3 2
9 6 2
8 3
4 North 8 top tricks Claim the rest made 4 +620

West

Pass
All Pass North

3 East

Pass SOUTH
2 NT
3 NT Board 3 J 10 9 7 6
K 5 4
Q 2
9 4 2 Trick
1 W
2 S
3 S
4 E
5 S
6 S
7 S
8 E
9 N Lead
3
K!
5
6
A
K
3
2
4 2nd
4
2
4
A
3
10
6
8
7 3rd
9
6
9
7
2
9!
Q
10
8! 4th
J
3!
Q
5
5
6
K
K
7 W L
1 0
2 0
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 4 2
Q 10 7 3
J 9 7 6
10 3 Table A Q 3
9 6 2
K 10 8
J 7 6 5
Bidding
Play

Defense Opening 2 NT & response
Combine chances
Restricted choice
Duck to deny entry

K 5
A J 8
A 5 4 3
A K Q 8
3 NT South 7 top tricks Cash 2 more winners made 3 +400

WEST
1
3 NT North
Pass
All Pass East
2 NT South
Pass Board 4 A 10 5 3
8 7 6 3
10 8
J 9 5 Trick
1 S
2 N
3 S
4 S
5 N
6 E
7 E
8 E
9 W Lead
6
3!
J
9
J
K!
J
4
Q 2nd
2
Q
3
4
A!
2
10
8
8 3rd
A
K
5
10
6
5
9
A
7 4th
4
7
8
2
10
3
6
7
? W L
0 1
0 2
0 3
0 4
1 4
2 4
3 4
4 4
0 0
7 2
A Q 9 5
A K 7 3
10 4 3 Table Q 8 4
K J 4
Q 6 2
A Q 7 2
Play

Defense Combine chances
Automatic squeeze
Return proper card

K J 9 6
10 2
J 9 5 4
K 8 6
3 NT East 8 top tricks South is squeezed made 3 -600

Practice 4Q21 Main

Top Combining Your Chances