LEARNING CENTER

6. Double serves no useful purpose -- and partner might even pass, with say J10xx and nothing else. You want to play in lots of spades and 6 feels about right. There is no scientific way to find out if partner has a high diamond (or diamond shortness with a few spades).

Trump high, cross to the 8 for a diamond finesse (intending to take a second diamond finesse if needed).

The multiple choice makes this much easier. In real life, declarer would often do something careless and realize too late that #4 is the only sensible option.

The key is to avoid losing 2 diamond tricks. Declarer wants to lead that suit twice from dummy to finesse (failing only in the extremely unlikely event that the preempter has both high diamonds).

From the full deal below, you can see how choice #4 was the winning plan (none of the other plans make any sense).

Please click here to play Practice Deal #2.