LEARNING CENTER

6. Surely, you choose clubs. But why 6? If partner on his own was willing to go to the 5-level (and vulnerable!) when you could have had absolutely nothing, you owe him more than just choosing his suit. You would bid 5 with the same shape and 0 HCP! You have beautiful club support, a very useful Q and the A. If anything, this is closer to a 7 bid than only bidding 5.

Win the A and play a club to the king.
This is a draw-trump hand. Once they are drawn (assuming you don't lose to the Q) you can claim. Just concede the A and dummy is good.
So, the only issue is how to draw trump. Usually, it is 8-ever, 9-never, but here, West has a million hearts. Probably you want to play East for the Q, but you will never play West for it. So, don't lay down the A. Start clubs by going to dummy's K and then you can decide. This is the full deal:

West conveniently shows out on the first round of clubs, so you are spared a guess. You win the K and then play the J for the marked finesse. Draw trump and claim. Notice the folly of trumping a heart in dummy a trick 2.

Please click here to play Practice Deal #3.