LEARNING CENTER

2. While there is no exact measurement for what constitutes a strong 2 with an unbalanced hand, this hand is just too good for only 1.

One reasonable guideline is: "Does it pass the balanced Yarborough test?" That means you picture partner with xxxx xxx xxx xxx and see if game might make. Opposite that hand, it might. Spades split, you get to dummy in spades and take a diamond finesse. 10 tricks possible opposite a flat 0 HCP hand.

4. Partner's 3 shows spade support and a decent hand (at least a useful 6 or 7 points). Slam is definitely in the picture (even 7 is possible). There is no rush for Blackwood. Control-bid your cheapest control (in this case, clubs). Maybe you can learn something (or maybe partner wants to use Blackwood).

Please don't tell me this is Gerber (which is only used after 1NT or 2NT).

Win the A and play a spade to the ace. This is definitely a "draw-trump" hand. You can claim once trumps are drawn (no losers). There is no reason to take a first-round finesse. You are only missing 3 cards in spades.

Hopefully nobody selected Option 1 (unless it was a mis-click).

Play a low diamond to dummy so you can take the marked spade finesse.

This will fail only if diamonds are 6-0. 
Trying to reach dummy with a club ruff will fail if clubs are 7-1 or 6-2.

Neither is likely, but as you can see from the full deal, the club play will fail. How do you know?
6-0 has to be less likely than 6-2. When was the last time you saw a 6-0 break? You don't have to know the exact probability (if you are curious, a 6-0 break when missing 6 is 12 times less likely than a 6-2 break when missing 8).

This is the full deal:

Please click here to play Practice Deal #3.