LEARNING CENTER

1. True, you could count 14 HCP +1 for the 5-card spade suit and "upgrade" to a 15-17 1NT. However, the J2 is a dubious value, and this just doesn't look good enough for 15-17.

4. Partner's bid is invitational. You don't have a dead minimum, so you have barely enough to go to game.

4. One in each suit as circled in the image below. There is nothing you can do about the A and A.
You have a slow heart loser to be concerned about.

You have to lose a club trick (you have two in your hand and the A in dummy will cover only one of them).

Win in dummy and start diamonds with the jack.

There is nothing you can do about the A and A. Also, there is nothing you can do about the club loser.
But, you can try to get rid of the heart loser by knocking out the A, then discarding a heart from dummy on a good diamond.
That will allow you to trump your third heart in dummy and not lose a trick in that suit.

If you win this lead (in either hand) and play spades (or clubs), you will go down. Why?
They would win and knock out your other high heart. Then, when you work on diamonds, they will have a good heart to cash--down 1.

So, you have to start diamonds at trick 2.

But, why did it matter where you won the first trick? If you win in hand and play a low diamond to the jack, it holds. Then the defense wins the next diamond as shown:

Then, West plays a heart which you must win in dummy--and you can see from the diagram below that you are stuck in dummy and must lose one of everything.

Unless there are terrible splits, yes, but you have to lead the J from dummy at trick 2. You have to win in dummy to preserve the K entry to your hand. You have to lead the J to avoid the diamonds getting blocked. If you lead a low diamond from dummy, they can win your king (or queen) with the ace and play a second heart. You'd win in hand, but have to cross to the J and get stuck in dummy. By leading the J, there is nothing they can do. Let's say they hold up. You play another diamond to leave:

West is on lead, and the best he can do is continue hearts:

Thankfully, you have the K to win in your hand.  Then, you are in the right place to cash the Q and throw a heart from dummy:

Now, you won't lose a heart trick, because your last heart can be trumped high in dummy. You can do that and then draw trump, making your contract. All you will lose (in addition to the A) is the A and one club trick as shown:

This was the full deal (below). To summarize, you have to win trick one in dummy and play the J at trick 2.

Any other line of play should result in down 1.

Next Lesson Deal (Board 2) -- click here.