1

♠ A2
♥ 874
♦ KJ8642
♣ J7

Dlr N
Vul none

♠ Q63
♥ AJ965
♦ AT3
♣ Q9

♠ KJT74
♥ KQ3
♦ Q7
♣ A84

	9
13	HCP	15
	3

♠ 985
♥ T2
♦ 95
♣ KT6532

Double Dummy makes
	♣	♦	♥	♠	NT
North	6	6	2	2	2
South	6	6	2	2	2
East	7	7	11	11	10
West	7	7	11	11	10

    North considers opening with a weak-2 bid in diamonds, but would prefer a more solid trump suit than KJ8xxx (QJ10xxx or KQJxxx would be better), and decides instead to pass. East opens 1NT, and his partner announces their partnership's agreed range for opening 1NT by saying "15 to 17".
   West bids 2♦, which is the almost universally used Jacoby Transfer convention, showing 5 or more hearts and asking partner to bid 2♥. This has the effect of making the 1NT bidder (likely the stronger of the two hands) the declarer if they end up playing with hearts as trump. When West bids 2♦ his partner announces the bid by saying "transfer", "transfer to hearts", or simply "hearts". East dutifully bids 2♥.
   West then bids 3NT letting his partner know that (1) they have the combined strength to play in game, and (2) that West holds exactly 5 hearts (if West had 6 hearts he would bid hearts again).    Since East knows they have an 8-card fit in hearts he decides to raise to 4♥ rather than play in NT.
   South leads his 9♦, beginning a high-low to let his partner know he holds a doubleton in the suit. Against a suit contract a doubleton is a so-so lead on average, but South doesn't see anything better on this hand. The computer says only a club lead gives away trick.
   In real life, three Easts played the hand in 4♠ (either not opening NT with a 5-card major-- even though it is common to do so these days, or using a 16-18 point range for opening NT.) Two pairs played in 3NT. Either 4♠ or 4♥ is the top scoring contract on this hand


	Possible Bidding
WEST	NORTH	EAST	SOUTH
	Pass	1NT	Pass
2♦	Pass	2♥	Pass
3NT	Pass	4♥	all pass
2♦ is a Jacoby transfer (showing 5+ hearts), directing partner to bid 2♥


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2

♠ KJ873
♥ 832
♦ J42
♣ KQ

Dlr E
Vul NS

♠ 654
♥ KT974
♦ K5
♣ J65

♠ AQ
♥ QJ65
♦ Q98
♣ A942

	10
7	HCP	15
	8

♠ T92
♥ A
♦ AT763
♣ T873

Double Dummy makes
	♣	♦	♥	♠	NT
North	4	8	3	8	5
South	4	8	3	8	5
East	8	4	9	5	8
West	8	4	9	5	8

   East opens the bidding with 1NT, West says "15 to 17". West bids 2♦ showing 5 or more hearts and asking East to bid 2♥. East says "transfer". Not having enough points to consider a game contract, West passes.
   South probably leads the 3♣. The computer says the low club lead holds the opponents to 3.
   In an actual duplicate session three pairs played 2♥ in the E and two pairs played the same contract with West as declarer. When played in the West, North has to lead the K♣ to hold declarer to 3.
   Note that Double Dummy says EW can make 2 playing in NT for +120, but can make 3 playing in hearts, for +140.


	Possible Bidding
WEST	NORTH	EAST	SOUTH
		1NT	Pass
2♦	Pass	2♥	all pass
2♦ is a Jacoby transfer to 2♥


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3

♠ T52
♥ 84
♦ 632
♣ JT987

Dlr S
Vul EW

♠ Q86
♥ KJT7
♦ AK
♣ AQ63

♠ KJ3
♥ AQ6
♦ QT984
♣ K5

	1
19	HCP	15
	5

♠ A974
♥ 9532
♦ J75
♣ 42

Double Dummy makes
	♣	♦	♥	♠	NT
North	3	1	1	2	1
South	3	1	1	2	1
East	10	12	12	11	12
West	10	12	12	11	12

   West opens 1♣. East responds with 1♦. East rebids 2NT (which shows 18-19 points, and does not deny holding a 4-card Major). For some pairs, East might bid 3NT showing 13-15 high card points rather than bidding 1♦, but it is hard to see where West goes after that (is 4♣ Gerber, after 3NT, even if clubs were opened? Most partnerships probably do not have a specific agreement regarding that bidding sequence.)
   Seeing nothing better, North leads the "top-of-a-solid sequence" J♣. There are no killer leads on this hand.
   In an actual duplicate session two pairs played 4♥ in the West, 1 making 4 and one making 5. Two pairs actually palyed in 4NT, making 6. Only one pair bid 6NT, making their bid, for a top board.


	Possible Bidding
WEST	NORTH	EAST	SOUTH
			Pass
1♣	Pass	1♦	Pass
2NT	Pass	6NT	all pass


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4

♠ 8653
♥ A97
♦ 932
♣ 865

Dlr W
Vul both

♠ AKT7
♥ QJ84
♦ A65
♣ K2

♠ 92
♥ KT532
♦ KQJ87
♣ Q

	4
17	HCP	11
	8

♠ QJ4
♥ 6
♦ T4
♣ AJT9743

Double Dummy makes
	♣	♦	♥	♠	NT
North	7	1	1	3	2
South	7	1	1	3	2
East	6	10	11	9	9
West	6	10	11	9	9

   West opens 1NT. East says "15 to 17". South says "Thank you". East bids 2♦ to get West to bid 2♥. West says "transfer". South tries to mess things up by overcalling 3♣, but West completes the transfer anyway by bidding 3♥. East isn't done yet, and lets his partner know he has a second 5-card suit by bidding 4♦. West, with a choice between 4♦ and 4♥ cooses the Major.
   Note that if South had a 4-card suit and a 5-card suit rather than two 5-card suits he would bid 2♣ to use the Stayman convention to describe his hand rather than using the 2♦ transfer.
   North leads his partner's suit by leading the 5♣ (leading low from 3-cards since he had not supported partner). The computer says that against a heart contract, a club is a good lead.
   In an actual duplicate session four pairs were in 4♥, three of them making 5 and one making 6 (even though Double Dummy says it can be held to 5). One pair played in 3NT making 5, even though Double Dummy says 3 is a max.


	Possible Bidding
WEST	NORTH	EAST	SOUTH
1NT	Pass	2♦	3♣
3♥	Pass	4♦	Pass
4♥	all pass


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