Lesson was based on hands played 28th June 2022.

Might as well stay in 1NT; as can be seen, on a club lead you can make 7 tricks. If you make 8 (+120), this will be better than +110 for 3♦ made. Have you the Bidding Machinery to play in 3♦?

South 1NT; don’t mind if you pass – very poor 12 points. 3♣  from North, in theory a second suit, but on this hand, a slam try. The 3♣  bid is forcing to game! South, with a minimum hand jumps to 4♠  (where 3♠  would be forcing), to show a hand with no slam interest. North, with only 1 of the 5 Aces goes no further. Give South :
♠  A J 5 
♥  A 5 2
♦  A 10 7 4 2
♣  10 8 and South would bid 3♦  over 3♣  - a Slam try with the Ace of diamonds.

For once, standard 4th. highest heart is best.

3NT is better than 4S, even tho’ 4♠  is a 5-3 fit. If you are in 4♠ , you must take spade finesse, as you should in 3NT, and also find the Ace of clubs

The important rule here, is to avoid bidding bad suits in slam going sequences. However you bid these hands, do not bid hearts, unless Partner does, in which case, you can offer support. However you bid, you must understand the significance of the strength of the West hand, opposite 8+ playing tricks in the East hand. i.e. do not stop short of a slam, and ideally bid a Grand slam. Note 3♣ is a positive bid in response to a strong bid of 2♦

If you can stop in 2♦ , well done. 2♥ /2NT etc are both hopeless. With 6-4, 2♦  is possibly a better bid than 2♥ . Difficult judgement !

There is no doubt, that South ought to bid something after a weakness 2♥ from East, but what? 2NT shows about 8-9 points; 2♠  shows a 5 card spade suit, and 3♥ (cue bid of opposition’s suit), shows a slightly stronger hand than the one you have got. Maybe 2NT is about right!  Actual optimum was 4♠ according to computer system whick has the advantage of knowing where all the cards are!

Although East can lead a club, and get a club ruff at trick 2, Declarer can still make 10 Tricks, with the aid of a finesse of one of the red suits.

No point in messing around with Ogust here, just simply bid what you think you might make, which is 4 ♥. Either the club suit will be suitable for 5/6 tricks, or not, who can say!  We do not have the ‘Conventional Machinery’, as South, to show a 7 loser hand, with a singleton diamond, 3 card trump support, the Ace of spades, and a good 6 card club suit. Also, we stop West showing his good diamond suit, which might have helped the defence.

If you pass as East, I don’t mind. 4-4-4-1,  11 counts can be fraught. This hand has only 6 losers, so just swayed! South just about has a vulnerable 2♠ Jump overcall. West has ample (including a likely valuable King of spades), for game. North should NOT sacrifice in 4♠ , when vulnerable, although trumps are good, the hand has 9 losers opposite a weak Jump overcall, and in fact goes for -800 in 4♠*. Note how East – West must double 4♠, if it is bid!

I must confess, I bid 3♠  with the North hand, Partner bid 3NT, and we went 2 off, whilst 2♠ always makes! On reflection, I think a conservative 2♠ is better.

Again, constraint by South, who is in terrible trouble if he bids over 2♣ . 2♣ should make 9 or so tricks.