DECLARER PLAY PROBLEM #11
Rubber bridge
East dealer
North-South vulnerable
| NORTH ♠ J 5 3 ♥ 9 7 3 ♦ A 10 2 ♣ K Q 7 3 |
||
| SOUTH ♠ A K 10 9 8 7 6 ♥ A K 8 ♦ K 9 5 ♣ — |
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | 5 ♣ |
| 5 ♠ | Pass | 5 NT | Pass |
| 6 ♠ | Pass | Pass | Pass |
West leads the heart queen.
Plan the play.
Solution
| NORTH ♠ J 5 3 ♥ 9 7 3 ♦ A 10 2 ♣ K Q 7 3 |
||
| WEST ♠ Q 4 2 ♥ Q J 10 5 2 ♦ J 8 6 4 3 ♣ — |
EAST ♠ — ♥ 6 4 ♦ Q 7 ♣ A J 10 9 8 6 5 4 2 | |
| SOUTH ♠ A K 10 9 8 7 6 ♥ A K 8 ♦ K 9 5 ♣ — |
FORCE AN ENTRY. When South finds out about the three-zero trump break, he can count only ten sure tricks. He can get an eleventh trick by using the king-queen of clubs, and a twelfth trick by developing a squeeze against West. To bring this about, declarer should win the opening lead, cash one high trump and, upon discovering the bad break, lead a low trump towards dummy's jack to create the necessary extra entry to dummy. West's best play is to win the queen of spades and continue hearts. South wins the heart continuation, leads a spade to dummy's jack, then leads the king of clubs, taking a ruffing finesse against East. It doesn't matter whether East covers or not. Suppose East covers. South ruffs and cashes all the remaining spades. In the end-position South has K-9-5 of diamonds and 8 of hearts, North, A-10 of diamonds, 9 of hearts, and Q of clubs. Declarer leads a diamond to dummy and cashes the queen of clubs, discarding a heart, to squeeze West between the red suits. (From the start, East's bidding should have suggested the likelihood of a squeeze.)
(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1963 National Industrial Recreation Association Par-Hand Bridge Tournament by William S. Root and Lawrence Rosler.)
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