DECLARER PLAY PROBLEM #15

Rubber bridge
South dealer
North-South vulnerable

	NORTH ♠ A Q ♥ K Q J ♦ 3 ♣ J 9 7 6 4 3 2
	SOUTH ♠ K ♥ A ♦ A K Q 10 9 8 6 4 ♣ A K Q

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
2 ♣	Pass	3 ♣	3 ♠
4 NT	Pass	5 ♦	Pass
7 NT	Pass	Pass	Pass

West leads the spade seven.

Plan the play.

Solution

	NORTH ♠ A Q ♥ K Q J ♦ 5 ♣ J 9 7 6 4 3 2
WEST ♠ 7 6 5 ♥ 10 8 7 2 ♦ J 7 5 2 ♣ 8 5		EAST ♠ J 10 9 8 4 3 2 ♥ 9 6 5 4 3 ♦ — ♣ 10
	SOUTH ♠ K ♥ A ♦ A K Q 10 9 8 6 4 ♣ A K Q

FLIGHT OF FANCY. Declarer will have no problem if diamonds behave. Otherwise, the only hope lies in the club suit. Since the opening lead removes dummy's entry, to have a chance to make use of the long clubs South should win the spade ace-queen, discarding the ace of hearts, then cash dummy's three hearts to discard the three blocking clubs in the closed hand. This yields an extra chance for the contract, that the ten of clubs drops singleton. When it does, declarer need not rely on diamonds.

(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1963 National Intercollegiate Par-Hand Bridge Tournament by William S. Root and Lawrence Rosler.)

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