DECLARER PLAY PROBLEM #31
Rubber bridge
North dealer
Neither side vulnerable
| NORTH ♠ A Q J 5 3 ♥ K Q 8 ♦ A Q 5 ♣ 9 6 |
||
| SOUTH ♠ K 4 2 ♥ A J 7 5 2 ♦ K J 7 ♣ K 8 |
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | 1 ♠ | Pass |
| 2 ♥ | 5 ♣ | 5 ♥ | Pass |
| 5 NT | Pass | 6 NT | Pass |
| Pass | Pass | ||
West leads the diamond ten.
Plan the play.
Solution
| NORTH ♠ A Q J 5 3 ♥ K Q 8 ♦ A Q 5 ♣ 9 6 |
||
| WEST ♠ — ♥ — ♦ 10 9 8 3 2 ♣ A Q J 10 7 4 3 2 |
EAST ♠ 10 9 8 7 6 ♥ 10 9 6 4 3 ♦ 6 4 ♣ 5 | |
| SOUTH ♠ K 4 2 ♥ A J 7 5 2 ♦ K J 7 ♣ K 8 |
NO EXIT. There will be no problem unless both major suits split five-zero. South gets the bad news about these splits by cashing one honor in each suit. Declarer must then cash the rest of his diamonds, forcing East to part with all minor-suit cards. Then, a third round of hearts from dummy forces East to split the ten-nine, after which declarer can throw that defender in with the fifth round of spades to force a lead into a heart tenace.
(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1964 National Industrial Recreation Association Par-Hand Bridge Tournament by William S. Root and Lawrence Rosler.)
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