DECLARER PLAY PROBLEM #36

Rubber bridge
South dealer
Neither side vulnerable

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

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
1 ♥	Pass	2 ♣	Pass
3 ♣	Pass	3 ♥	Pass
4 ♥	Pass	Pass	Pass

West leads the heart ten.

Plan the play.

Solution

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

REVERSE THE DUMMY. Ducking the first heart lead is good technique; it allows the second round of trumps to be drawn, which works to declarer's advantage, without chancing that the fatal third round will be led. After South wins the second heart lead and both opponents follow, no lie of the cards can defeat the contract if declarer ruffs three diamonds in the closed hand, reversing the dummy. Dummy's three club enrtires are adequate for this process. If the defense should ruff with its last trump, declarer's only losers would be two hearts and one spade. In the layout shown, any other line of play fails against competent defense.

(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1964 National Intercollegiate Bridge Tournament by William S. Root and Lawrence Rosler.)

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