DECLARER PLAY PROBLEM #38

Rubber bridge
North dealer
North-South vulnerable

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

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—	—	Pass	Pass
1 NT	Pass	3 NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

West leads the club four.

Plan the play.

Solution

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

SHIFTLESS. South has nine sure tricks by taking dummy's club ace on the first trick and then driving out the diamond ace. (Ducking the first trick, in the hope West has the club king, although likely to produce an overtrick, is an unnecessary risk. When East has the club king, a shift to hearts may defeat the contract.) After declarer wins the first trick and drives out the ace of diamonds, the defense can take at most three club tricks.

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

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