DECLARER PLAY PROBLEM #41

Rubber bridge
West dealer
Both sides vulnerable

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

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—	1 ♠	Double	Pass
2 NT	Pass	3 NT	(All Pass)

West leads the spade seven, four, three, ?

Plan the play.

Solution

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

KEEP HIM OUT. South must set up at least four heart tricks without allowing East on lead. A guaranteed way to achieve this is to enter dummy with a club at trick two to lead and pass the jack of hearts. The second-best approach, cashing the heart ace and following with a heart finesse against East, fails when East holds four or five hearts to the queen.

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

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