DECLARER PLAY PROBLEM #51

Rubber bridge
South dealer
Both sides vulnerable

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

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
7 ♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

West leads the diamond ace.

Plan the play.

Solution

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

MAJOR MONSTER. Declarer's only worry is that his fifth heart may be a loser. With dummy's minor-suit winners exposed, there is not much point to running spades and hoping for a discarding error. Instead, declarer should try to ruff a heart in dummy by trumping the opening lead, drawing one round of trumps, then leading hearts. If each opponent holds at least two hearts, declarer can revert to drawing trumps after two rounds of hearts; otherwise, a heart ruff will succeed when the long defensive spades and hearts are together.

(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1965 National Intercollegiate Bridge Tournament by William S. Root, Lawrence Rosler and Jeff Rubens.)

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