DEFENSIVE PROBLEM #15

Rubber bridge
East dealer
Both sides vulnerable

	NORTH (dummy) ♠ 9 8 5 4 ♥ 8 5 ♦ A K ♣ K Q 10 9 8
WEST (you) ♠ A Q 7 ♥ A Q 2 ♦ Q 10 9 8 6 4 ♣ 6

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—	—	—	Pass
1 ♠	2 ♦	4 ♠	Pass
Pass	Pass

You lead the club six. Dummy wins with the eight (East plays the seven) and continues with the nine of spades -- deuce -- three -- ?

Plan your defense.

Solution

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

TUNNEL AN ENTRY. Upon winning the second trick, West should realize that South must have the king of hearts for his opening bid. So, the only hope for beating the contract is that East has the jack of hearts. By leading the queen of hearts at trick three, West forces out declarer's king, creating an entry to partner's hand (the Deschapelles Coup). Then, on winning the second trump lead, West can lead the deuce of hearts to East's jack and get a club ruff. Any other defense allows South eventually to draw the trumps and discard two hearts on dummy's clubs.

(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1964 National Industrial Recreation Association Bridge Par-Deal Tournament by William S. Root and Lawrence Rosler.)

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