Puzzle 7F17 Main

Oversold Overcall

by Richard Pavlicek

Somewhere you read that bridge is a bidder’s game, and it appears to have gone to your head. Partner’s raise to 4 is a thing of beauty compared to your lame overcall, but justice may be served, as you will have to play it. Evidently your reputation has preceded you, as East promptly doubles.

West deals	K 9 8 4 3		West	North	East	South
N-S vul	Q J 10		1	Pass	1	1
	4		2	4	Dbl	Pass
	J 10 5 4		Pass	Pass
2		Q 10 7
9		K 8 7 6 5 4
A K J 10 9		3 2
A Q 9 8 7 6		K 3
	A J 6 5
	A 3 2
Lead: K	Q 8 7 6 5
4 × South	2

At trick two, West shifts to his singleton heart, ducked by East. Nine tricks are easy simply by drawing trumps; but where is the 10th? The first thought is to negotiate some kind of crossruff, but East’s doubleton diamond leads to trouble. Another possibility is to endplay West — think again.

If you can overbid like this, you will have to overplay — like a magician — to bring this home. How can the contract be made?

Warning! This is a tough one.

Puzzle 7F17 Main

Top Oversold Overcall

Solution

All routine attempts are foiled by accurate defense. The only successful line begins in remarkable fashion:

4 × South	K 9 8 4 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	Q J 10		1. W	K	4	2	5
	4		2. W	9	10	4	2
	J 10 5 4		3. N	9!	10	A!	2
2		Q 10 7	4. S	6	9	3	3
9		K 8 7 6 5 4	5. N	Q	5	3	6
A K J 10 9		3 2	6. N	J	6	A	7
A Q 9 8 7 6		K 3	7. S	2	8	4	3
	A J 6 5		8. W	9	5	K	5
	A 3 2			continued below…
	Q 8 7 6 5
	2

When East covers the 9 with the 10 (best) declarer must win the ace. That’s right! No finesse. Ruff a diamond, win two hearts with the finesse, and exit with a low club from each hand. Assume West wins cheaply and exits with a low club, ruffed by South to reach:

win 4/5	K 8 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		9. S	7	10	8!	Q
	—		10. E	7	J!	?
	J 10			Declarer succeeds
—		Q 7
—		K 8 7
A J 10		—
A Q		—
	J 6
	—
	Q 8 7
South leads	—

Next ruff a diamond with the 8. East must overruff and return a trump (else declarer succeeds by a crossruff) on which South plays the jack to catch West in a seesaw ruffout squeeze. If he discards a diamond, declarer can establish a diamond; if he discards a club, declarer overtakes the J to establish a club.

Variations

1. If West covers the 9 with the queen, the play is essentially the same.

2. If West ducks the 9, South also ducks; win two hearts and ruff a diamond (order depends on if East covers heart); then a spade to the jack forces West to part with a club (else diamonds can be set up); exit with a club — if East wins and returns a trump, win in North and lead a club and discard a diamond, forcing West to establish another trick for you.

3. If East wins the club exit and returns a heart, ruff low in dummy, ruff a club, ruff a diamond high, etc.

4. If East wins the club exit and returns a trump, draw trumps and lead the J, pitching a diamond to endplay West.

Puzzle 7F17 Main

Top Oversold Overcall

© 1993 Richard Pavlicek