Puzzle 7F17 (1993) by Richard Pavlicek

Oversold Overcall

4 x by South

	K 9 8 4 3 Q J 10 4 J 10 5 4
2 9 A K J 10 9 A Q 9 8 7 6		Q 10 7 K 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 K 3
Lead: K	A J 6 5 A 3 2 Q 8 7 6 5 2

West 1 2

North Pass 4

East 1 Dbl

South 1 All Pass

If you can overcall like South, you will need to overplay like a magician. How can the contract be made?

South can easily win nine tricks by drawing trumps, but a 10th trick is elusive. The first thought is to negotiate some kind of crossruff, but East’s doubleton diamond leads to trouble. Another possibility is to endplay West — not so easy. All routine attempts can be foiled by accurate defense.

Solution

	K 8 4 — — J 10
— — A J 10 A Q		Q 7 K 8 7 — —
	J 6 — Q 8 7 —

South ruffs a diamond with the  8. East must overruff and return a trump (else declarer succeeds by a crossruff) on which South plays the jack and West is squeezed. If West discards a diamond, South can establish a diamond. If West discards a club, the  J is overtaken in dummy to establish a club.

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