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.

4 × South N-S Vul	K 9 8 4 3 Q J 10 4 J 10 5 4			WEST 1 2	North Pass 4	East 1 Dbl	South 1 All Pass
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

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.

Solution

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

4 × South	K 9 8 4 3 Q J 10 4 J 10 5 4			Trick 1 W 2 W 3 N 4 S 5 N 6 N 7 S 8 W	Lead K 9 9! 6 Q J 2 9	2nd 4 10 10 9 5 6 8 5	3rd 2 4 A! 3 3 A 4 K	4th 5 2 2 3 6 7 3 5	W-L L1 W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 L2 W6
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

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 Success	K 8 4 — — J 10			Trick 9 S 10 E	Lead 7 7	2nd 10 J!	3rd 8! ?	4th Q	W-L L1
— — A J 10 A Q			Q 7 K 8 7 — —
South leads	J 6 — Q 8 7 —

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

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© 1993 Richard Pavlicek