Puzzle 7F18 (1994) by Richard Pavlicek

Valentine Magic


South appears to have mistaken Valentine’s Day for Christmas in the bidding as his final bid is a little optimistic. Perhaps you can save him and find a way to make 7 H. Or at least give it a try before you look at the answer.

7 H by South

S Q 5 2
H Q 6 3
D A K J 9 8
C A 4
S J 7 6
H 9 8 7
D 7 3
C Q J 10 6 5		[W - E]S K 4 3
H 5 2
D 10 6 5 4 2
C 9 8 7
Lead: C QS A 10 9 8
H A K J 10 4
D Q
C K 3 2

West

Pass
Pass
Pass
All Pass		North
1 NT
2 D
4 H
5 H		East
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass		South
2 C
3 H
4 NT
7 H

At first it looks easy. Declarer has 12 top tricks — five hearts, four diamonds, two clubs and a spade — plus he can ruff a low club in dummy for 13. Not true! If you ruff a club, you will be unable to win four diamond tricks because the suit is blocked.

Since declarer has 12 tricks (either in high cards or by ruffing a club at the expense of a diamond trick), the first thought would be some kind of squeeze play. Perhaps East can be squeezed since he holds the S K and a diamond stopper. No, East will discard after the dummy and it will not work.

Take it from there.

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Solution

The solution is based on a squeeze play, but not the ordinary kind. Both opponents are involved in a “double ruffout squeeze.” The ending is difficult to spot because one of the key elements — North’s S 5 — appears to be insignificant opposite South’s 10-9-8.

Win the C K and cash the H K and H J (any two trumps are OK as long as you save the queen). Next lead the D Q and overtake with the king. Lead the D 9, East covers with the 10 and you ruff. (If East did not cover, discard a spade and ruff the D 8 with the H 10.)

Cash the S A (key play) then cross to dummy with the H Q to win the rest of the diamonds. When North leads his last diamond this is the ending:

S Q 5
H —
D A
C A
S J 7
H —
D —
C J 10		[W - E]S K 4
H —
D —
C 9 8
S 10
H A
D —
C 3 2

East must throw a club (else his S K ruffs out), South throws his last spade, and West is also squeezed. If he throws a spade, North’s queen can be led through East to smother the jack and establish the five. So West also throws a club. Now the C A is cashed and South is able to win the last trick with the C 3 (or more poetically with the carefully preserved C 2).

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Copyright © 1994 Richard Pavlicek. All rights reserved.