Puzzle 7F22 (1994) by Richard Pavlicek
Puzzle 7F22 (1994) by Richard Pavlicek
a cue-bid in support of clubs? Or was it natural, or a waiting bid? In any event it meets my standards for an excellent bid: It was sufficient.
6 
by South
 |  A 8 5 4 3 6 5 4 3 2 A K 10 — | |
| K Q J 7 A 7 J 9 6 5 4 3 2 | ![[W - E]](t.gif) | 10 9 6 Q J 10 9 3 2 7 6 5 4 |
| 2 K 8 Q 8 7 A K Q J 10 9 8 |
| West Pass Pass All Pass | North 1 2 4 | East Pass Pass Pass | South 2 4 6 |
This is a “play or defend” puzzle. The question is: Can South make 6 against any defense?
Hint: To get you started, West must lead a diamond. Otherwise, declarer could establish dummy’s long spade by negotiating three diamond entries to dummy. Take it from there.
Solution. The first crucial play goes against the grain of normal technique: The diamond lead must be won in dummy with the king (or ace), then a second diamond is won with the queen. (It is impossible to succeed if you win the Q first.)South leads four rounds of clubs to reduce everyone to the seven cards in this diagram:
| A 8 5 4 6 5 A — | |
| K Q J A 7 J 9 — | | 10 9 6 Q J 10 9 — — |
| 2 K 8 8 10 9 8 |
Next comes the 10, throwing a spade from North (East throws a heart) then:
1. If West throws a spade, win the A, ruff a spade, and lead your last trump. West must throw a diamond (else you can duck a heart), North throws a heart, and so does East. When you cross to the A, East is caught in a vice squeeze: He must discard a heart to protect the 8, then a heart lead will establish the 8 as your 12th trick.
2. If West throws a diamond, lead another club throwing a spade from North (West throws a spade, East a heart). Next lead the 8 (your last trump) then:
If West throws a spade, throw a heart from North. Win the A and A to bring about the same vice squeeze against East.
If West throws his last diamond, jettison the A from North! Now lead the good 8: West must throw a spade (else you can duck a heart) and the vice squeeze appears once again.
3. If West discards a heart, just duck a heart. Note that in all variations, West was forced to hold on to A-x in hearts to prevent this.
Copyright © 1994 Richard Pavlicek. All rights reserved.