Puzzle 7F22   Main

Crazy Eights

by Richard Pavlicek

You may not approve of the bidding, particularly by North. Was 4 natural? Waiting? A control-bid in non-support of clubs? Who knows, but it meets my criterion for a good bid: It was sufficient. At least South’s bidding is easy to understand, though a tad optimistic.

6 South None Vul	A 8 5 4 3 6 5 4 3 2 A K 10 —			West Pass Pass All Pass	NORTH 1 2 4	East Pass Pass Pass	South 2 4 6
K Q J 7 A 7 J 9 6 5 4 3 2			10 9 6 Q J 10 9 3 2 7 6 5 4
Lead: 5	2 K 8 Q 8 7 A K Q J 10 9 8

West found the best lead. Note that a heart would give you the contract outright, and either black suit would allow you to establish the fifth spade, utilizing three diamond entries.

Would you rather play or defend?

Solution

Six clubs can be made. The crucial early play goes against the grain of normal technique: You must win the diamond lead in dummy (ace or king) wasting an entry, then lead the 10 to your queen — frightening in real life.

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

Next lead five rounds of trumps. If West ever pitches a heart, you can simply duck a heart; but that would be too easy. Suppose West lets go two spades to reach this ending:

win 5	A 8 5		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	6 5		8 S	2!	Q	A	6
	A		9 N	5	9	8	K
	—		10 S	9!	9	5	10
K Q		10 9 6	11 S	8	J	A	J
A 7		Q J 10	12 N	6	Q	K	A
J 9		—	Declarer succeeds
—		—
	2
	K 8
	8
South leads	9 8

Cross to the A, ruff a spade, and lead your last trump. West must throw a diamond, as North and East throw hearts. Then lead the 8 to the ace, which catches East in a vice squeeze. East must hold a high spade to guard the 8, so he can keep only one heart; then a heart to the king establishes the 8.

If West had pitched a diamond at Trick 7, the ending is different:

win 5	A 8 5		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	6 5		8 S	9!	J	5	6
	A		9 S	8	J	A!	10
	—		10 S	8	Q	5	J
K Q J		10 9 6	11 S	2	K	A	9
A 7		Q J 10	12 N	6	Q	K	A
J		—	Declarer succeeds
—		—
	2
	K 8
	8
South leads	9 8

Lead the 9 (all hands pitch a spade) then the 8. If West throws a spade, throw a heart from North; then lead the 8 to the ace, squeezing East as above. If West instead throws his last diamond, you must throw the A from North! Then the 8 may be the craziest eight of all, completing a jettison vice squeeze.

Puzzle 7F22   Main

Top   Crazy Eights

© 1994 Richard Pavlicek