Puzzle 7F31 Main

Ace Grabber

by Richard Pavlicek

There you are in your favorite contract, and West leads the Q. Partner puts down a meager dummy, but an ace is an ace, and boosting your 2 NT opening to game was undeniably correct — especially opposite a player of your caliber. (I lie a lot, but I need to build up your confidence for this difficult deal.)

South deals	4 3 2		West	North	East	South
None vul	A 2					2 NT
	9 8 7 6 5		Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
	4 3 2		Pass
J 7 6 5		K 9 8
Q 9 8		7 6 5 4
—		K 10 4 3 2
Q J 10 9 8 7		K
	A Q 10
	K J 10 3
Lead: Q	A Q J
3 NT South	A 6 5

You have the potential for nine tricks — two spades, three hearts, three diamonds and a club — but the dearth of entries to dummy limits your finessing ability. Some fancy footwork is required to realize your potential. Seeing all four hands, can you find it?

Make 3 NT against any defense.

Puzzle 7F31 Main

Top Ace Grabber

Solution

The key plays come early. It looks tempting to hold up on the first trick, but you must grab the ace (else a heart shift is deadly). Next you must grab another ace, in spades. This bizarre play forces East to dictate his course of defense while you have the resources to cope.

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

Suppose East follows low to the A (surely normal). You can now succeed with several lines, as East will be isolated from West. Simplest is probably to lead a middle heart, queen, ace; then lead a spade toward the queen. Assume East wins the K and returns a heart to reach this position:

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

Cash the Q and J, then throw East in with a heart (pitching clubs from dummy). Win the free diamond finesse, then cash the A and lead your last diamond to East, who must give dummy your ninth trick.

Variation: If East unblocks the K under the ace, the spotlight turns to West. Declarer can easily assemble eight tricks with a heart and a diamond finesse. Two diamond winners will force West to part with a good club, then he is endplayed with a club to lead from J-x.

If you tried to make this contract with other approaches, you would find yourself frustrated by East’s ability to unblock in spades. The key is to make him commit early.

Puzzle 7F31 Main

Top Ace Grabber

© 1996 Richard Pavlicek