Puzzle 7F33 (Mar 96) by Richard Pavlicek
Puzzle 7F33 (Mar 96) by Richard Pavlicek
. West leads the 
J. At first glance it looks easy with all the finesses working, but a closer inspection reveals only 11 tricks. Can you make this slam?
6 by South
 | A K 3 2 Q J 10 5 4 3 2 A 2 | |
| Q J 5 4 9 8 J 10 9 8 K 4 3 | ![[W - E]](t.gif) | 6 K 7 6 5 4 3 7 9 8 7 6 5 |
| 10 9 8 7 A 2 A K Q 6 Q J 10 |
| West Pass Pass | North 2 6 | East Pass All Pass | South 1 NT 2 |
To get you started, assume West does not cover any spade lead from your hand (though the contract can be made regardless).
Solution A, you run the 10-9 and we’ll first assume West ducks both. You may now cash the K (optional), but there is only one successful play next: the heart two! That’s right; you must lead a heart from the “wrong” hand. Assume East wins the K and returns a heart to your ace, leaving:
| A K J 5 4 A 2 | |
| Q J — 10 9 K 4 3 | | — 7 6 5 — 9 8 7 6 |
| 8 7 — Q 6 Q J 10 |
Next lead the Q which West must duck. Then draw all the trumps and cash the J, discarding the 6 from your hand. West is caught in a crisscross squeeze.
Variation: If East refuses to take the K when offered, continue with a heart to your ace, win the club finesse, and cross to North with a spade to leave:
| A J 5 4 A | |
| Q — 10 9 K 4 | | — K 7 — 9 8 7 |
| 8 — Q 6 J 10 |
Next lead the losing J and discard your low diamond. What can poor West do?
Finally, what if West covers one of the early spade leads? Curiously, this foils the squeeze, but it leads to another remarkable ending. All the routine finesses are taken and the top diamonds are cashed to leave:
| A 3 J 5 — | |
| Q 5 — 10 K | | — K 7 — 9 8 |
| 8 7 — 6 J |
The J is ruffed, then the J goes to the king as South discards his diamond. West also throws his diamond (it can’t help to ruff) then his trump queen gets smothered on the return. Neat.
Copyright © 1996 Richard Pavlicek. All rights reserved.