Puzzle 7F35 Main

The Tell-Tale Double

by Richard Pavlicek

Overbidding as usual, you reach an optimistic 6 NT, which West promptly doubles. Surely this marks West with the missing high cards, and I’ll even show you the full deal to confirm. Can you take advantage of the tell-tale double?

North deals	K J 3		West	North	East	South
None vul	3 2			1	Pass	1
	A K		Pass	2	Pass	2 NT
	A Q J 10 9 8		Pass	3 NT	Pass	6 NT
A 10 8 7		6 5 4	Dbl	Pass	Pass	Pass
K 9 8		7 6 5 4
10 9 8		7 6 5 4
K 6 5		7 2
	Q 9 2
	A Q J 10
Lead: 10	Q J 3 2
6 NT× South	4 3

West makes a safe lead with the 10, and the defense will be perfect throughout.

How can 6 NT be made?

Puzzle 7F35 Main

Top The Tell-Tale Double

Solution

Declarer’s problem is to get to his hand twice to repeat the club finesse. Note that if spades are led from dummy, West will not take his ace until the queen is played to deny that entry. There seems to be no way around this, but declarer has a clever maneuver available.

6 NT× South	K J 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	3 2		1. W	10	A	4	2
	A K		2. N	K	5	3	8
	A Q J 10 9 8		3. N	J!	4	Q!	A
A 10 8 7		6 5 4		West is endplayed
K 9 8		7 6 5 4
10 9 8		7 6 5 4
K 6 5		7 2
	Q 9 2
	A Q J 10
	Q J 3 2
	4 3

First cash the top diamonds to unblock the suit, then lead the J and overtake with the queen. Thanks to the crucial 9, West has no effective defense; if he wins the A, any return allows you to finesse clubs twice for 12 easy tricks.

If instead West ducked the Q, you would be in your hand to take the club finesse, return to the A, cash your remaining diamonds, and repeat the finesse.

Puzzle 7F35 Main

Top The Tell-Tale Double

© 1996 Richard Pavlicek