Puzzle 7F39 (Jul 96) by Richard Pavlicek
Puzzle 7F39 (Jul 96) by Richard Pavlicek
bid was right on the money, but you had to be a pig and bid 6 NT. You can be sure you’ll never hear the end of this deal if you go down. West leads the 
K. Make 6 NT against any defense, or incur partner’s wrath.
6 NT by South
 |  — A 10 9 4 A K 9 5 4 A J 10 9 | |
| 4 3 2 K Q 6 5 Q 10 2 5 4 3 | ![[W - E]](t.gif) | Q J 10 9 8 7 8 7 8 7 6 Q 2 |
| Lead: K | A K 6 5 J 3 2 J 3 K 8 7 6 |
| West Pass Pass All Pass | North 1 2 6 | East Pass Pass Pass | South 1 3 6 NT |
The lucky diamond position would allow you to win five diamond tricks if you could get to your hand to finesse twice… but that’s the problem.
You should definitely win the A, else a club shift would leave you in a hopeless situation. You need the opponents’ help to get to your hand twice, and this requires some subtle technique.
If you continue with the 10, West obviously will duck to prevent the J from becoming an entry. Then, if you next play clubs, East will unblock the queen on the first round to avoid being endplayed with that card on the second round. (The opponents can see all the hands too.)
Solution A at trick two to force East to commit himself. If he unblocks the queen, cash with the J to reach the position in the diagram:
| — 10 9 4 A K 9 5 4 10 9 | |
| 4 3 2 Q 6 5 Q 10 2 5 | | Q J 10 9 8 7 8 8 7 6 — |
| A K 6 5 J 3 J 3 K 8 |
Next lead the 4 and duck it completely. Unblock that! If West overtakes, you will have two entries to your hand. If East wins the 8, he is forced to put you in your hand with a spade (else lead a diamond) and you can win the rest — North’s two remaining hearts go away on your top spades.
If East fails to unblock the Q, he can be endplayed in a similar fashion with the club suit. First lead the 10 to force West to duck, then sacrifice a club trick to stuff East on lead.
Trap: If East keeps the Q and you win a second club with your king, you will fail. If you finesse diamonds once then try the old heart-duck endplay, East will return a diamond to lock you in dummy.
I guess this proves that you knew how to bid all along… on your own planet.
Copyright © 1996 Richard Pavlicek. All rights reserved.