If It Walks Like a Duck…

…And it quacks like a duck, you got a duck — at least you do on each of these problems.
The catch is deciding which suit and when. How do you play each contract?

Problem 1

IMPs	A Q 6 5 4			West	North	East	South
None vul	7 5						1 NT
	8 5 4			Pass	2 1	Pass	2
	A 7 2			Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
				Pass
Lead: 4		East plays J
				1. Jacoby transfer
	3 2
	A K 6 2
	A K 2
3 NT South	K 5 4 3

Your play?

A. Win K, finesse Q, duck a spade B. Win K, duck a spade C. Win K, duck a club D. Duck the first trick

Problem 2

IMPs	4 3			West	North	East	South
None vul	Q 10 3 2						1
	A 7 5 4 2			Pass	1 NT	Pass	3
	4 3			Pass	4	Pass	Pass
				Pass
Lead: 9		East plays 7
	A K 6 5 2
	K J 9 8
	6 3
4 South	A K			Why is West leading your suit?

Your play?

A. Win A, duck a spade B. Win A, lead 9 C. Win A, duck a diamond D. Duck the first trick

Problem 3

IMPs	Q 3			West	North	East	South
None vul	A 3						2
	A K 6 5 3			Pass	2 NT	Pass	3
	8 5 3 2			Pass	4	Pass	Pass
				Pass
Lead: Q		East plays 7
	K J 10 9 8 7
	9 6 2
	8 2
4 South	A 4			If you have no clue, save time and get the duck out of here!

Your play?

A. Win A, duck a heart B. Win A, A-K, ruff , duck a heart C. Win A, duck a diamond D. Duck the first trick

Quit

Explanations

Top If It Walks Like a Duck…

Problem 1

It might appear that you should duck the first trick, but that would be an error. The opponents might shift to a club (and lead another club later) to knock out dummy’s A entry before you can establish the spade suit.

Win the K and duck a spade. The first-round duck is crucial to establish the long spade in the likely event they break 4-2. Whatever the return, win in hand and finesse the Q (or win the ace if the king pops up) and continue spades.

West held: K-8 Q-10-8-4 J-9-7 Q-10-8-6

Problem 2

West’s lead of your first bid suit is surely a singleton, so the danger is obvious: If you cash the top spades, West will ruff; then the opponents can lead two rounds of trumps, leaving you a trick short.

It doesn’t help to draw trumps. After winning the A, you should duck a spade. Then you can ruff your low spades (with the Q-10 if necessary) and eventually draw trumps to win the K, or crossruff, depending on the defense.

West held: 9 A-7-5 K-J-10-8 J-9-7-6-5

Problem 3

Your 10th trick might come from (1) a heart ruff or (2) establishing the diamond suit. The opponents can prevent (1) by leading trumps, or (2) by attacking dummy’s A entry — but with proper technique, they can’t stop both.

Win the A, cash the A-K, and ruff a diamond (assume they break 4-2). Next duck a heart. If they drive out the A, you can ruff your heart; if they clear trumps, you can establish the long diamond with the A entry. Neat.

West held: 5-4 K-8-7-5 Q-10-9-4 Q-J-10

Quiz 7J58 Main

Top If It Walks Like a Duck…

© 2002 Richard Pavlicek