Quiz 7J66 Main

Book ‘em, Dano!

by Richard Pavlicek

Can you cope with a Hawaiian trump break — as in the old TV series Hawaii Five-O?
On each problem West shows out on the first trump lead. Decide your play.

Problem 1

IMPs	A K 3	West	`North`	East	`South`
E-W vul	K Q 10				1
	8 7 6 4 2	Pass	3	Pass	4
	K 8	Pass	Pass	Pass

Lead: 6
Lead: 6

	Q 8 2
	A 6 5 4 3
	A 5 3
4 South	A 4	You win the K and K (East has J-9-8-7-2).

What next? A. Win Q, lead 10
B. Win Q, A, A-K-Q
C. Win A, lead 5
D. Win A, A, A-K-Q

Problem 2

IMPs	K Q J 10	`West`	`North`	`East`	`South`
None vul	A 6 3				1
	Q 2	1	Dbl	Pass	1
	10 7 6 3	Pass	4	Pass	Pass
		Pass
Lead: K
Lead: K

	A 9 7 2
	8 4 2
	A K J 3
4 South	9 2	You win the A and K (East has 8-6-5-4-3).

What next? A. Win Q-J, Q-A-K-J
B. Win Q-A-K-J
C. Win Q-A-K, ruff J
D. Win Q-A-K, lead 9

Problem 3

IMPs	A K Q 8 5 4		`West`	`North`	`East`	`South`
None vul	J 10 9 8					1
	2		Pass	1	Pass	2
	7 4		Pass	3	Pass	4
			Pass	4	Pass	4 NT
Lead: K		East plays 9	Pass	5	Pass	6
Lead: K		East plays 9	All Pass

	7 6
	A K Q 5
	A K Q J 5 4
6 South	3		You ruff second club with Q and cash A (West is void).

What next? A. Win A, lead good spades
B. Win A, A, K-Q
C. Win A, A-K, K-Q
D. Win A, A-K-Q, K-Q

Quit
Explanations
Top Book ‘em, Dano!

Problem 1

After winning the K to find out East has J-9-8-7-2, you seem to be fated to lose two trumps and two diamonds; but maybe not. The key is to stop leading trumps and catch East in an endplay.

Cash all your side winners, then exit with a diamond. Suppose West wins two diamonds; then whatever he leads next, pitch a diamond from dummy and let East win the trick — underruff in your hand. Now you can claim the rest, as East must lead a trump around to the Q-10.

East held: 10-7-5 J-9-8-7-2 J-10 Q-10-2

Problem 2

After winning the A, the K reveals your misery. You need East to have three diamonds, so cash the Q and A-K to pitch a heart from dummy. It is tempting now to pitch the last heart on the J and let East ruff. No! East will return a trump and you will go down.

You actually have a lock. Ruff the good diamond and lead a heart. If East gets in to return a trump (best), win the ace then ruff your last heart. The remaining 9-7 must take two more tricks behind East’s 8.

East held: 8-6-5-4-3 J-7 9-6-5 K-Q-8

Problem 3

Hopefully, you were careful to ruff the second club with the Q (or higher); then the A exposes that nasty SOB (East) with all your trumps again. Grr!

To have any chance, you must be able to cash two spades; but you need only one diamond trick. Proper technique is to win the A, A (important) and K. When spades break 3-2, you are home. Just lead good spades until East ruffs, then overruff with the K and lead your low trump to dummy.

East held: 10-3 7-6-4-3-2 8 Q-J-9-8-5

Quiz 7J66 Main Top Book ‘em, Dano!