Notrump Wonderland

Sleighbells ring, are you list’nin’?
Easy game, nine tricks glist’nin’.
A beautiful dummy
A contract that’s yummy.
Walkin’ in a notrump wonderland!

Gone away, is the Stay-man.
Here to play, is the lay-man.
Not list’nin’ to Bill Root
He leads the wrong suit.
Walkin’ in a notrump wonderland!

In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he is Barry Crane.
He’ll ask, “Are you making?”
I’ll say, “No, man!
Until you drop a trick and I can claim.”

Later on, we’ll conspire
As we bid, high’r and high’r.
I’ll make three notrump
From tricks that you dump.
Walkin’ in a notrump wonderland!

When it snows, ain’t it thrillin’
Try this quiz, if you’re willin’.
‘Twill be a great day
If you find the play.
Walkin’ in a notrump wonderland!

This is a declarer-play challenge for all bridge players. You are South on each of the six problems and become declarer in notrump. Simply choose your play from options A-F. Each option is rated on a 1-to-10 scale based on my judgment.

In December of 2000 these problems were presented as a contest, which had 200 entrants from 69 locations. The contest is now closed, but you can still challenge yourself and find your score immediately.

Bidding is standard (unless noted). Opponents use standard leads and signals.
For a reference see Standard American Bridge. Assume all players are experts.

So what are you waiting for? Join in the holiday spirit and test your notrump flair. Or if you lack any of that, send up a signal flare — I don’t really care. With a little luck, you might win a valuable prize.*

*Prizes include a 10-day all-expense-paid trip to the North Pole and 25 cases of Frosty root beer.
Winners must be at least 18 years of age. Residents and non-residents of Alaska are ineligible.

Problem 1

IMPs	8 5 4 2			West	North	East	South
None vul	K 6 5			LHO	Partner	RHO	You
	J 6 2						1 NT
	K J 9			Pass	2 NT	Pass	Pass
				Pass
Lead: 4		East plays Q
	7 6 3
	A 8 2
	A K 4
2 NT South	A 6 4 2

Your play?

A. Win first heart, lead spade
B. Win first heart, lead club to nine
C. Win first heart, lead club to jack
D. Win second heart, lead spade
E.  Win second heart, lead club to nine
F.  Win second heart, lead club to jack

Problem 2

IMPs	K 4 3			West	North	East	South
Both vul	A 7 5			LHO	Partner	RHO	You
	J 10 6 5						1 NT
	Q 8 4			Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
				Pass
Lead: J		East plays 8
	A 9 2
	K 8 4
	Q 4 3 2
3 NT South	A K 10

Your play?

A. Win K, lead diamond to queen
B. Win K, K, lead diamond to jack
C. Win A, Q, lead diamond to queen
D. Win A, lead diamond to jack
E.  Win second spade, lead diamond to queen
F.  Win second spade, lead diamond to jack

Problem 3

IMPs	A K Q			West	North	East	South
E-W vul	6 5 2			LHO	Partner	RHO	You
	K Q 6 5				1	Pass	1 NT
	K Q 5			Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
				Pass
Lead: 4		East plays J
	6 4 3
	A K 9
	J 7 2
3 NT South	J 7 4 2

Your play?

A. Win first heart, diamond to king, diamond to jack
B. Win first heart, club to king, diamond to jack
C. Win first heart, club to king, lead K
D. Win second heart, diamond to king, diamond to jack
E.  Win second heart, club to king, diamond to jack
F.  Win second heart, club to king, lead K

Problem 4

IMPs	A Q 9 8 2			West	North	East	South
Both vul	6 5 2			LHO	Partner	RHO	You
	10 3						2 NT
	6 5 2			Pass	3 1	Pass	3
				Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Lead: 8		East plays 2		Pass
				1. Jacoby transfer
	K 10
	A K 3
	A Q 7 5 4
3 NT South	A 7 3

After winning the 10, what next?

A. Duck a heart
B. Duck a diamond
C. Duck a club
D. Lead 2 and finesse 10
E.  Win K, lead 10 and let it ride
F.  Cash the top spades

Problem 5

Matchpoints	4			West	North	East	South
None vul	K Q 5 4			LHO	Partner	RHO	You
	8 5 4 3 2						1 NT
	A 3 2			2 1	Dbl	3 2	3 NT
				4	Pass	Pass	4 NT
Lead: J		East plays 7		Pass	Pass	Pass
				1. artificial for majors
	K 10			2. weak
	J 3 2
	A K J 10 9
4 NT South	K 5 4

Your play?

A. Win A, lead heart to jack
B. Win A, lead K
C. Win K, A, lead heart to king
D. Win K, A, lead J
E.  Win second club with king, A, lead heart to king
F.  Win second club with king, A, lead J

Note: West pitches a spade on the first diamond lead.

Problem 6

Matchpoints	K 5 4			West	North	East	South
N-S vul	A 6 5 2			LHO	Partner	RHO	You
	A Q J 10 2					Pass	1
	2			2 1	3	Pass	4 NT
				Pass	5	Pass	5 NT
Lead: Q		East plays 7		Pass	6	Pass	6 NT
				All Pass
	A J			1. weak
	K 4
	K 4 3
6 NT South	A Q J 9 8 4

Your play?

A. Win A, Q, cash A
B. Win A, Q, lead J
C. Win A, Q, lead 9
D. Win K, Q, Q, cash A
E.  Win K, Q, Q, lead J
F.  Win K, Q, Q, lead 9

Note: When you finesse the Q, it wins.

 Click to see how you did

Challenge 7V09 Main Analyses

Scores Top Notrump Wonderland

Credits to Felix Bernard and Richard Smith, composers of “Winter Wonderland”
© 2001 Richard Pavlicek