Challenge 7V33  MainAnalyses


Diamonds Are Forever


Scores by Richard Pavlicek

Your name is Bond, James Bond, and investigating the disappearance of priceless diamonds brings you to Las Vegas. As you walk into Willard Whyte’s casino, agents of SPECTRE escort you to the penthouse for a high-stakes bridge game. Strangely, it turns out that you or partner lead diamonds on each hand. Could this all be a setup?

This is a defensive-play challenge for all bridge players. On each of the six problems choose your next lead as West or East from the choices offered. Each option is rated on a 1-to-10 scale based on my judgment.

In June of 2001 these problems were presented as a contest, which had 335 entrants from 84 locations. The contest is now closed, but you can still challenge yourself and find your score immediately.

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

It might help to pour yourself a dry martini (shaken, not stirred) but keep your mind off women. If your defense truly sparkles, you might dazzle your way out of the casino and win a valuable prize.*

*Prizes include an auto-gyro helicopter and seven hand-built Aston Martin automobiles.
Winners must be born before Ian Fleming. PavCo Secret Service agents are ineligible.

Problem 1

IMPsS J 4 2WestNorthEastSouth
Both vulH Q J 10YouDummyPartnerDeclarer
D 8 6 3Pass1 NT
C K Q J 10Pass3 NTPassPass
S Q 10 9TablePass
H K 6 2
D K Q 10 5 2
C 8 3 3 NT South

TrickLead2nd3rd4th
1. WD K374

Your next lead? S Q S 10 H 2 D Q D 5 C 8

Problem 2

IMPsS Q 10WestNorthEastSouth
E-W vulH K 9 4 3YouDummyPartnerDeclarer
D Q J 7 5PassPass1 S
C 10 9 8Dbl1 NTPass2 C
S 9 3TablePass2 SPass4 S
H J 10 7 2PassPassPass
D A K 9 8
C A Q 5 4 S South

TrickLead2nd3rd4th
1. WD K5210

Your next lead? S 3 H J H 2 D A D 8 C 5

Problem 3

IMPsS J 6 5WestNorthEastSouth
None vulH A K 9YouDummyPartnerDeclarer
D Q 7 41 C
C Q J 10 81 D3 NTPass4 C
S 10 4 3TablePass4 HPass6 C
H Q 10 6 5PassPassPass
D A K J 9 5
C 9 6 C South

TrickLead2nd3rd4th
1. WD K482

Your next lead? S 10 S 3 H Q H 5 D A C 9

Problem 4

IMPsS A K 8 2WestNorthEastSouth
N-S vulH A Q J 4PartnerDummyYouDeclarer
D 6 3Pass1 C
C 5 4 2Pass1 HPass1 NT
TableS Q 5 4Pass3 NTPassPass
Lead: D 5H K 9Pass
D A 10 4 2
3 NT SouthC J 10 9 3

TrickLead2nd3rd4th
1. WD 53A9

Your next lead? S 4 H 9 D 10 D 2 C J C 3

Problem 5

MatchpointsS 9 5 4WestNorthEastSouth
Both vulH A K 5 2PartnerDummyYouDeclarer
D A 5 4 2Pass1 NT
C 9 3Pass2 CPass2 S
TableS J 10 8 3Pass3 NTPassPass
Lead: D 9H 4 3Pass
D K Q J 6
3 NT SouthC Q 10 2

TrickLead2nd3rd4th
1. WD 92J3

Your next lead? S J S 3 H 4 D K C Q C 10

Problem 6

MatchpointsS K Q J 10 2WestNorthEastSouth
None vulH A 8PartnerDummyYouDeclarer
D A J 53 H
C K 10 3Pass4 HPassPass
TableS A 5 4Pass
Lead: D 4H J 10 3
D K 9 8 2
4 H SouthC A Q 8

TrickLead2nd3rd4th
1. WD 4A96
2. NS KA96

Your next lead? S 5 H 10 H 3 D K D 2 C A

 Click to see how you did

Challenge 7V33 MainAnalysesScoresTop Diamonds Are Forever

Photo is Sean Connery, definitive portrayer of Ian Fleming’s James Bond character
“007” logo property of Danjaq LLC and United Artists Corporation
© 2001 Richard Pavlicek