Solution: DSBA Novice/Intermediate Declarer Problem of the Month

Novice/Intermediate Declarer Problem of the Month

October, 1999

MPs
Dealer: West
Vulnerable: Both

	NORTH 9 8 2 Q J T 9 K T 7 A 6 5


	SOUTH Q 4 A K 8 7 6 A Q 3 J 9 2

AUCTION
WEST	NORTH	EAST	SOUTH
1	Pass	Pass	2
Pass	2	Pass	4
Pass	Pass	Pass	Pass

West begins by cashing the K, A and continuing with the J. You ruff and draw trump in two rounds.

Plan the play.

Solution, Auction 2

This time it is WEST who can be assumed to hold the club honors. Proceed as before by removing the diamonds and ending on the board in this position:

	NORTH - J T - A 6 5
WEST 7 3 - - K Q 8			EAST - - J 9 T 4 3
		SOUTH - K 8 - J 9 2

Your best chance is to lead a low club to the NINE, hoping that East holds the T. If East does hold the T, West will be compelled to win with the king or queen of clubs, and now he has no safe return. A club will be allowed to run to your jack, while anything else results in a ruff and discard.

The full deal:

	NORTH 9 8 2 Q J T 9 K T 7 A 6 5
WEST A K J 7 3 5 3 8 2 K Q 8 7			EAST T 6 5 4 2 J 9 6 5 4 T 4 3
		SOUTH Q 4 A K 8 7 6 A Q 3 J 9 2

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