Advanced Declarer Problem of the Month
September, 1999
MPs
Dealer: South
Vulnerable: Both
|
|
NORTH  Q J K Q J 8 5 4 A Q 9 2 5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SOUTH A 7 2A 9 6 3 27A T 3 2 |
|
| AUCTION | |||
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
Pass |
| 3 |
Pass | 4 |
Pass |
| 4 |
Pass | 4N | Pass |
| 5 |
Pass | 7 |
Pass |
| Pass | Pass | ||
West leads the K. Plan the play.
Solution
Given his vulnerable overcall, it seems likely that West has the K. It is not a 100% certainty,
but is very likely that he has the K as well. Given these facts, there is one line of play that stands out. The plan is to score the A,
3 club ruffs in the dummy, 5 trumps in hand, the AQ, the
A, and a 13th trick by catching West in a D-S squeeze.
It is important to understand that both the diamond and spade threats are in the dummy. Thus, the entry position is such
that A must be the entry to the diamond threat in the ending, so this suit cannot be touched until after
the squeeze has operated. Also, the A must be cashed at some point as
a form of Vienna Coup (i.e. to unblock the spade suit and establish the Q as the threat).
The proper sequence: A, club ruff high, heart to the ace, club ruff high, second high heart cashed,
heart to the 9, and ruff the last club. Then the
J to the A (Vienna Coup) and a trump cashed leaves
this ending:
|
|
NORTH |
||
|
WEST |
|
EAST |
|
|
|
SOUTH |
|
|
Now South cashes his last trump, and West is in trouble... if he started with KJTxx, or 6 or more
diamonds to the K, he is squeezed positionally... if he discards the K, the
9 is thrown from dummy, and a diamond finesse makes dummy good. Alternately, if he throws
a diamond, the Q is thrown, and the diamond finesse sees the diamonds coming in.
The full deal:
|
|
NORTH |
||
|
WEST |
|
EAST |
|
|
|
SOUTH |
|
|
Click here to send questions or comments regarding this month's hand.