Challenge 7V33 Main Analyses

Diamonds Are Forever

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

IMPs	J 4 2		West	North	East	South
Both vul	Q J 10		You	Dummy	Partner	Declarer
	8 6 3				Pass	1 NT
	K Q J 10		Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Q 10 9			Pass
K 6 2
K Q 10 5 2
8 3		3 NT South

Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
1. W K 3 7 4

Your next lead? Q 10 2 Q 5 8

Problem 2

IMPs	Q 10		West	`North`	East	`South`
E-W vul	K 9 4 3		You	Dummy	Partner	Declarer
	Q J 7 5			Pass	Pass	1
	10 9 8		Dbl	1 NT	Pass	2
9 3			Pass	2	Pass	4
J 10 7 2			Pass	Pass	Pass
A K 9 8
A Q 5		4 South

Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
1. W K 5 2 10

Your next lead? 3 J 2 A 8 5

Problem 3

IMPs	J 6 5		`West`	`North`	`East`	`South`
None vul	A K 9		You	Dummy	Partner	Declarer
	Q 7 4					1
	Q J 10 8		1	3 NT	Pass	4
10 4 3			Pass	4	Pass	6
Q 10 6 5			Pass	Pass	Pass
A K J 9 5
9		6 South

Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
1. W K 4 8 2

Your next lead? 10 3 Q 5 A 9

Problem 4

IMPs	A K 8 2		`West`	North	`East`	South
N-S vul	A Q J 4		Partner	Dummy	You	Declarer
	6 3				Pass	1
	5 4 2		Pass	1	Pass	1 NT
		Q 5 4	Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Lead: 5		K 9	Pass
Lead: 5		A 10 4 2
3 NT South		J 10 9 3

Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
1. W 5 3 A 9

Your next lead? 4 9 10 2 J 3

Problem 5

Matchpoints	9 5 4		West	North	East	South
Both vul	A K 5 2		Partner	Dummy	You	Declarer
	A 5 4 2				Pass	1 NT
	9 3		Pass	2	Pass	2
		J 10 8 3	Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Lead: 9		4 3	Pass
Lead: 9		K Q J 6
3 NT South		Q 10 2

Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
1. W 9 2 J 3

Your next lead? J 3 4 K Q 10

Problem 6

Matchpoints	K Q J 10 2		`West`	`North`	`East`	`South`
None vul	A 8		Partner	Dummy	You	Declarer
	A J 5					3
	K 10 3		Pass	4	Pass	Pass
		A 5 4	Pass
Lead: 4		J 10 3
Lead: 4		K 9 8 2
4 South		A Q 8

Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
1. W 4 A 9 6
2. N K A 9 6

Your next lead? 5 10 3 K 2 A

Click to see how you did

Challenge 7V33 Main Analyses Scores Top 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