The Clubhouse Collection

“We lost the club suit in the 1950s. Now diamonds are gone
and hearts are sinking fast.” -Edgar Kaplan

Club contracts are rare, not only because the club suit is lowest ranked and easily outbid, but because it is the victim of larceny. Clubs are continually being appropriated by convention creators. Messrs. Stayman, Gerber, Drury, Landy, etc., may be regarded as great pioneers of the game, but in reality they were just thieves. I want my clubs back! And so it will be on this occasion.

In June of 2002 these problems were presented as a contest, which had 566 entrants from 97 locations. The contest is now closed, but you can still challenge yourself and find your score immediately. As South on each of the six problem, choose your play from options A-F. Each option is rated on a 1-to-10 scale based on my judgment.

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

So get out of that club chair and start clubbing. There’s no time for dinner; if you need food for thought grab a club sandwich. And if you’re a club-elite player, you might even win a valuable prize.*

*Prizes include 25 cases of club soda and a 10-year membership in the club of your choice.
Winners must be at least 18 years of age. Employees of Club PavCo are ineligible.
Prizes are void where prohibited by law or where no such prohibitions exist.

Problem 1

Matchpoints	Q 6 3 2			West	North	East	South
None vul	K Q 8 5 2			LHO	Partner	RHO	You
	A 5					1 NT	3 1
	10 2			Pass	Pass	Pass
Lead: 3				1. You couldn’t bid 2 (some silly convention)
	A J 4
	J 4
	J 2
3 South	A Q J 9 7 4

Your play?

A. Win first diamond, lead 2 to jack
B. Win first diamond, lead 2 to jack
C. Win first diamond, lead 5
D. Win first diamond, lead 10
E. Win second diamond, lead 2 to jack
F. Win second diamond, lead 10

Problem 2

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

You pitch a spade from dummy and win the king. What next?

A. Win A, ruff spade, lead Q
B. Win A, lead 2
C. Lead 3 and finesse the 10
D. Lead the J
E. Lead the Q
F. Lead the Q

Problem 3

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

West continues A-J (East follows). You ruff then lead a club to the eight, and East pitches a diamond. Next?

A. Win A-K, lead 2 to king
B. Win A-K, ruff a diamond
C. Win A, lead 2 to king
D. Win A, ruff a diamond
E. Lead 2 to king
F. Ruff a diamond

Problem 4

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

West shifts to the 2, and you capture East’s jack with your king. What next?

A. Win A, ruff spade, win A
B. Win A, ruff spade, duck a diamond
C. Win A, ruff spade, win A
D. Win A, lead Q to pitch diamond
E. Win A, lead 3
F. Duck a diamond

Problem 5

IMPs	A 7 5 4			West	North	East	South
None vul	K 8 6 2			LHO	Partner	RHO	You
	A 2						Pass
	K J 2			1	Dbl	2 1	4
				Pass	5	Pass	Pass
Lead: 5		East plays 3		Pass
				1. weak
	—
	5 3
	Q 9 5 4 3
5 South	A Q 10 9 8 7

West found a great lead, preventing two diamond ruffs. How will you handle this?

A. Win J, ruff spade, lead 3
B. Win J, ruff spade, duck a diamond
C. Win J, ruff spade, win A
D. Win 10, lead 3
E. Win 10, duck a diamond
F. Win 10, A, lead 2

Problem 6

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

Your play?

A. Win A, A, ruff spade, win Q
B. Win A, Q-J-10, A
C. Win A, Q-J-10, duck a heart
D. Win Q, A, ruff spade, win Q
E. Win Q, Q-J-10, duck a spade
F. Win Q, Q-J-10, duck a heart

Note: When you lead trumps, East follows once then discards the 6 and 3.

 Click to see how you did

Challenge 7V81 Main Analyses

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© 2002 Richard Pavlicek