Puzzle Collection 7A58
Puzzle Collection 7A58
Bridge puzzles are not for everyone. If you are trying to improve your game, the time spent solving bridge puzzles is less productive than working on bridge problems — note the difference. The solution of a bridge “problem” gives you lasting practical benefit, while a bridge “puzzle” is more of a novelty or fantasy — the play is sometimes so bizarre that it would never occur in real life.
But if you do like puzzles, you should enjoy these deals. Try to solve them yourself, then stump your friends. The complete solution is included after each puzzle.
Lightner Misfire
bid implied no heart control), and he was headed for a rout. East’s Lightner double requested an “unusual” lead (not a heart or a trump), which is typically based on a void suit. If West could have put his hand on a diamond, the contract would be down five.
6 x by South
 | K 10 3 2 10 4 3 2 A K Q 9 2 | |
| 7 6 5 — K J 9 8 7 J 10 8 7 6 | ![[W - E]](t.gif) | 4 3 2 A J 9 8 7 6 5 — 5 4 3 |
| A Q J 10 9 8 K Q 4 A Q 6 5 — |
| West Pass Pass | North 5 Pass | East 3 Pass Dbl | South 4 6 All Pass |
Alas, West reasoned that East’s void could be in either minor. If it were in diamonds, the ruff might not be necessary since West rated to win one or more diamond tricks; but if it were in clubs, the ruff might be crucial. Hence, West led the club jack. Oops.
South can now succeed, but it requires exacting play. Can you make 6 after the J lead?
| — 10 3 2 10 4 3 K Q 9 | |
| — — K J 9 8 7 10 8 7 6 | | — A J 9 8 7 6 5 — 5 4 |
| 10 9 8 K Q 4 A 6 5 — |
South leads the K and East is forced to duck — if he takes the ace, he is endplayed and must give dummy the lead and declarer the contract.
Now it’s West’s turn. South leads a low diamond, which West must win (else declarer gets to dummy) and he is hopelessly endplayed. The importance of discarding the Q early is now evident: If South remained with A-Q-6 and led the queen, West would simply duck to leave South stuck in his hand without recourse.
Curiously, based on East’s final double, the play of this hand is not really double-dummy. Once East follows to the club lead, one can deduce that he is void in diamonds. Therefore, a great player like Bob Hamman would visualize the neat double endplay from the start — but that’s hardly relevant, since he would not have bid 6 in the first place.
A King’s Ransom
3 NT by South
| A 5 4 K J Q 10 8 7 6 J 8 4 | |
| K 9 7 6 3 7 6 5 4 K J 10 2 | | 10 2 10 9 8 A 9 2 K 9 7 6 3 |
| Q J 8 A Q 3 2 5 4 3 A Q 5 |
| West Pass | North 3 NT | East All Pass | South 1 NT |
Beware! Declarer is a shrewd dude and a master of the holdup play. For example, if West leads a spade to East’s 10, South will duck to break the defenders’ communication.
Your defense?
10, which South must duck (or cover with the jack and duck East’s king). If South wins the first club, it is a simple matter for West to take the first diamond lead and clear the clubs while East has an entry.
At trick two West must lead a low spade to East’s 10 (or East must lead the 10 if on lead) and South again must duck all around to shut out the spade suit.
East then leads a club to South’s queen. Declarer now seems to be in good shape since the defenders lack the communication to establish clubs or spades. But the defenders have a bombshell in store.
| A 5 K J Q 10 8 7 6 J | |
| K 9 7 6 7 6 5 4 K J — | | 2 10 9 8 A 9 2 K 9 7 |
| Q J A Q 3 2 5 4 3 A |
In the diagrammed position South leads a diamond; jack, queen, ace. East returns a club and — sound the trumpets — West jettisons the king of diamonds! This presents declarer with a diamond winner, but since the hearts are blocked, there is no way to score nine tricks. Note that East still holds a diamond stopper with the guarded nine.
It may appear that declarer can succeed (from the diagram) by first unblocking hearts. No, South then cannot make the first diamond lead from his hand. Indeed, there is no way to make 3 NT with the given defense.
Perilous Pinochle
6 by South
| 10 9 8 2 A Q A K Q 6 K 7 6 | |
| J K 10 9 8 7 6 7 Q J 10 9 8 | | Q 7 6 5 3 2 J 10 9 8 5 4 3 |
| A K 4 3 J 5 4 5 4 3 2 A 2 |
| West 2 NT Pass All Pass | North 1 4 5 | East Pass Pass Pass | South 1 5 6 |
But there you are! Assuming best defense, can you make 6 looking at all four hands? West leads the queen of clubs.
With the heart finesse working, declarer can win 11 tricks simply by playing spades correctly (ace first, then finesse against East). The 12th trick will have to come from a ruff, or possibly a squeeze.
The opening club lead foils a squeeze against West — declarer must give up a trick to correct the count, then another club lead will destroy the critical club entry.
Negotiating a successful ruff is not easy either. If declarer tries to ruff a heart in dummy, he will be overruffed. If he ruffs a club in his hand, he cannot pick up East’s Q by finessing. Or can he?
Win the A, cash the A, and finesse the Q. Run the 10 (East must duck, else you can ruff a club easily). Next cash all of North’s winners, then ruff a club in your hand to reach the position shown in the diagram:
| 9 8 — 6 — | |
| — Q 10 — J | | Q 7 — J — |
| K J 5 — |
Lead the J to West’s queen and discard the diamond from dummy. East cannot gain by ruffing his partner’s trick, so he discards the J. The forced heart or club return is ruffed in dummy, and East’s Q is hopelessly trapped: If he overruffs, South does also; if East underruffs, South discards.
East hoped to win a trick with both his J and Q (a “pinochle” if you know the game). Alas, he had to throw the J on partner’s heart, then watch his trump trick disappear as well.
The Oblivious Shift Principle
3 NT by South
| 10 3 2 A Q 10 K 10 2 J 10 9 8 | |
| A 9 5 9 8 7 6 9 8 7 7 6 5 | | J 7 6 K J 5 A J 4 3 4 3 2 |
| K Q 8 4 4 3 2 Q 6 5 A K Q |
| West Pass | North 3 NT | East All Pass | South 1 NT |
Assume West leads a heart. Are you a player or a defender?
| 10 3 2 A Q 10 2 J | |
| A 9 5 8 7 6 9 8 — | | J 7 6 K 5 J 4 3 — |
| K Q 8 4 4 3 Q 6 — |
East is endplayed. A spade return gives up the contract immediately. A heart return is won in dummy, then the last club and A force the defenders each to keep three spades and two diamonds, then declarer exits with his last diamond to force a spade lead. A diamond return by East (from the diagram) is equally helpful to declarer.
It looks like declarer can always make 3 NT.
But wait! What if East makes the “oblivious shift” to a low diamond at trick two? This loses a trick outright, but curiously, it prevents declarer from gaining another. If declarer wins the 10, unblocks the clubs and leads a diamond, East ducks the queen (or wins the king with the ace and returns a diamond) leaving declarer without resource. A variety of endings can arise according to declarer’s play, but the defenders always prevail.
Could there be a moral here? If you are about to be endplayed, is it better to succumb sooner than later? It often is.
A Ditch in Time
3 NT by South
| 3 2 K 10 9 8 7 K 8 7 6 K J | |
| Q 9 8 7 6 5 A Q 6 5 A 10 10 | | 10 J 2 J 9 2 A 8 7 6 5 4 3 |
| A K J 4 4 3 Q 5 4 3 Q 9 2 |
| West 1 Pass | North 2 3 NT | East Pass All Pass | South 1 2 NT |
Clearly, a spade lead is disastrous — declarer gets three spades, three diamonds (by first leading low through West), two clubs and a heart with routine play. And after a passive lead, West must be careful not to get endplayed.
Take it from there.
K, South the Q; then a heart to the king and another heart put the defenders at bay. If East wins and clears the clubs, West will soon be squeezed out of one top heart and endplayed with the other.
The only way to relieve this pressure on West is for East to establish his club suit, and this requires some fancy footwork. East must win the first club and return another, on which West must ditch the ace of diamonds. Assume declarer wins in dummy and leads a low diamond; East must play the jack (else South will duck to West). South wins the Q, North wins the K, then a third diamond puts East on lead in this position:
| 3 2 K 10 9 8 7 8 — | |
| Q 9 8 7 A Q 6 5 — — | | 10 J 2 — 8 7 6 5 4 |
| A K J 4 4 3 5 Q |
East must return a club to set up his suit. West cannot part with a spade (else South will lead the J), and his two low hearts are crucial to avoid an endplay. (If West discards a low heart, South leads a heart and ducks if West inserts the queen.) Therefore, West ditches the queen of hearts. Finally, when South leads his last diamond, West completes the spectacle by ditching the ace of hearts to leave declarer helpless — and no doubt speechless.
Well, isn’t that how you would defend at the table?
Minor Endplays, but he was stampeded into a brash 5 bid. This appears destined to fail despite the favorable club lie.
The only hope to make 5 seems to be to catch East in an endplay. His diamond holding certainly looks ripe for it, but it’s a lot easier said than done. Are you up to the task?
5 by South
| Q 3 2 K 2 A Q 9 8 A Q 10 2 | |
| A K 6 5 4 Q 8 6 10 2 K J 4 | | J 10 9 8 7 10 9 K J 6 4 8 6 |
| — A J 7 5 4 3 7 5 3 9 7 5 3 |
| West 1 All Pass | North 1 NT | East 4 | South 5 |
West leads the K. Make 5 .
it is necessary to catch East in two endplays (you noticed my plural title, didn’t you?), the first time to break the club suit. A club lead by East may seem useless (declarer can win four clubs on his own), but it is needed to allow declarer to win the fourth round of clubs in dummy which is crucial for the subsequent diamond endplay.
Ruff the opening lead and play the heart jack, queen, king; then duck the next heart forcing East to win. He cannot lead a spade (you would just discard a diamond) so assume he leads the 6, seven, king, ace. Ruff a spade, then draw West’s last trump throwing a diamond to reach the ending shown in the diagram:
| Q — A Q 9 Q 10 2 | |
| A 6 5 — 10 2 J 4 | | J 10 9 — K J 6 8 |
| — 7 7 5 3 9 5 3 |
Lead the 9 to pin East’s eight. Assume West covers with the jack and you win the queen. Now lead the 2 to your precious five, then your last club to dummy’s 10. On this trick East will be squeezed: If he keeps two spades and two diamonds, you can establish the diamonds while you have a trump left. If he keeps one spade and three diamonds, you will ruff the spade and then endplay him by finessing the next diamond lead.
Note that it would make no difference if East led the 8 earlier (South plays the nine) or if West failed to cover. Declarer can always win the last club in dummy after East breaks the suit.
Ace Grabber Q, East cleverly overtakes, and the rest is up to you.
3 NT by South
| 4 3 2 A 2 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 | |
| J 7 6 5 Q 9 8 — Q J 10 9 8 7 | | K 9 8 7 6 5 4 K 10 4 3 2 K |
| A Q 10 K J 10 3 A Q J A 6 5 |
| West Pass | North 3 NT | East All Pass | South 2 NT |
You have the potential for nine tricks — two spades, three hearts, three diamonds and a club — but the lack of entries to dummy puts a damper on your finessing ability. Can you overcome this obstacle?
Make 3 NT against any defense.
1. If East plays low, he will be isolated from his partner forever. Declarer can succeed with several lines of play. Simplest is probably to lead a middle heart, queen, ace; then lead a spade toward the queen. Assume East wins the K and returns a heart to leave the position in the diagram:
| 4 — 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 | |
| J 7 9 — J 10 9 8 7 | | 9 7 6 K 10 4 3 2 — |
| Q K 3 A Q J 6 5 |
Cash the Q and K, then put East in with the last heart (throwing clubs from dummy). Win the free diamond finesse, then cash the A and lead your last diamond to East who must give dummy your ninth trick.
2. If East unblocks the K under the ace, the spotlight turns to West. Declarer can easily assemble eight tricks with a heart and a diamond finesse. The two diamond winners will force West to part with a good club (to retain J-x in spades), then he can be endplayed with a club to force a spade lead.
If you tried to make this contract with other approaches, you would find yourself frustrated by East’s ability to unblock in spades. The key is to get him to commit himself early.
Up For Promotion contract would usually be easy, but not this time. West begins with the A then a diamond to East’s queen. You have three obvious tricks to lose, and West is threatening to get a trump promotion as well.
4 x by South
| A 2 3 J 10 9 8 J 10 9 8 7 6 | |
| 9 8 7 6 K 9 8 7 A 3 A Q 5 | | 5 4 3 2 K Q 7 6 5 4 K 4 3 |
| K Q J 10 A Q J 10 6 5 4 2 2 |
| West 1 Dbl | North Pass All Pass | East 1 | South 4 |
Assuming you ruff the second diamond lead, routine play will not suffice. As soon as West gets the lead with the K, he will lead a low club to East’s K. Then a third round of diamonds will promote West’s 9 into the setting trick.
Can you make West pay for his double? Make 4 .
A in dummy and lead a diamond, which East must cover (else you could just throw your losing club as West ruffs). Now comes the spectacular play: Up for promotion! Ruff with the ace of hearts! Assume West discards a club to leave the ending in the diagram.
| 2 3 J J 10 9 8 7 6 | |
| 9 8 7 K 9 8 7 — A Q | | 5 4 2 7 6 5 K 4 3 |
| K Q J Q J 10 6 5 — 2 |
Cash two more spades then ruff your last spade with the 3 as East is helpless holding only the lowly deuce. Now lead the good diamond and discard your club as West ruffs. It is a simple matter then to force out West’s K and draw the rest of this trumps.
Variation: If West had thrown a spade as you ruffed with the A, you would ruff the third round of spades in dummy, etc.
West may think twice before he doubles you again.
Backward Finesse. West leads the J. At first glance it looks easy with all the finesses working, but a closer inspection reveals only 11 tricks. Can you make this slam?
6 by South
| A K 3 2 Q J 10 5 4 3 2 A 2 | |
| Q J 5 4 9 8 J 10 9 8 K 4 3 | | 6 K 7 6 5 4 3 7 9 8 7 6 5 |
| 10 9 8 7 A 2 A K Q 6 Q J 10 |
| West Pass Pass | North 2 6 | East Pass All Pass | South 1 NT 2 |
To get you started, assume West does not cover any spade lead from your hand (though the contract can be made regardless).
A, you run the 10-9 and we’ll first assume West ducks both. You may now cash the K (optional), but there is only one successful play next: the heart two! That’s right; you must lead a heart from the “wrong” hand. Assume East wins the K and returns a heart to your ace, leaving:
| A K J 5 4 A 2 | |
| Q J — 10 9 K 4 3 | | — 7 6 5 — 9 8 7 6 |
| 8 7 — Q 6 Q J 10 |
Next lead the Q which West must duck. Then draw all the trumps and cash the J, discarding the 6 from your hand. West is caught in a crisscross squeeze.
Variation: If East refuses to take the K when offered, continue with a heart to your ace, win the club finesse, and cross to North with a spade to leave:
| A J 5 4 A | |
| Q — 10 9 K 4 | | — K 7 — 9 8 7 |
| 8 — Q 6 J 10 |
Next lead the losing J and discard your low diamond. What can poor West do?
Finally, what if West covers one of the early spade leads? Curiously, this foils the squeeze, but it leads to another remarkable ending. All the routine finesses are taken and the top diamonds are cashed to leave:
| A 3 J 5 — | |
| Q 5 — 10 K | | — K 7 — 9 8 |
| 8 7 — 6 J |
The J is ruffed, then the J goes to the king as South discards his diamond. West also throws his diamond (it can’t help to ruff) then his trump queen gets smothered on the return. Neat.
Trump Handling
4 by South
| Q 9 3 2 A J 6 7 6 5 4 10 4 | |
| K J Q Q 9 3 2 Q 9 8 7 6 5 | | 10 8 7 6 5 4 K 5 4 3 J 10 J |
| A 10 9 8 7 2 A K 8 A K 3 2 |
| West Pass All Pass | North 2 | East Pass | South 1 4 |
Assume West gets off to the best opening lead, the Q, and the defense is flawless thereafter. Can you make 4 ?
A, if you cash a top club and duck a club (hoping for a club ruff), East will ruff his partner’s trick and clear trumps to set you.Did you notice the spade layout? If you could ruff one spade, North’s queen will set up — and there may be a possibility to endplay East to force a spade lead into North’s Q-9. Great ideas — but they all come up empty with perfect defense.
Unless you butcher the trump suit! An absolute beginner could play the heart suit for one loser, but to make the contract you must give up three heart tricks!
First you must let the Q win, unblocking your 7. East cannot benefit by overtaking, so whatever West shifts to, you will win the A, A and A. Next lead a middle heart which you again must duck to East’s king. Assume East returns a diamond to your king, leaving the ending in the diagram:
| Q 9 3 A 7 6 10 | |
| K — Q 9 Q 9 8 7 | | 10 8 7 6 5 5 4 — — |
| — 10 9 2 8 K 3 2 |
Lead the 9 to the ace, then ruff a spade high. Now lose your third trump trick to East who has nothing but spades left. But wait! North’s two spade winners are not enough to make the contract (you already threw away two tricks, remember). The icing on the cake is that West is squeezed in the minor suits.
Remind me to put this deal in my next lesson on “Handling the Trump Suit.”
Copyright © 2000 Richard Pavlicek. All rights reserved.