Puzzle 7F35   Main

The Tell-Tale Double

by Richard Pavlicek

Can you take advantage of West’s ill-judged double to make this slam?

6 NT× South None Vul	K J 3 3 2 A K A Q J 10 9 8			West Pass Pass Dbl	NORTH 1 2 3 NT Pass	East Pass Pass Pass Pass	South 1 2 NT 6 NT Pass
A 10 8 7 K 9 8 10 9 8 K 6 5			6 5 4 7 6 5 4 7 6 5 4 7 2
Lead: 10	Q 9 2 A Q J 10 Q J 3 2 4 3

Assuming the defense is perfect (unlike the bidding), how can 6 NT be made?

Solution

Declarer’s problem is to get to his hand twice to repeat the club finesse. Note that if a high spade is led from dummy, West will hold off his ace to prevent declarer from reaching his hand with the queen. There seems to be no way around this, and the defense should prevail.

Hold the presses! Declarer has a clever maneuver available:

6 NT× South	K J 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	3 2		1 W	10	A	4	2
	A K		2 N	K	5	3	8
	A Q J 10 9 8		3 N	J!	4	Q!	A
A 10 8 7		6 5 4	West is endplayed
K 9 8		7 6 5 4
10 9 8		7 6 5 4
K 6 5		7 2
	Q 9 2
	A Q J 10
	Q J 3 2
Lead: 10	4 3

First cash the top diamonds to unblock the suit, then lead the J from dummy and overtake with the queen. Thanks to the crucial 9, West has no effective defense; if he wins the A, any return allows you to finesse clubs twice for 12 easy tricks.

If instead West ducked the Q, you would be in your hand to take the club finesse, return to the A, cash your remaining diamonds, and repeat the finesse.

Puzzle 7F35   Main

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© 1996 Richard Pavlicek