Puzzle 7F39   Main

Unblock Buster

by Richard Pavlicek

Partner’s 6 bid was right on the money — but no-o-o-o. You had to be a matchpoint pig and correct to 6 NT. One thing’s for sure: You will never hear the end of this if you go down. Either make 6 NT against any defense, or incur partner’s wrath forever.

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

The lucky diamond lie allows you to win five diamond tricks if you can get to your hand twice to finesse, but that’s the problem. You have only one entry, so somehow you must elicit the opponents’ help.

How can 6 NT be made?

Solution

You must win the A, else a club shift would be fatal. Suppose you continue with the 10, hoping to create a heart entry to hand. West will duck. East will also defend shrewdly by unblocking the Q on the first round, lest he be endplayed with that card as a stepping-stone to your hand. Opponents can see all four hands too!

6 NT South	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	A 10 9 4		1 W	K	A	7	2
	A K 9 5 4		2 N	A!	Q!	6	3
	A J 10 9		3 N	J	2	7	4
4 3 2		Q J 10 9 8 7	continued below…
K Q 6 5		8 7
Q 10 2		8 7 6
5 4 3		Q 2
	A K 6 5
	J 3 2
	J 3
Lead: K	K 8 7 6

The only winning line is to lead the A at Trick 2, forcing East to commit. If he unblocks the Q, cash the J to reach this position:

NT win 9	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	10 9 4		4 N	4!	8	3!	5
	A K 9 5 4		5 E	Q	K	2	9
	10 9		6 S	J	Q	K	6
4 3 2		Q J 10 9 8 7	7 N	9	7	K	5
Q 6 5		8	8 S	A	3	10	8
Q 10 2		8 7 6	9 S	8	6	10	9
5		—	10 S	3	2	9	7
	A K 6 5		Declarer succeeds
	J 3
	J 3
North leads	K 8

Next lead the 4 and play the three from hand. Unblock that! If West wins the trick, you will have the J entry to hand. If East wins the 8, he is forced to put you in hand with a spade (else assist with a diamond lead) and you can easily win the rest. The North hand will be high, as the two remaining hearts go away on your top spades.

Variation: If East fails to unblock the Q, next lead the 10 to force West to duck. Then sacrifice a club trick to stuff East on lead.

Trap: If East keeps the Q and you win a second club with your king, you will fail. If you finesse diamonds once and then try the heart-duck endplay, East will return a diamond to lock you in dummy.

I guess this proves that you knew how to bid all along — on your own planet.

Puzzle 7F39   Main

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© 1996 Richard Pavlicek