Quiz 8D53   Main

Diamonds to Graphite

by Richard Pavlicek

PavCo Diamonds (PAVD) shares are up 80 percent, and operations are in full swing at our Jwaneng mine. In fact, our diamond supply is so abundant that our research department has developed a technology to transform these cubic crystals of carbon into graphite.

Problem 1

2

3

4

5

6

Honor Roll

Our reverse-alchemy process could be worth billions, not only in preserving the market price of diamonds, but in meeting the high demand for quality pencils. Anyone wishing to experience this transformation is invited to send their diamond jewelry to our Florida plant. In return, we’ll send you an equivalent amount of pencils free of charge.

Or better yet… Save on postage and visit one of our kiosks at most major shopping malls. PavCo Diamonds now has contracts with 12 mall chains to provide on-the-spot transformations. Just bring in your diamonds, and we guarantee you’ll be delighted with the finest pencils in exchange. How can you lose?

While we’re on the subject of diamond contracts, test your declarer play on the following six problems at IMP scoring. And don’t fret! If you turn them into graphite, we’ll understand that too.

Decide how you would play each contract — without peeking at the solution, which follows.

Are you ready? Then get the lead out of your behind, and try to sparkle!

Problem 1

IMPs E-W Vul	7 5 4 3 J 7 6 2 A Q 2 A J		WEST 1 NT Pass All Pass	North Pass Dbl	East 3 1 Pass	South Pass 3
Lead: Q		East plays 10
3 South	J 2 A 10 4 9 8 6 5 4 3 K 7		1. weak sign-off

Which club will you win first? And how will you proceed?

Solution below

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

Leading spades at every chance (toward J to limit East to one entry) eventually allows West to be endplayed.

Problem 2

IMPs None Vul	5 4 3 5 4 A Q J Q J 10 7 6		West 1 3 All Pass	North 2 Pass	East 2 Pass	SOUTH 1 3 4
Lead: A		East plays 10
4 South	2 A J 10 6 10 9 8 7 5 A K 4

West continues with the K (East plays 8) which you ruff. If you take the diamond finesse, it wins.

Solution below

4 South	5 4 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	5 4		1 W	A	3	10	2
	A Q J		2 W	K	4	8	5
	Q J 10 7 6		3 S	7	4	J	2
A K J 7 6		Q 10 9 8	4 N	Q!	K	8	2
K 9 2		Q 8 7 3	5 E	Q	6!	6	5
4		K 6 3 2	6 E	3	A	5	6
9 8 5 2		3	7 S	9	8	A	3
	2		8 N	4	3	A	2
	A J 10 6		Draw trump, claim
	10 9 8 7 5
Lead: A	A K 4

Contract is assured if you keep trump control and don’t lose a club ruff. Pitch a heart if a third spade is led.

Problem 3

IMPs Both Vul	A K 8 7 6 2 9 5 A K 8 6 3		West 2 Pass	NORTH 1 3 5	East Pass 3 All Pass	South 1 NT 4
Lead: J		East plays 8
5 South	6 4 2 4 3 A K Q J 10 7 4 2

If you lose the lead to an opponent, a trump will be returned.

Solution below

5 South	A		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	K 8 7 6 2		1 W	J	A	8	2
	9 5		2 N	3!	5	2	10
	A K 8 6 3		3 W	2	5	4	10
K J 10 9 5		Q 8 7 3	4 S	3!	A	2	5
A Q J 10		9 5	5 W	K	9	3	4
3 2		8 7 6 4	6 N	K	9	4	10
Q 10		J 9 5	7 N	6	7	J	J
	6 4 2		Win the rest
	4 3
	A K Q J 10
Lead: J	7 4 2

Immediate club duck and subsequent heart lead-up provide the only hope to succeed in this precarious contract.

Problem 4

IMPs N-S Vul	A 3 J 5 3 9 8 7 A Q J 5 2		West 3 All Pass	NORTH 1 4	East 2 Pass	South 3 5
Lead: 3		East plays 2
5 South	7 5 4 2 A K 2 K Q J 10 5 4

In which hand will you win the first trick, and how will you proceed?

Solution below

5 South	A 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	J 5 3		1 W	3	7	2	Q
	9 8 7		2 S	4	8	J	3
	A Q J 5 2		3 N	2!	6	10	9
K 8		Q J 10 9 6	4 S	2	8	3!	9
10 9 7 4		Q 8 6	5 E	4	J	A	8
A 6 3		4 2	6 W	10	3	6	A
K 10 9 8		7 6 3	7 S	4	K	A	6
	7 5 4 2		8 N	A	7	5	10
	A K 2		9 N	5	10	K!	K
	K Q J 10 5		10 S	5	6	9	J
Lead: 3	4		11 N	Q	?
			East is squeezed

After the brutal trump lead you need a favorable layout, and only exact technique allows East to be squeezed.

Problem 5

IMPs None Vul	J 10 2 Q 4 3 A K 10 8 4 9 7		West Pass Pass All Pass	North 3 4	East Pass Pass	SOUTH 2 NT1 3 6
Lead: 7		East plays 3 or 9 if you play 8
6 South	A 9 8 A 10 9 Q J 2 A Q J 3		1. 20-21 or 18 for clowns

You obviously can’t bid, so maybe play is your thing.

Solution below

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

Entries must be used keenly for this overbid, eventually squeezing West in clubs and hearts (with Vienna coup).

Problem 6

IMPs N-S Vul	A K 8 K 8 7 6 5 4 9 8 4 3		West 6 7 All Pass	North 6 Dbl	EAST 1 Pass Pass	South 5 Pass 7
Lead: K		East plays 5
7 South	J 2 A 3 2 A Q J 10 7 6 3 2 —

Hey, Lucy in the sky! Would you bid eight diamonds if they bid again?

Solution below

7 South	A K 8		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	K 8 7 6 5 4		1 W	K	3	5	2
	9 8		2 S	J!	3	A	4
	4 3		3 N	9	4	3	2
10 7 6 3		Q 9 5 4	4 N	K!	9	2	10
10		Q J 9	5 N	8	5	10	6
—		K 5 4	6 S	A	7	4	K
K Q 10 9 8 7 6 2		A J 5	7 S	Q	8	5	J
	J 2		8 S	J	9	6	5
	A 3 2		9 S	7	6	7	9
	A Q J 10 7 6 3 2		10 S	6	10	8	?
Lead: K	—		East is squeezed

If East has 3+ hearts, you must squeeze him. Exact play (double guard squeeze) needs only two of Q-10-9 in East.

Wojciech Papuga Wins!

These six problems were published in 2018 as a long-running contest, which is now closed. Congratulations to Wojciech Papuga (Poland) who achieved the best score in this difficult contest. Scoring was based on how many of the first eight plays on each problem matched my recommended plays, so the best possible score was 48 (8×6). Equivalent plays or transpositions were accepted as correct.

There were 38 participants, and only one attempt was allowed for each. Only those scoring 32 or higher are listed below. Ties are broken by the date and time of entry (earliest wins).

Honor Roll

Rank	Name	Location	Score
1	Wojciech Papuga	Poland	46
2	Ding-Hwa Hsieh	Missouri	40
3	Perry Groot	Netherlands	40
4	Sjaak Smetsers	Netherlands	40
5	Jonathan Mestel	England	38
6	Gareth Birdsall	England	32
7	John Lusky	Oregon	32

Quiz 8D53   Main

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sacrificing brilliance to get the lead out