Puzzle 8Q25 Main

Twelve Trick Warranty

by Richard Pavlicek

Partnership hands are sometimes able to win 12 tricks in notrump against any distribution only if the distribution is known. In other words, double-dummy play is required to guarantee success. For example:

6 NT South A K 6 5 West North East South
West leads 6 5 4 3 2
6 5 4 3 Pass 2 ¹ Pass 3
2 Pass 3 ² Pass 3 NT
Table Pass 6 NT³ All Pass

1. waiting
2. still waiting
Q 4 3 3. done waiting
A K
A K
A Q J 10 9 7

Six notrump looks like a cakewalk with three spades, two hearts, two diamonds, and five clubs after giving up a trick to the K; but then there’s Murphy’s Law. Suppose West leads a red card, you cross to the K to lead a club, and East shows out. Your best effort is a middle club, but West takes his king and exits safely in another suit. Now you can win only four club tricks, so you’ll be down unless spades are 3-3 or, however unlikely, West has 4+ spades (squeeze). So much for the warranty!

But if you knew West’s distribution, 12 tricks are indeed guaranteed. With the horrific club break, the double-dummy line is not to lead clubs but to cash tricks in West’s shortest suits first. If West ever pitches a club, you can establish the suit, so he must keep all to reach a six-card ending. Then you lead middle clubs until West takes his king, after which he is endplayed to give you the rest.

Of course, if you made the slam this way in actual play, the eye in the sky would go ballistic, and you’d be branded as an obvious cheat. But, hey! There’s a bright side too: Lifetime free entries in the Crooked Swiss!

Now it’s your turn to construct two hands with South declarer in 6 NT:

Twelve tricks must be guaranteed against any distribution only with double-dummy play.

Goal is to create the strongest North hand, and the strongest South hand, in that order of priority. Strength is judged first by HCP, then by pip count: A=14 K=13 Q=12 J=11 T=10 … Note that my example layout would be a big loser with its weak North hand.

6 NT South
West leads

Table

Puzzle 8Q25 Main Top Twelve Trick Warranty

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Puzzle 8Q25 Main Top Twelve Trick Warranty

6 NT South	A K 6 5	`West`	`North`	`East`	`South`
West leads	6 5 4 3				2
	6 5 4 3	Pass	2 ¹	Pass	3
	2	Pass	3 ²	Pass	3 NT
		Pass	6 NT³	All Pass

		1. waiting
		2. still waiting
	Q 4 3	3. done waiting
	A K
	A K
	A Q J 10 9 7