June 2008 - 57

Problems are on page 55.

1.

K5
AK42
K7652
76
A986432
QJ7
N
 Q 10 7
J8653
W E
4
 Q J 10 9
S
AJ
Q
 10
9
A83
 K 10 9 8 5 4 3 2
If a lead looks like a singleton and
smells like a singleton, assume it is a
singleton. Furthermore, West figures
to have both black aces to justify the
opening bid. So if West has a singleton diamond, he is unlikely to also
have a singleton A. Apparently
West has the A J doubleton
because he might have led the A
with the A Q, and he might have
doubled 5 with those cards.
Even though you apparently have
three inescapable losers, hope springs
eternal. Win the A, cash the A K,
discarding a spade, ruff a heart, and
make the big play - the K.
Assuming the clubs are as you projected, and West has no more hearts,
the best West can do is win the A,
cash the J and lead the A. It's
over! You ruff and cross to the K to

 Mike's advice
notrump and clubs and it may help
him decide whether to bid 5 or
6. This hand is probably minimum
for 3.
A K J 3 K Q 8 7 3 A Q 10 8
Bid 3, showing a singleton heart
with club support. One thing you
must realize is that 3 does not do
the hand full justice. If partner bids
3NT, you will continue with 4
which says you have a super hand
that is not willing to stop in 3NT. r
June 2008

pitch your last diamond on the K.
If instead of leading the K you
lead a lower club allowing East to
win the queen, East can beat you several ways. East can return a diamond,
driving out dummy's only entry. This
allows West to safely exit with the
A when in with the A. You ruff,
but can't get to dummy to use the
K and wind up losing a diamond.
East can also get out with a spade
forcing you to ruff. Once again, West
has a safe exit with the A when in
with the A. What East can't do is
lead a heart. You ruff and now West
is in big trouble. If West overruffs he
has to lead the A while the K is
still in the dummy. If West discards a
spade, you gently throw him with the
A, again forcing the A lead.
2.

75
KQ96
 10 3 2
AJ84
 A K Q 10 9 4
A
76
KQ32

West leads the A, continues with
the K and plays a low diamond to
East's queen. You ruff and lead the A.
A. East shows out. West has five
spades and appears to have the J
(if East had the Q J 9, the queen
would have been played at trick one).
West might have a 5=2=4=2 or a
5=4=3=1 pattern. The bottom line is
that you cannot afford to knock out
the J because a fourth diamond
will promote a long spade for West.
Also, if West had a singleton club,
West could have shifted to a club at
trick two using East's Q as an entry
to get a club ruff. Using that clue,
play West for a 5=2=4=2 pattern.
The winning play is to cash the

A, two rounds of clubs ending in
dummy and a second high heart discarding a club. You have now reached
this five-card end position:

J863
-
J
-

7
Q9
-
J8

-
 J 10 7
W E
8
S
 10
 K Q 10 9
-
-
Q
N

Ruff a heart with the 9 and West
has no answer.
Had you decided to play West for
a 5=4=3=1 pattern, cash the A
at trick five, cross to dummy with
a club, discard two clubs on high
hearts, and ruff a fourth heart again
leaving West with no answer.
B. West shows out on the second
spade. Now you have to prepare a
trump coup and must find East with
at least two clubs. Cash the A,
cross to dummy with a club, ruff
a heart (reducing to East's spade
length), and return to dummy with a
club leaving:
-
KQ
-
84
 Q 10
-
-
KQ
Now play high hearts. If East ruffs,
overruff, draw the last trump, and the
rest are yours. If East refuses to ruff,
discard both clubs, and take the last
two tricks with the Q 10.
r

57

ADVANCED PLAYERS

Solutions to Test Your Play
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2008
