December 2013 - 57

Solutions to Test Your Play

Advanced Players

Problems are on page 55.

1.

ࡕKQ2
ࡖAQ75
ࡗQ
ࡔK7632
ࡕA875
ࡖK64
ࡗK87
ࡔAQ5

Clearly it is right to discard a spade
from dummy. A heart discard gives up
a possible fourth trick in that suit, and
a club discard gives up a possible 12th
trick if clubs break 3-2. Next, unblock
the ࡕK Q and cross to the ࡔA Q. If
clubs are 3-2, you have the rest. Of
course, you wouldn't be reading this if
they broke 3-2.
At this point, six tricks have been
played and you have the lead. How do
you play if East has four clubs? How do
you play if West has four clubs? In both
cases, the defender with the singleton
club will have discarded a low diamond
on the second club.
If clubs are 4-1, you must find a 3-3
break in one of the majors. They both
can't break 3-3. If East has four clubs
and four diamonds, he only has room
for one three-card major. If West has
four clubs, he is almost certainly 5-4 in
the minors and must have three spades
and one heart to keep possible squeeze
options alive. The bottom line is that
spades must be 3-3 if West has five
diamonds given East's ࡗ2 return.
If East has four clubs along with
a presumed four diamonds, he must
be 3=2=4=4. If so, you can squeeze
West in the reds if your ࡗ8 is a threat
against West, who hopefully led from
the J-10-9. After testing the top clubs,
discard two clubs from dummy on your
presumed two winning spades. Then,
the ࡔK squeezes West in the reds in

this four-card end position: Dummy
has the ࡖA Q x x while you have ࡖK x x
and the ࡗ8. West will have to give up
his high diamond to save four hearts
and the ࡗ8 is your 12th trick.
If West has four clubs and five
diamonds, he must have three spades
and a heart for you to have a play.
This time the play is to squeeze West
in the minors. Accordingly, discard
a club and a heart on your winning
spades followed by three rounds of
hearts ending in your hand. Your last
two cards are the ࡗ8 and a club, and
dummy has the ࡔK x. This time West
has again been squeezed out of his high
diamond, and your beautiful ࡗ8 allows
you to make the slam. Had you started
with the ࡗK 7 x and East ࡗA 8 x x, you
would have been history.
Thanks to Howard Jacoby, San Diego
CA, for this one.

2.

ࡕQ65
ࡖAK
ࡗ J 10 8 7 6
ࡔ 10 3 2
ࡕAK94
ࡖ96
ࡗAQ93
ࡔA76

Take the trick! The diamond finesse is going into West, presumably
the player with the long clubs. If the
diamond finesse works, you have a
reasonable chance for 12 tricks. If it
loses and West started with five clubs,
you are going down ... unless the suit is
blocked and East started with doubleton king-jack, the reason for winning
the first trick. Cross to a heart at trick
two and run the ࡗJ. On the run of the
diamonds somebody with four spades

might discard one or you might decide
to finesse the ࡕ9 if West shows up
with the 10 or jack on the second spade
play. It is the percentage play and this is
matchpoints, after all.
■

West hands for the
December Bidding Box

Bid these hands with a partner.
The East hands are on page 49. The
North-South players are silent unless
otherwise noted. Scores on page 31-33.
Problem 1. North deals. None vul.
ࡕ8 7 5 ࡖ10 2 ࡗK 10 9 3 ࡔA K 8 6
Problem 2. East deals. N-S vul.
ࡕA K Q 10 4 ࡖJ 7 2 ࡗQ 7 ࡔA 4 2
Problem 3. South deals. E-W vul.
South opens 1ࡖ.
ࡕK 10 8 5 4 ࡖA 10 ࡗK 10 ࡔQ 8 6 3
Problem 4. West deals. Both vul.
ࡕQ ࡖA 10 7 6 5 ࡗ7 ࡔK 6 5 4 3 2
Problem 5. North deals. None vul.
ࡕ10 7 2 ࡖK Q 8 5 4 3 ࡗQ 9 6 4 ࡔ -
Problem 6. East deals. E-W vul.
ࡕ7 ࡖ10 9 6 3 ࡗA J 6 4 ࡔA Q J 9
Problem 7. South deals. N-S vul.
ࡕA K Q 7 3 ࡖQ J 9 5 ࡗJ 7 6 ࡔ7
Problem 8. West deals. Both vul.
ࡕQ 8 ࡖA 9 5 ࡗA K 9 8 4 ࡔA K 3

December 2013 Bridge Bulletin

57
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2013
