January 2015 - 61

Solutions	to	Test	Your	Play	

Advanced Players

Problems are on page 59.
Start	by	assuming	trumps	are	
3-2	as	needed	and	go	from	there.	
Win the ♦A and run the ♠J.
Assume	it	loses	(if	it's	covered,	you	have	
12	tricks)	and	a	club	comes	back.	Win	
the	ace,	ruff	a	diamond,	cross	to	a	high	
trump	and	ruff	another	diamond.	If	the	
queen	falls,	draw	trumps	and	claim,	
as	you	have	12	tricks:		five	hearts,	four	
clubs,	two	diamonds	and	a	spade,	as	no	
second	spade	finesse	is	needed.
If	the	♦Q	doesn't	appear,	draw	
trumps	ending	in	dummy,	and	take	a	
second	spade	finesse.	This	is	a	deal	
from	my	book	"Take	All	Your	Chances."
The	point	is	to	try	to	ruff	out	the	♦Q
before	taking	a	second	spade	finesse.	
In	any	case,	not	a	bad	slam	for	a	firsttime	partnership.		

1.

The idea is to strip the hand,
trying	to	avoid	two	spade	losers	if	
the	clubs	don't	come	in	for	three	
tricks	-	West	having	a	doubleton	♣Q J,
♣Q 9 or ♣J	9.	The	latter	two	holdings	
allow	for	a	ruffing	finesse,	setting	up	a	
club	in	dummy	for	a	spade	discard.		
Win the ♥K, cash the ♦K Q, the
♣A	K,	and	if	nothing	desired	happens,	
cross to the ♥A,	ruff	a	club	and	lead	
the ♠J.
You	are	playing	East	for	the	♠10 x,
twice	as	likely	as	East	having	the	♠Q 10
or ♠K	10.	(It	is	assumed	that	had	you	
led	a	spade	to	the	ace	at	anytime,	East	
would	unblock	with	K-x	or	Q-x).	After	
West	covers,	win	the	ace,	ruff	a	club,	
and	lead	a	spade	towards	dummy's	9-4.	
End	of	story.	East,	upon	winning	the	

2.

♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠
Going on a spree can be great - especially if it is a

BRIDGE SPREE WITH GAIL AND JEFF
JUNE 12-28

New York City to London aboard the Crystal Symphony
with eight stops en route (Bar Harbor, Halifax, St. John's,
Reykjavik, Heimaey, Greenock, Dublin, Portland) with an
optional post-cruise in London/Wimbledon.

♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠
JULY 26-AUGUST 2

Fifth Annual Bridge Camp at Cranwell Resort, Spa and
Golf Club in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, with music
and dance performances at Tanglewood and Jacob's Pillow.
Both trips include three lessons and play daily with
World Champion and bridge Hall of Famer Gail Greenberg
and national/international champion Jeff Hand.

For information, call Gail at 917-257-5277

♠10,	is	forced	to	concede	a	ruff	and	
sluff.	Had	East	unblocked	the	♠10 under	the	ace,	ruff	a	club	and	lead	a	spade	
up to the 9, again losing only one spade
trick.
Thanks to Tim Bourke of Australia
for yet another of his neat slam-hand
creations.
◾

West hands for the
January Bidding Box

Bid these hands with a partner. The
East hands are on page 52. The N-S
players are silent unless otherwise
noted. Scores on page 37-39.
Problem 1. North deals. None vul.
♠A 8 7 3 2 ♥8 7 6 ♦- ♣K Q 8 5 4
Problem 2. East deals. N-S vul.
♠A 10 9 4 ♥K 7 6 ♦10 9 8 7 ♣A Q
Problem 3. South deals. E-W vul.
♠7 ♥A 10 8 7 6 4 ♦A 4 2 ♣J 5 4
Problem 4. West deals. Both vul.
♠9 2 ♥6 5 4 ♦A K 6 4 ♣A Q 9 3
Problem 5. North deals. None vul.
South opens 1♣.
♠A 9 6 2 ♥A Q 9 6 5 ♦J 4 ♣A J
Problem 6. East deals. E-W vul.
North bids 3♣ if possible and South
raises to 5♣ if possible.
♠A K ♥10 9 8 6 5 4 3 ♦A 8 6 3 ♣-
Problem 7. South deals. N-S vul.
♠K Q ♥Q J 10 4 ♦A J 8 5 3 ♣10 7
Problem 8. West deals. Both vul.

♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠

♠A J ♥A J 8 6 5 4 ♦8 5 ♣Q 9 4
January 2015 Bridge Bulletin

61
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2015
