October 2022 - 63

Advanced Players
SOLUTIONS TO Test Your Play
Problems are on page 61.
1
 K J 9
k K 4 3
l J 7 6
' A K 10 6
 A Q 10 8 7 6
k Q 5 2
l A Q 5
' Q
The idea in 6 is to avoid the
diamond finesse, as you have a heart
loser. Your best chance is to win the
opening lead in dummy and lead a
low heart to the queen (key play) at
trick two. If the queen wins, you have
a claimer. Cash the 'Q, then over
to dummy with a spade to the king,
drawing trump, and then the 'A K,
discarding your two remaining
hearts. Assuming the 'J has not
appeared, take the diamond finesse.
Even if it loses, that is the only trick
you will lose. Bottom line: If the kQ
wins, you have a 100% play given the
trump layout.
If the kQ loses to the ace and a
heart comes back, win the king, cross
to the 'Q, draw the outstanding
trump ending in dummy and play
the 'A K, discarding a heart and a
diamond. If the 'J appears, discard
your lQ and take the balance. If the
'J does not appear, you need the
diamond finesse, but you have given
yourself two more chances, namely,
the kA with East or the 'J dropping
under the 'A K Q.
Notice the trap: It's important not
to win the spade in your hand and
lead a low heart to the king. If the
king is topped by the ace and a diamond
comes back, now what?
You have to decide whether to take
the finesse or hope you can bring in
the clubs for three tricks allowing you
to discard two diamond and a heart.
The finesse offers the better
chance, but leading up to the kQ, not
the kK, offers the best chance of all,
as West cannot afford to shift to a
diamond when in with the kA, giving
you time to test clubs before taking
the diamond finesse.
2
 K 5 4
k K 5 4 3
l K 10
' K 6 5 4
 A Q
k A 6 2
l A 8 4 3 2
' A Q J
In 6NT, you start with 11 top tricks
and need one extra trick from one of
the red suits. If either red suit divides
3-3, you can set up a 12th trick in that
suit. If both red suits are divided 4-2
and the same defender has four cards
in each suit, he can be squeezed. If the
threats are divided, your best chance
is to attack diamonds before hearts.
Diamonds gives you extra chances
of a 12th trick, given the spot cards in
the suit. After winning the A, cash
the Q along with the 'A Q J and
lead a diamond, intending to play the
10 if West plays low.
Assuming East wins and returns a
heart, win the king, and cash dummy's
two black kings, discarding a
heart and a diamond, reducing to:
 -
k 5 4 3
l K
' -
 -
k A
l A 8 4
' -
Now it depends upon their discarding.
A club or a spade discard is safe
for them, but it will help you count the
two hands to decide which red suit, if
either, can be set up for the 12th trick
in the endgame.
Notice how many extra chances
you have in the diamond suit by
leading low to the 10. For example, if
West started with J-9, Q-9, Q-J-x-x
or any three diamonds, you can rack
up your slam-making 12th trick by
cashing the lK, crossing to the kA
and playing the lA. (If West plays an
honor when you first attack the suit,
win the king and run the 10.)
Alternatively, if enough hearts have
been discarded (remember, by this
time you have a good chance of having
a count on the hand), play to make
a heart your life-saving 12th trick by
cashing the kA, crossing to the lK
and scoring the two baby hearts.
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October 2022 | Bridge Bulletin |
63
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October 2022

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