March 2023 - 69

Advanced Players
SOLUTIONS TO Test Your Play
The great Eddie Kantar died in April 2022, but the Hall of Famer and
1
 9 7 6
k 10 7 6
l J 10 6
' A K 7 5
 A K Q 10
k A K 8 5 4
l 8 7
' Q 8
Discard a spade from dummy and
ruff in your hand. Obviously, you cannot
afford to ruff in dummy. If you do,
West will have a natural trump trick,
the setting trick.
At this point you remain with a
high trump in each hand while West
has two trumps. Not healthy.
West is known to have started with
four hearts and four diamonds. As the
contract cannot be made if West has
a black singleton, assume West is 3-2
in the blacks.
Begin by playing the A K Q. If
West follows, cash two clubs and
crossruff the last two tricks with high
trumps. West will have to underuff.
If West ruffs the third spade, overruff,
cross to the 'Q, draw West's
last trump and take the balance.
Finally (phew!), if West discards
a club on the third spade, cash two
clubs and crossruff. The key is to play
spades before clubs. If you begin with
three clubs, West may ruff.
Tip: Holding A-K- 8-x-x facing
10-x-x, the safety play for four tricks is
to start with the ace. If an honor drops
from either hand or the 9 drops from
your LHO, lead low towards the 10.
Tip No. 2: When declarer and
dummy remain with one high trump
each and one defender has two lower
March 2023 | Bridge Bulletin |
69
Problems are on page 67.
prolific writer left us a treasure trove of bridge content. Per his wishes, we honor
his memory in the Bridge Bulletin by sharing his work with ACBL members.
trumps, declarer must make the two
high trumps separately, assuming the
rest of the tricks must be taken.
2
 J 10 4
k A 10 7
l A 10 6 2
' A 9 5
 A K Q 8 3 2
k K 9 8
l 7
' Q 10 6
 7 6
k 6
l Q J 9 5 4
' J 7 4 3 2
 9 5
k Q J 5 4 3 2
l K 8 3
' K 8
You have lost two spade tricks and
you have a likely diamond loser, but
what about hearts? Somehow you have
to avoid losing a trick in both red suits.
What do you think West had in
mind when he led a low spade, leading
to a trump uppercut, forcing you to
overruff with an honor when he could
have just as easily led the Q?
Answer: West is a sly fox. West purposely
led a low spade to give partner
a chance to uppercut. West holds the
kK 9 8 and ruffing with the 6 would
force out the jack and result in a
trump trick, the setting trick.
In order to avoid losing a trump
trick as well as a diamond trick, you
must play West for the kK: Instead of
overruffing, discard your inevitable
diamond loser and pick up the trump
suit via a finesse.
Finally, don't play against West if
you don't have to.
American Bridge
Teachers' Association
E
r
The American Bridge
Teachers' Association
welcomes submissions
for our annual book and
technology awards.
Presentation will be made at
our annual convention,
to be held in conjunction
with the 2023 ACBL
Summer NABC in Chicago.
Winners are determined
based on the value of the
product to bridge teachers
and/or students. A winner may
be selected in each of the
following categories:
Beginner/Novice
Book of the Year
Intermediate to Advanced
Book of the Year
Technology of the Year
(software, media, etc.)
Works published since
May 1, 2022, are eligible.
Reprints will not be
considered unless there
are substantial revisions.
Authors or publishers may
contact Awards Committee
chair, Karen Walker,
bookoftheyear@abtahome.com
for information on how to
submit an entry.
Entries close on
May 1, 2023.
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March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2023
