March 2024 - 63

Advanced Players
SOLUTIONS TO Test Your Play
Problems are on page 61.
The great Eddie Kantar died in April 2022, but the Hall of Famer and 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.
1
s A Q 7
h 8 3
d 8 7 4 3
c Q J 10 9
s 8 5 3
h K J 9
d A J 10 6
c A 7 6
s J 10 9 2
h 6 5
d K 9 2
c 8 5 3 2
s K 6 4
h A Q 10 7 4 2
d Q 5
c K 4
The problem is that if the diamond
finesse loses and a spade comes
through your king, you could lose one
diamond and three spades. However,
there's an answer.
Are you ready for this? Duck the
opening lead! Assume a second club
is led (as good as anything), win the
king, draw two rounds of trumps ending
in dummy, discard a diamond on
the cA, cash the dA, smothering the
queen, and lead the dJ. If East plays
low, discard a spade. If that loses to
West's king, use the d10 to discard a
spade after you enter dummy with a
third heart.
If East has the dK and covers the
jack, ruff high, enter dummy with a
trump and discard a spade on the d10.
This is the best shot for (at least) 10
tricks.
2
s K 9 8 3
h 5 4 3 2
d A 8 5 2
c 10
s A Q J
h K J 10
d Q 9 4 3
c K 6 3
Expert technique (which I'm sure
you are familiar with) is to cross to
the hA and lead a low club. If East
jumps up with the ace, and clubs are
3-2 (68%), your problems are over. Or
if the cK holds, you can simply drive
out the dA to secure the contract.
If East plays low and West wins the
cA, he will not be able to return a spade
safely and will shift to a heart. You now
have time to drive out the dA and take
at least nine tricks: two spades, three
hearts, three diamonds and a club.
However, East might have the
blank cA or four clubs headed by the
ace (highly unlikely). In both cases,
you have to set up diamonds before
the opponents can cash three spades
and two aces. So lets's say East wins
the cA on the first round of the suit:
Your best chance if a spade comes
back is to play the jack. If West wins
the king and continues a spade, you
win, cash the cK to test the suit, and
they're 4-1, drive out the dA. If West
wins, you have to hope he started
with four spades, in which case the
opponents can cash no more than two
spades and two aces. If West started
with five spades, now you must hope
East has the dA, as he will have no
more spades to return. 2
s 7 5
h A Q
d K J 10 6
c Q 9 5 4 2
s 10 6 4 2
h 9 8 7 6
d 7
c A J 8 7
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 2024 ACBL
Summer NABC in Toronto.
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, 2023, 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, 2024.
March 2024 | Bridge Bulletin |
63
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https://abtahome.com/
March 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2024
