QUIZ OF THE MONTH

PROBLEM

QUIZ 201         Q J  6 5 4 3  K 6 5 4  K Q 6          A 9 5 4 3 2  A K  A  A 5 3 2

You have an uncontested auction to 6 and West leads the Q. East follows with the 2 (showing an odd number of hearts). What is the best line of play?

SOLUTION

You can hardly fail if trumps are 3-2 or if one defender has the 10 singleton, so can you overcome a defender holding K-10-8-7?

Q J  6 5 4 3  K 6 5 4  K Q 6             6  Q J 10 8  Q J 8 7 2  10 9 7          K 10 8 7  9 7 2  10 9 3  J 8 4              A 9 5 4 3 2  A K  A  A 5 3 2

Take your A, cash your A and K, and a play trump to dummy's Q:

1. If it holds the trick, discard a club on the K, ruff a diamond and lead a spade to dummy's J. This loses to East's K, with West showing out. East does best to return a club. Take the A, enter dummy with the K and ruff a heart (not a diamond, which would allow East to discard a club). Finally enter dummy with the Q and you are now poised with your A-9 sitting over East's 10-8.
    
2. If the Q loses to the K and East exits with a club, the play is similar. Take the A, enter dummy with the J, discard a club on your K and ruff a diamond. Next enter dummy with the K and ruff a heart. Finally enter dummy with the Q and again you are poised with your A-9 sitting over East's 10-8.

Provided you cash the K before ruffing a diamond you can succeed if East has 4-3-2-4 shape (doubleton diamond).

You could also have succeeded if East has 4-2-4-3 shape (doubleton heart), but East showed an odd number of hearts at trick one and players rarely deceive partner at trick one.