Play Problem 013 - Unlucky for Some - contributed by Graham Broadbent |
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This is Board 2 from Thursday 9 December Simultaneous, which the commentary in the booklet distributed after the event suggests should be played in six spades by South.
. After a weak two in hearts from West and a natural 3 clubs from West, I duly ended up in 6S sitting South, but failed to find the winning line. Looking at the frequencies on the Ecats web site I was not alone. Even double dummy it's far from obvious.
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The Solution
Ruff the opening club lead, return to dummy with a top trump. Ruff a second club and again return via a trump. Now draw the last trump, leaving the eight card ending below:
East is now squeezed on the play of the Ace of clubs, having no safe discard.
If he discards a diamond declarer throws a small heart from hand, cashes the top diamonds ending in hand and exits with the 2 of diamonds. East wins, but can only return a heart to the ace. Declarer now ruffs a heart with the last trump and claims the 6 and 5 of diamonds as his last two tricks!
If, however East discards a heart, declarer pitches a small diamond from hand and simply exits by leading a small heart towards the nine. East wins but must then lead away from:
♠ ♥KQ8 ♦Q983 ♣
Whichever card he leads gives declarer his twelfth trick!
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