Problem 251 for December 2010

Problem Corner by Patrick Jourdain

For Christmas we have two parts to the Prize Problem:

1.  How should West play Six Spades on the lead of the queen of trumps?

 
2.  With ample entries to both hands how do you play the suit holdings below to lose only one trick?

1.   A 10 opposite Q 6 5 4 3 2
2.   A 10 opposite Q 9 5 4 3 2
3.   A 10 opposite Q 9 8 7 2

Answers to Prize problem 251

1. Let the queen of trumps hold the first trick! Then you have two late entries to dummy to ruff out and reach the hearts for two diamond discards. You only fail when the hearts are 5-0. If you win the opening lead you also lose when the hearts are 4-1.
    
2. 1. Play low to the ten. You succeed if South has doubleton jack or king;
   2. Play low to the ACE and return the ten. If no honour has appeared it is equally good to put up the queen or finesse. You succeed with bare honour, Kx or Jx with North, and a successful guess when South has Kx or Jx
   3. Play the queen! If South does not cover, run it. You succeed if South has: K, J, Kx, Jx, KJ, KJx, Kxxx, or Kxxxx

Non-prize problem for April 2010

In this three-card ending how does South make two tricks?

Answer to non-prize problem

South leads the losing club. If West throws an ace dummy keeps the two winning kings. If West throws the diamond queen dummy jettisons the king. Then East is endplayed into giving South two diamond tricks.

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This article has been published with permission from Bridge Magazine