Competition Problem 4

composed by Hugh Darwen (after Robert Lemaire)
presented for solving in June 2005

DR5	♠ K32 ♥ 87 ♦ J32 ♣ AQJ32
♠ 10987 ♥ K ♦ 10987 ♣ K876		♠ QJ6 ♥ 105432 ♦ K54 ♣ 109
	♠ A54 ♥ AQJ96 ♦ AQ6 ♣ 54

South to make seven no-trumps against any lead.

Solution

A.      If West leads a spade, South wins with the ♠A, takes a club finesse, returns on the ♥A, takes another club finesse, and cashes the top club.  East is squeezed out of a spade.  The ♥8 wins the next trick, allowing North to lead the ♦J, forcing East's ♦K and thus isolating the guard of that suit in the West hand.  South wins with the ♦A and cashes the ♥Q-J to begin a repeated squeeze on West.

B.      If West leads a diamond, South wins with the ♦Q and must cash the ♥A before taking the first club finesse.  This time South overtakes the ♥8 with the ♥9 in order to continue hearts.  On the ♥Q West discards a diamond and North the ♣2.  The ♥J squeezes West out of a spade.  North's club menace having done its work, the ♣3 is discarded and North's two club winners begin a repeated squeeze on East.

Against any other lead either of the above lines can be followed.

Solvers who do not wish to write in English prose might prefer the following style.  Note upper-case for the suit of the winning card, and show cards in the order in which they are played, not in a column for each player.

1.    10s(a)-2s-6s-AS
2.    4c-6c-JC-9c
3.    7h-2h-AH-Kh
4.    5c-7c-QC-10c
5.    AC-Js-4s-8c
6.    8H-3h-6h-7s
7.    Jd-Kd-AD-7d
8.    QH
9.    JH-?    repeated squeeze on West

(a)      1.    10d-2d-4d-QD
2.    AH-Kh-7h-2h
3.    4c-6c-JC-9c
4.    8h-3h-9H!-7s
5.    QH-7d-2c-4h
6.    JH-8s-3c!-5h
7.    5c-7c-QC-10c
8.    AC-?   repeated squeeze on East 

Successful solvers (5 DD master points each):  Robin Adey, Jean-Marc Bihl, Steven Bloom, J-M. Maréchal, Andy Prothero, Dick Yuen, Wim van der Zijden

© Hugh Darwen, 2001

Date last modified: 14 January, 2007