Competition Problem 64

composed by F.H. Lewis
(who died in 1893)
presented for solving in May, 2010

DR?	♠ Q876 ♥ KJ74 ♦ A76 ♣ 43
♠ 1042 ♥ 10952 ♦ KQ ♣ A1065		♠ K953 ♥ Q63 ♦ 1098 ♣ J82
	♠ AJ ♥ A8 ♦ J5432 ♣ KQ97

South to make three spades.  West leads the ♠2.

Solution

I hope nobody recognised this one.   W.H. Whitfeld's problems started to appear in print in 1880, so it might not be the oldest problem in my entire collection.

South wins with the ♠J and leads the ♣K, which West does best to duck.  North is entered on diamond to the ♦A to play a club, South covering East's card.  West wins and to avoid having to make too many damaging leads cashes the ♦K before leading the top club, ruffed by North.  South comes to hand on the ♠A and this is now the position:

	♠ Q ♥ KJ74 ♦ 7 ♣ none
♠ 10 ♥ 10952 ♦ none ♣ 6		♠ K9 ♥ Q63 ♦ 10 ♣ none
	♠ none ♥ A8 ♦ J54 ♣ K

North discards the ♦7 on the ♣K and the best East can do is to ruff and lead the ♦10, covered by South, ruffed by West, and overruffed by North.  South comes to hand on the ♥A and leads a diamond winner.  East ruffs and either South makes the ♥8 and a diamond or North makes two heart tricks.

Successful solvers:  To be announced in next update.

See the solution to Competition Problem #4 for the recommended tabular format if you prefer not to write in English prose.

© Hugh Darwen, 2009

Date last modified: 05 July, 2010