Double Dummy Corner

 

1st exchange for Exchange & Win No. 17

 A2

 AJ9

 Q1074

 J762

 J10873

 KQ2

 98

 954




 K

 10876543

 KJ3

 Q3

 Q9654

 none

 A652

 AK108

South is declarer in five no-trumps.  What is the winning exchange?

What sequence of counter-exchanges follows?

The first winning exchange is to swap West's 9 for South's 10.  The cost is (10-9)x2=2.  The difference is doubled under Rule 2.  South no longer has a tenace over West's J, so the endplay described before fails.

North-South is now the losing side and we must find a counter-exchange that makes them the winning side again.  The counter-exchange must be cheaper than the first exchange, so it must either cost less than 2 (i.e., 1) or must involve lower cards or a lower suit than spades, under Rules 6 and 7.  If you want a hint, look at Problem #129 in the archive.  This is the problem that inspired Carlalberto Magri to compose this E&W problem.  (It also happens to be the first problem I ever composed!)

E&W #17 Problem #129 2nd exchange revealed  
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        © Hugh Darwen, 2001

Date last modified: 23 January, 2006