[The_Badger]

I could have put this in the Expert Forum, but I think many intermediate/advanced players should be able to work out what is happening here. The defence start off brilliantly, now plan to make the contract as declarer. (Taken from an old 1960s bridge magazine.)

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West leads the ♣A, East following with the ♣6, and West switches to the ♠4, East playing the ♠10. Now plan the play. (Hint: defensive ♦ honours are split)

Additional info: West has three ♠s to the Ace. And declarer takes the second trick with the ♠Q. Can you now see the solution? And there's a clue in the header: Defence Brilliant

And now this is the last clue: If declarer decides to draw trumps at trick three as actually happened at the table - not my preferred line: I agree with other commentators that leading a ♦ towards dummy at trick three is preferable - what can do the defenders do in the subsequent play that prevents them being on lead later in the hand?

(And this is why I enjoyed posting this hand, even two brilliant plays by the defence was not enough to stop declarer having his own final moment of glory in the end(play).

[nullve]

Spoiler

If West has the ♠A at least doubleton left, the ♣K and ♦Hxx, then Declarer needs to prepare for a minor suit squeeze against him by ducking the ♠T. The point is to be able to rectify the count without allowing opps to break the squeeze by attacking diamonds in an efficient manner.

[rhm]

nullve, on 2018-December-26, 06:44, said:

Spoiler

If West has the ♠A at least doubleton left, the ♣K and ♦Hxx, then Declarer needs to prepare for a minor suit squeeze against him by ducking the ♠T. The point is to be able to rectify the count without allowing opps to break the squeeze by attacking diamonds in an efficient manner.

Spoiler

Are you aware that your expected layout is good for 11 tricks?
In my experience Bridge problems rarely allow for overtricks

Rainer Herrmann

[nullve]

rhm, on 2018-December-26, 08:07, said:

Spoiler

Are you aware that your expected layout is good for 11 tricks?
In my experience Bridge problems rarely allow for overtricks

Rainer Herrmann

Spoiler

It didn't occur to me.

[Cyberyeti]

My plan would be to play a diamond to the dummy draw trumps and see how many W follows to. If the Q appears, I have a decision to make.

Spoiler

I can deal with Q doubleton diamond with W trivially (quite likely as he may well have 6 clubs and 3 spades), not so clear if he has 3 or the J

[rhm]

Cyberyeti, on 2018-December-26, 08:50, said:

My plan would be to play a diamond to the dummy draw trumps and see how many W follows to. If the Q appears, I have a decision to make.

Spoiler

I can deal with Q doubleton diamond with W trivially (quite likely as he may well have 6 clubs and 3 spades), not so clear if he has 3 or the J

Spoiler

What if West holds ♦Jx?

Rainer Herrmann

[The_Badger]

Edited

Additional info: Please see further clues above in the original post.

[Cyberyeti]

rhm, on 2018-December-26, 10:29, said:

Spoiler

What if West holds ♦Jx?

Rainer Herrmann

I can see how you handle that, and I don't think I compromise any of the other likely positions by doing so.

[johnu]

Spoiler

2 words, 1) delay, 2)duck

[msjennifer]

SIR,I am eager to see the solution since a duck has been suggested .I can visualise a AJx,xx Qx,AK10xxx with West,But as has been suggested win the SQ then play a Diamond and duck if West plays the Q is OK but as has been suggested that "play a diamond to dummy and remove trumps and then play a diamond does not work as West will jettison the DQ on the third round of trumps .)

[johnu]

msjennifer, on 2018-December-27, 03:10, said:

SIR,I am eager to see the solution since a duck has been suggested .I can visualise a AJx,xx Qx,AK10xxx with West,But as has been suggested win the SQ then play a Diamond and duck if West plays the Q is OK but as has been suggested that "play a diamond to dummy and remove trumps and then play a diamond does not work as West will jettison the DQ on the third round of trumps .)

Spoiler

Don't think of diamonds as a source of additional tricks

[PhantomSac]

I'm not sure if this is the solution or not since it might mean guessing the shape but we can run 5 trumps, diamond to the ace, ruff a club, diamond to the king. Now if LHO is down to blank spade ace we play a spade and if he is down to Ax of spades we play a club and pitch our diamond and LHO will be endplayed. LHO will definitely have gotten me if he shifted to a low spade from Ax to begin with (not happening in real life!). If that is not the case I will know the shape (again assuming LHO did not shift to a low spade from Ax) since RHO has to give count in clubs at trick 1.

And I know this is a hand from 1960 but in modern bridge LHO would have doubled with 4225 (if they don't play raptor or something) or 3235 if they are an expert so that is another way to guess the endgame.

[Cyberyeti]

If W has ♦Qx, he can discard Q♦ to try to avoid the endplay, but it doesn't help.

After 1 spade, 2 diamonds, 6 hearts and a club with the lead in dummy W can have only 3 of ♠Ax, ♣Ax, provided you read the position correctly, and exit to whichever ace he blanked, you're home.

It's not so clear if he started with 3 diamonds.

[The_Badger]

Cyberyeti, on 2018-December-27, 05:53, said:

If W has ♦Qx, he can discard Q♦ to try to avoid the endplay, but it doesn't help.

After 1 spade, 2 diamonds, 6 hearts and a club with the lead in dummy W can have only 3 of ♠Ax, ♣Ax, provided you read the position correctly, and exit to whichever ace he blanked, you're home.

It's not so clear if he started with 3 diamonds.

Well done, Cyberyeti.

[nige1]

Cyberyeti, on 2018-December-27, 05:53, said:

If W has ♦Qx, he can discard Q♦ to try to avoid the endplay, but it doesn't help.
After 1 spade, 2 diamonds, 6 hearts and a club with the lead in dummy W can have only 3 of ♠Ax, ♣Ax, provided you read the position correctly, and exit to whichever ace he blanked, you're home.
It's not so clear if he started with 3 diamonds.

As rhm points out, if LHO has 3 ♦s and both black aces, then declarer's ♥s submit him to a horrible triple squeeze.

[Cyberyeti]

nige1, on 2018-December-27, 06:19, said:

As rhm points out, if LHO has 3 ♦s and both black aces, then declarer's ♥s submit him to a horrible triple squeeze.

It does, but you have to read it, it's embarrassing if he simply blanks both aces and has 3 winners left when you cash 6 hearts.

[msjennifer]

Cyberyeti, on 2018-December-27, 08:42, said:

It does, but you have to read it, it's embarrassing if he simply blanks both aces and has 3 winners left when you cash 6 hearts.

Sir,In fact that was my worry too. It is not SO simple as it appears.Some guesswork is indeed needed .

[The_Badger]

The analysis of this problem (that spanned two pages in the magazine) was written by a prominent World Class player, and I agree that if West is cunning and has three ♦s and bares his two winners - not discussed in the magazine article - it is more difficult to read.

And thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread.

[maartenxq]

Not having read comments or seen whole hand, south probably must play small [diamonds, allow at any moment west to keep the trick with [diamonds]queen.

Maarten Baltussen

[rhm]

Cyberyeti, on 2018-December-27, 05:53, said:

It's not so clear if he started with 3 diamonds.

Why do you see an issue?
Its very clear:
If West has sole control of diamonds West is caught in a triple squeeze without the count being rectified.
After ♣A at trick one and spade to the ♠Q just run 4 top heart and discard spades and one diamond from dummy.
This will be position when you play the ♥T at trick 7

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(East is immaterial)

Obviously if West discards a diamond you gain 2 diamond tricks for 11
So assume first West blanks the club king.
You go to dummy in diamonds and duck a club to gain 2 club tricks.
And if West blanks the spade ace:
You play a spade from hand to west ace. If west exits with a diamond you win, ruff a heart and squeeze West between the minors for 11 tricks

However there is a snag: Declarer can not be certain whether West has 3 or 2 diamonds.
If West has 3 diamonds it is unlikely he would discard a diamond in the above position.
If West discards a diamond it is better to assume West started with 2 diamonds, in which case play for the contract:

The position could be slightly different at trick 7:

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If this is the position and West discards a diamond it is better to discard a diamond from dummy.
Now play a diamond to dummy and exit with the club queen.
West will be end-played

Rainer Herrmann