DEFENSIVE PROBLEM #8

South dealer
Both sides vulnerable

	NORTH (dummy) ♠ K 9 5 ♥ A Q 7 ♦ K Q 10 8 4 ♣ 10 9
WEST (you) ♠ 8 6 ♥ J 9 6 3 ♦ A 3 ♣ K 8 7 3 2

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
Pass	Pass	1 ♦	Pass
2 NT	Pass	3 NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

You lead the club three. East wins with the club ace and returns the club queen; South follows with the four and the six.

Plan your defense.

Solution

	NORTH ♠ K 9 5 ♥ A Q 7 ♦ K Q 10 8 4 ♣ 10 9
WEST ♠ 8 6 ♥ J 9 6 3 ♦ A 3 ♣ K 8 7 3 2		EAST ♠ 10 7 4 3 2 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ 9 5 2 ♣ A Q
	SOUTH ♠ A Q J ♥ K 10 5 ♦ J 7 6 ♣ J 6 5 4

WATCH THE SPOTS. Since (in view of the bidding) it is a moral certainty that declarer will be unable to take nine tricks without using dummy's diamonds, West can see a sure set by overtaking the queen of clubs and forcing out South's jack with the eight. It would be greedy to hope for a two-trick set by letting the club queen hold; in the actual layout, the contract would be made.

(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1963 National Intercollegiate Bridge Par-Deal Tournament by William S. Root and Lawrence Rosler.)

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