Bridge Problem 10

South/all



 Q 4
J 8 4
9 4 2
Q J 9 7 4
J 9 2
9 5 3
A Q 8 7 3
8 3
N
W
E
S
 A 8 7 6
Q 10 7 2
10 5
10 6 5
K 10 5 3
A K 6
K J 6
A K 2
The contract is 3NT to be played by South. 7 is led.
How can the contract be made?
For solution go to the bottom of the page[IMAGE]











Solution:

Declarer took the first trick with J and could only be certain of 8 tricks. It was clear that the ninth trick had to come from spades. But there would be a problem if East held A; a continuation with diamonds through South's king would be fatal. To prevent this South resorted to a small deception. In the second and third tricks declarer cashed the ace and king of clubs. Next he played the king of spades. East assumed that declarer had no more clubs and was trying to force out the ace of spades, so that Q would be an entry to reach dummy's clubs. Therefore East held up the ace. A delighted declarer was now able to collect 9 tricks.
N.B. West could have prevented the deception by first playing the 8 of clubs and next the 3 of clubs. By doing so West would have indicated an even number of clubs. East would have known that South held a third club.
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