Dubious Logic

Partial Posers

These are two three club contracts. They also share an element of discovery and surprise; that in card-play, even though you've played thousands of hands, you can still find new things.

The first hand is a peach, the second a confidence trick. I shan't get the editor to put the hands in twice, so cover up the analysis and have a go before reading on.

1)

You declare three clubs from West and receive the lead of the heart queen; you duck, South encourages and the knave is continued. A trump switch might have been awkward but you survived that, what now?

This is really good – have you got a line of play?

You'll certainly get one ruff in dummy, and you may be able to get a couple of spades. The diamond ace may be on-side, but which chance should you try first? Let's say you play in simple fashion; a diamond to the king and that'll be taken by the ace of course. They'll play a trump now. If clubs are 2-2 you're still OK. Or if for some reason they can't play another. But you know that it isn't going to work. Tackle spades now and another trump might mean you get no ruffs at all.

Maybe you should set your spade trick up first. If you ruff a heart to hand and lead a spade up they win the ace. Now you could give up on ruffing diamonds and play to set up spades. That's good. Unless spades are 5-2, you'll be OK. In fact you'll be fine ruffing diamonds if the player with the spade ace (over the KQ to cause a problem of course) has three trumps as he won't be able to get in twice more to lead them unless he has the diamond ace in which case you have a diamond trick and your ruff.

However if spades are five with South then he's likely to be short in trumps, so North will get in twice more with diamonds and you'll be done for. You may as well play for spades to be 4-3.

They were 5-2.

Can you see it yet?

For once I think this is easier as a single dummy problem but if it helps this is the layout against which you must protect yourself.

The answer is to duck a diamond completely at trick three.

Let's say North wins a spot card and plays a trump. You play low from dummy and either win in hand or cheaply in East. Whichever hand you're in, you lead to a king. The point is, if someone has three trumps and both aces (and so can play a club each time) one of the aces must be on-side.

In the diagram above, if South puts you in hand you play a spade to the king and ace for another trump, when you win that and play a diamond down had South held the ace it would do him no good to win and play a third trump as you have six clubs and a trick in each of the other suits. Here North wins and has no trump to play. The same effect would be seen had North held three trumps – South wouldn't be able to continue when in with the ♠A .

By controlling who wins the second round of diamonds you ensure that the same player cannot get in twice. This hand came up in a Eastern Counties League match (against Beds.). For the problem here I swapped the seven and ten of diamonds as I didn't want to suggest other lines like playing for both diamond honours on-side. I was the only declarer to make as few as eight tricks (playing a diamond to the king at trick three). Peter Sutcliffe attacked spades and found the aces in the 'right' order. Jeff Orton / Marek Olsiewicz made an overtrick.

2) West again, another three clubs:

North leads the queen of spades, South encourages and you duck. North continues with the ♠J so you survived the first hurdle (ace and heart ruff etc.) how are you going to make the most of your reprieve?

You cash a top club and enter dummy with a spade ruff, both following, and take stock. It seems to be about guessing the club and the diamond.

So, let's get that out of the way, I'll tell you. North has the heart AQ – you knew that – but also the diamond ace. South has the guarded club queen. Why can you no longer make the contract?

It seems so easy; run the club knave and draw the last trump with club king in hand. Play a heart up to the knave. North can squirm, but he can't avoid you setting up a heart trick and getting to the heart king to lead a diamond to the king. Except by playing a diamond himself. But you know where the cards are – remember, I told you.

So, last chance, why can't you (and I) make three clubs?

South covered the club knave…

Now the last trump has to be drawn in dummy and you must lead away from one of table's knaves. Yes, South, a rueful rabbit found the play but, in character, I don't think she meant any harm by it. You have to take a first round club finesse to make your partial. This occurred in a London Business Houses' knock-out; make 3♣ and win the match by an IMP… We lost by five.