| Mini-puzzle (18) ** |
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Solving a double-dummy mini-puzzle, like the one below, is not only fun. It also helps players to gain an insight in playing suit combinations.
South is on lead in a spade contract. How can he make two tricks? Solution At first sight, South can win only one trick: with dummy's master heart, the ♥7. Though South can, in principle, set up a diamond trick, he cannot enter his hand to cash it (besides, East would ruff).South's only chance to make a second trick is in trumps. In order to do so, he should not surrender the lead by playing a diamond, since West will win and play the ♠Q: EW will play a second round of trumps, ending South's dream of a trump trick. Of course South cannot afford to play a trump himself, for the same reason. This is the amusing solution: he plays the ♥2 to the ♥7 and continues with the ♣A, which he ruffs with the ♠5. By way of this uppercut he is certain to make a trump trick sooner or later: - If West does not overruff, South's ♠5 wins the trick. - If West does overruff (with either the ♠Q or the ♠J) North's ♠K9 will produce a trick (if West continues with his other honour dummy covers with the ♠K; if West continues with the ♠4 or the ♦A, dummy inserts his ♠9, forcing East's ♠A). |
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