The setting trick

The setting trick problem 78

#1 frank0

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Posted 2012-February-19, 05:09

This is problem 78 from "the setting trick" by IAN McCANCE

Partner leads the 9 and you win the trick, South playing the DJ. How should you play to defeat this contract?

Solution(copy from book):

If you continue♦, you know from the auction declaer wil ruff. What are his likely holding in black suits? Assume he has seven♥ and that his black cards include ♣A. If he has the ♠K as well that's 12 tricks. So assume no ♠K. Then if declarer has two, three, or four♠, the contract must fail.

The case for concern is one♠ with 4♣(not a ♣J). If you return anything other than ♣, declarer can draw trump, trump 2♠ in hand using the ♠A and one of dummy's ♣ for entry, and play a squeeze(an either-or double, against partner in ♠/♣ or you in ♦/♣, whoever holds 4♣).

Skip the last diagram of end position of squeeze(I cannot put?? in diagram)
------------------------------------------------everything above the line is copy from the book-------------------------------------------------
My question is, could declare still makes it if he leads ♦T from dummy, knocks out ♦7 and sets up ruffing finesse against East? Or does he have other reasons to give up this line after a ♣ return?

#2 gnasher

Andy Bowles

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Posted 2012-February-19, 05:31

Yes, declarer can make by setting up the diamonds. That wouldn't work if East had ♦7, though.

It's also makeable via a trump squeeze: win ♣A, cash five rounds of trumps throwing diamonds (or you can play ♠A, spade ruff earlier, if you prefer). East can afford a spade and a diamond, but on the fifth one he has to throw a second spade, and now declarer can set them up with two ruffs.

... that would still not be conclusive proof, before someone wants to explain that to me as well as if I was a 5 year-old. - gwnn

#3 aguahombre

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Posted 2012-February-19, 10:35

After reading the fora, Ian has changed the title to "The Defeating Trick."

"Bidding Spades to show spades can work well." (Kenberg)

#4 inquiry

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Posted 2012-February-19, 16:48

Not a great hand from a defensive standpoint. Even if you move the diamond 7 from west to east to stop your alternative solution to cook the problem, the hand can still not be made.

A diamond return only helps with the ruffing finesse thing (removing the value of the transferred diamond).

A spade return, makes it easy for south to ruff out your spades, and isolate a spade-club squeeze automatic squeeze against your partner, an ending something like this....

This is what happens if you return a spade.. declarer wins ace, ruffs a spade, pulls trumps, plays a club to dummy, ruffs out your last spade (he will play you for 3 or less spades due to the weak two). Then run the hearts. On last heart, your partner has to give something up.

IF your return a club, the ending is a little more difficult for him (a trump squeeze, where he has to manage his entries). He has to win the club ACE in hand, pull trumps, spade ace and ruff a spade, and then run trumps coming to this ending where he still has two trumps left. On the next to last trump, your partner has to give up one of the black suits. If it is clubs, he cashes king queen of clubs, ruffs back to hand. IF it is spade, he crosses to dummy with a club, ruffs a spade, then crosses to dummy in clubs again to enjoy his established spade.

While not a great defensive hand, it would be a fun declarer hand with a club shift at trick two.

--Ben--

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