Oren's Double Dummy Challenge - 19***

The rules are simple. You get the contract and the lead. You may look at all cards and play accordingly (you are always South). However, the defense can do the same, and they never make mistakes. You must find a way to make the contract against any defense.

Oren's Double Dummy Challenge - 19***

You are playing 7♠. West leads the ♣Q. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!
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*** Difficulty level: hard.

















Solution




Contract: 7♠. Lead: ♣Q. Difficulty: ***Hard.

Win in dummy, play ♠AK (West can throw a heart) and continue with the ♥A and a heart ruff. When you cash the ♠Q, West has a discard problem: he cannot afford to part with another heart, else declarer can ruff 2 more hearts and promote his 5th heart for the 13th trick. So, whatever West throws – You throw the same suit from dummy. Say he threw diamond. You throw a diamond too. Cash ♦AK, ruff a heart and play the spades to reach this ending:




On the final spade, West must keep the ♥J so he is forced to discard the ♣J. Throw the ♥7 from dummy and East is squeezed: If he throws the ♦Q – the ♦6 is high. If he throws club – The ♣3 becomes high. Same thing if West throws a club on the ♠Q: You throw a club too, cash the ♣A and the ♦K, ruff a heart and run the spades to reach the same situation as before, having this time ♦A3 in dummy.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!