Double Dummy Challenge #21**

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 - 21**

Against 6NT West leads the ♣K. Good luck!
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** Difficulty level: medium.


















Solution:


Win in hand with the A♣ (throw a diamond from dummy) and continue with a heart to the ♥T when West plays the ♥9.
Play now the ♠8 to the ♠J and continue with the ♠Q, giving the ♠7 from dummy.
Continue with your 2nd heart from hand, finessing to the ♥Q when West tries the ♥J.
Cash the ♥A, dropping West's ♥K and next play the high ♥6, unblocking the ♠AK from hand!

You have now reached this position:




Play now the ♠2 from dummy, forcing East to win the trick with the ♠5. East has to return a diamond. Cover whatever West is playing, and diamonds are high.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

A Guinness Record

This hand was played in the Interpolis tourney in Amsterdam, several years ago. Most players bid and made the slam in spade, but one declarer "managed" to go down. Dear readers, take a look at all 4 hands, and try to imagine how the defense managed to set that cold contract. I'll bet none of you will guess how things went (it’s a challenge!).

Dealer South, North - South vul


Defenders were the Dutch pair Guinness - Mulder. Guinness, sitting West, thought for a long time before leading. It was a pairs tournament where overtricks are valuable. He "smelled" that the slam was cold and thought that making the slam would get them a bad score anyway, so he decided to risk all or nothing. His only chance to set was to find his partner with the ♦10 in order to get a heart ruff. He lead the ♦3, praying that his partner wins the trick. The Dutch declarer in South examined the dummy for 2 seconds and then said: "Dank U wel. Doe maar kleintje (Thank you. Small please)". So... the ♦2 was played from dummy, the ♦5 from East and... the ♦4 from South. Mulder in East stared at his hand in confusion when he realized (more than 20 seconds later...) that he had actually won the trick. It didn't take him long to understand, looking at dummy, that his partner wanted a heart switch, and down went the slam after West ruffed with his one and only trump. It must be a record for a singleton 5 to win the trick in 3rd when everyone else follows! No doubt - a Guinness record.

Double Dummy Challenge #20**

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.


You are playing 3NT. West leads the ♣9. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!
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** Difficulty level: medium.


















Solution:

Play the ♣10 from dummy and Win East's ♣Q with your ♣A. Continue with ♦AKJ, throwing ♠AK from hand! East will win with his ♦Q but now he is forced to help you into entering dummy:

If he plays ♠Q and another spade - the ♠J wins and after cashing 3 more diamonds you will be able to finesse hearts for the 9th trick: 1 spade, 2 hearts, 5 diamonds and 1 club.

Same will happen if East continues with club: you will win it with the ♣10, cash your diamonds and finesse heart. You will also get the 9th trick if East continues with a low heart - Run it to dummy's ♥Q , cash your diamonds and finesse hearts.

East's best return is the ♥K! He cannot stop you from entering dummy, but he will give you the 9th trick, as the hearts are blocked now. Win the ♥K with the ♥A and play heart to the ♥Q. Run your diamonds to reach this ending:



East best keep 2 cards in each of the black suits. If he bares the ♠Q or the ♣K, declarer will play that suit, forcing East's honor out and promoting his ♣J or ♠J for the 9th trick.

But even in the position above the contract is safe: Whichever cards dummy plays, the defense will take 3 tricks and concede the last trick to one of the Jacks.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!