Solution to DD Challenge #28

Contract: 6♦. Lead: ♣3.

Ruff trick 1, play ♠Q, and ruff West's ♠K. Come back to hand with the ♦K, play the ♠J and ruff West's ♠A. Get back to hand with the ♦A to reach this position:



Continue with the ♠10 and throw the ♥A from dummy! Continue now with another spade.

West has few options:

• He can discard, on which you simply continue with spades, throwing all your losers. Or,
• He can ruff with the ♦5 on which you will overruff with the ♦J, ruff another club with your last trump, and continue spade. West can ruff with the ♦Q, but then he return with heart – And your hand is high.
• And finaly, if West ruffs with the ♦Q – Underruff with the ♦J! West can either continue with heart or with the ♦5 – But your hand is high again.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Double Dummy Challenge #28

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 can experiment with the deal below to see if you can solve it. Click the Next button in the diagram to see the opening lead. Click the Play button to play the cards for all 4 players. You can use the GIB button for clues, by seeing which are winning cards to play and which are losing ones (A red number on a card means if you play that card, contract goes down that many undertricks. A green number or a green = sign means if you play that card, contract makes).

Oren's Double Dummy Challenge #28 - By Oren Lidor

You are playing 6♦. West lead the ♣3. Take it from here:

Oren's Double Dummy Challenge #27**

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 - 27**

You are playing 3NT. West leads the ♣8. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!
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** Difficulty level: medium.

Oren's Double Dummy Challenge - 26****

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 ♠AK. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!
---
**** Difficulty level: evil.













Solution: 


On the 2nd spade throw the ♥A!

If West continues with the ♠J, throw the ♥Q from hand. East must play low on the ♠J or the ♠10 will get promoted.

If West will switch to hearts: Finesse to the ♥10, play club, capturing East's ♣KJ with the ♣AQ, cash the ♦A and continue with a 3rd club. West wins with the ♣10 and is forced to continue with hearts. Win with the ♥K, and continue with your 2 top clubs.

The last club squeezes East:
- If he keeps the ♠Q, he must throw a diamond, and the last diamond in hand becomes high
- If he throws the ♠Q then the ♠10 in dummy is high.

If, at trick 4, West switches to the ♦10 - play the ♦J from dummy, and when East covers with the ♦Q - win it with the ♦K. Play heart to the ♥10, continue with club, capturing East's ♣KJ with the ♣AQ, and play a 3rd club. East again is forced to win and play heart to dummy's ♥K. Continue with diamond from dummy and finesse to the ♦8 when East plays low. You will lose only 3 spades and 1 club.

If West switches to club a trick 4: Win with the ♣AQ , finesse heart to the ♥10, play the ♦J, capturing East's ♦Q with your ♦A and continue with your 3rd club, reaching the same position as before.

If West doesn’t continue with the ♠J but switches to heart at trick 2 – play the ♥10 from dummy, continue with the ♦J , taking the ♦K when East covers, return to dummy with ♥Q to the ♥K, finesse diamond again and you have 6 diamonds, 1 club and 2 hearts. (If West plays the ♥J – you take with the ♥K and unblock the ♥Q from hand, promoting the ♥10).

If West continues with a diamond at trick 3 – Play the ♦J and win in hand when East covers with the ♦Q. Play heart to dummy, finesse diamond again, and you have 9 tricks as before.

If West continues with a club at trick 3 – Win cheaply in hand and play a low diamond to the ♦J. East will win this, but the spade suit is still blocked. Whatever he continues, you will enter dummy with heart, finesse diamond and make 5 diamonds, 2 clubs and 2 hearts. Notice that if after winning with the club you play heart, West might rise with the ♥J, and you no longer have 2 entries for 2 diamond finesses.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Oren's Double Dummy Challenge #25****

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 - 25****

You are playing 6♥ West lead the ♦ Q. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!!!
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**** Difficulty level: evil.













Solution: 


Win the lead with the ♦K and play another diamond. If East ruffs it he will continue either a club or a spade. Ruff a club and a spade then play the ♦A and a heart to the ♥K. If East doesn't ruff, win the ♦A and play a 3rd diamond to West's hand, discarding a spade from dummy. Win any return from West, ruff a club and a spade and play a heart to the ♥K (or, if West returns a heart, win with the ♥K, ruff spade and ruff club). In short, no matter how opponents play you will adjust your play to reach this ending:



Continue with the ♥Q and East is squeezed: If he throws a spade: Play a low heart from hand, ruff spade, ruff club, ruff spade and spades are high. If he throws a club: Overtake the ♥Q with the ♥A, ruff club, ruff spade, ruff club and the clubs are high.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Oren's Double Dummy Challenge #24**

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 - 24**

You are playing 6♠. West leads the ♣10. You covered with the ♣Q, East won with the ♣K and continued with the ♣3. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!
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** Difficulty level: medium.













Solution: 

You covered with the ♣Q and East took with the ♣K and continued with the ♣3. Ruff with the ♠10 , play spade to the ♠A, continue with the ♣8 and ruff East's ♣J. Play the ♠Q , diamond to the ♦K and continue with the ♣7. East will cover again with the ♣A . Ruff it with your last trump. Play another diamond to your ♦A. Cash East's last trump with your ♠K and play another spade (throw 2 diamonds from hand) to reach this ending:



When you play the ♣6 from dummy, West is squeezed in the red suits.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Oren's Double Dummy Challenge #23**

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 - 23**

You are playing 6♠. West leads the ♥K. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!
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** Difficulty level: medium.


















Solution:


Win with the ♥A, ruff heart with the ♠K, return to dummy with a spade to the ♠8. Ruff another heart with the ♠A , return to dummy with another spade to the ♠9 and ruff the last heart. Play the ♠J and overtake it with dummy's ♠Q to reach this ending:



Continue with the ♠2, throwing a diamond from dummy. West is in trouble: If he throws a club, you will play a club to the ♣A and another club to West's ♣K. West has only diamonds left, and he is forced to underlead the ♦K, so that your last 3 tricks will be the ♦AQ and the ♣10. If West throws a diamond on the last spade, you will play a diamond to the ♦A and another diamond, forcing West to win the ♦K. West has only clubs left, and is forced to underlead his ♣K, helping you score the ♣AQ and the ♦Q. West can also try to be smart and throw the ♦J on the last spade and the ♦K(!) when you play a diamond to the ♦A. Then you will need to play another diamond to the ♦Q and run the ♣Q to West's ♣K. With ♣J6 left, West has to continue clubs to your ♣A10.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Oren's Double Dummy Challenge #22***

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 - 22***

You are playing 6♣. West leads the ♣3. You must make your contract against any defense. Note that whenever West wins a tricks, he continues with another club. Good luck!
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*** Difficulty level: hard.


















Solution:


Win in dummy, finesse hearts to the ♥Q, play the ♠A and continue with diamonds. If West allows you to win, continue by ruffing a spade, then play another diamond . Say West takes the ♦A and plays another club - Win in dummy again, ruff spade, play diamonds to dummy's ♦K and ruff another spade. Continue now with the ♥A and a heart ruff to reach this position:



Play another spade and ruff it with the ♣A. West is fixed: If he discards the ♦J - Continue with the ♦10 . If West discards again - Throw the last spade from dummy, and the ♣K is high. If he ruffs - Overruff with dummy's ♣K and the ♠Q is high. If West discards the ♥J - Continue with the ♥9. If West discards again - Throw the last spade from dummy and the ♣K is high. If he ruffs - Over ruff with dummy's ♣K and the ♠Q is high. If West decides to under ruff - Dummy is high.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

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!

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!

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!

Oren's Double Dummy Challenge #18****

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 - 18****

You are playing 6♠. West leads the ♣6. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!
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**** Difficulty level: evil.

















Solution:




Contract: 6♠. Lead: ♣6. Difficulty: ****Evil.

Win the first trick with dummy's ♣Q. Ruff the ♦3 in hand. Draw ♠AKQ. Play a heart to the ♥A and continue with the ♦A (throwing a heart from hand), then with the ♦10 (throw another heart) to arrive at this position:




West must win with the ♦J (if he allows your ♦10 to win the trick, you simply continue with a heart, losing it to East, win the club return, ruff a heart and throw the last heart on the ♣K). When he plays another diamond – Ruff in hand and throw your heart from dummy. East is in trouble: If he throws the ♥Q – Ruff a heart, play club to the ♣A and the ♥J10 are high. If East throws a club - Play the ♣A first, ruff a heart, and the ♣K3 are high.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Oren's Double Dummy Challenge - 17**

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 - 17**

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
















Solution: 







Contract: 7♠. Lead: ♣K. Difficulty: **Medium.

Win with the ♣A, finesse diamonds to the ♦J, cash the ♦K, play the ♥A, enter dummy with a trump, discard your last heart from hand on the ♦A, ruff a heart with a low trump, enter dummy with another trump and ruff a 3rd heart with the ♠A.

You have now reached this position:




Play another trump to dummy, drawing West's last spade on the way, throw your 2 club losers on dummy's ♥ K10 and ruff the last club in hand.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Double Dummy Challenge #16***

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 - 16***

You are playing 7♥. West leads the ♦K. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!
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*** Difficulty level: Hard.
















Solution: 





Contract: 7♥. Lead: ♦K. Difficulty: ***Hard.

Throw a club form dummy and win with the ♦A. Finesse heart as cheaply as possible and ruff a low spade with the ♥J. Finesse heart again and ruff another low spade with the ♥Q. Finesse heart once more to reach this ending:




Play the ♥A and the ♠AK and discard the ♣AKQ from your hand. Dummy's clubs are high.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Double Dummy Challenge #15**

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.

Challenge - 15**

You are playing 5♦. West leads the ♠T. East wins with ♠A and continues with the ♠Q. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!
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** Difficulty level: Medium.
















Solution:



Contract: 5♦. Lead: ♠10. Difficulty: **Medium.

East wins the ♠A and plays back another spade. Win the ♠K, enter dummy with a club and play a low diamond to the ♦Q. Play a 2nd club towards dummy and another low diamond to the ♦10. Get back to dummy on a 3rd club and ruff the last spade with the ♦4. Now play ♥AK and a 3rd heart to West's ♥Q. You have reached this position:



West will play one of his black cards and you will ruff it with the ♦8. If East overruffs with his ♦K – Play the ♦A and the ♦9 is high. If he underruffs with his ♦7 – discard the ♥7 and the ♦A will be your last trick.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Double Dummy Challenge #14**

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.

Challenge - 14 (Difficulty : Medium)

You are playing 7♠. West leads the ♠Q. You must make your contract against any defense. Good Luck!
















Solution:

Win the ♠A, come back to hand on the ♠K and finesse to the ♦10. Cash the ♦K, return to hand with ♥A and throw the last 2 hearts from dummy on the ♦AJ. Ruff a heart with your last spade in dummy and come back to hand on the ♣K. Draw the last 2 trumps. This is the ending situation:



On the last spade West is squeezed: If he throws the ♥K - your ♥3 becomes high, and if he throws the ♣J - your ♣A8 are high.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Double Dummy Challenge #13****

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.

Challenge #13 (difficulty: evil)

Note that this week's DD is truly "evil"! Good Luck!

You are playing 7♥. West leads the ♣Q. You must make your contract against any defense.















Solution: 



Contract: 7 ♥. Lead: ♣Q. Difficulty: Evil.

Win the ♣A, discarding diamond from hand, and play the ♣K. East cannot afford to ruff. So, the problem is divided now to 2 options:

a) East discards a diamond: Throw a spade from hand and finesse hearts toward the ♥10 at trick 3. Go back to dummy with the ♦K and play another heart to the ♥J. Continue playing ♥AK and a 5th heart to reach this position:



On the last heart West is in trouble. He cannot throw a spade, nor can he throw a club, else he will promote 2 tricks in that black suit. So he must throw a diamond. Throw a club from dummy and continue with diamond to the ♦A. Play the last high diamond from dummy, throw a spade from hand and West is doomed:
- If he throws a spade, your ♠A will drop West's ♠K and the ♠Q is high.
- If he throws the ♣J, you will be able to throw the ♠Q on dummy's last club.

b) East discards spade: Ruff the ♣K(!) and continue with the ♠A and the ♠Q, ruffing it when West will cover with his ♠K. Play a heart to the ♥10 and continue with the ♠J9 (West's ♠10 falls on the ♠J), throwing 2 clubs from dummy. Continue now with a diamond to the ♦K arriving to this situation:



When you play now club from dummy, East will discard a diamond. Ruff it low, enter the table with the ♦A and play another club to capture East ♥Qxx with your ♥AKJ via a trump coup.

Well done to all the solvers!

Double Dummy Challenge #12**

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.

Challenge #12 (difficulty: medium)

You are playing 4♠. West leads the ♣Q. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!















Solution:
Win the ♣A, draw 3 rounds of trump and play the ♣2, discarding a diamond from hand. West will win and continue clubs. Allow him to win 2 more rounds, discarding 2 hearts from dummy and 2 more diamonds from hand, to arrive at this position:



Ruff the next club in hand, discarding the last heart form dummy. East is squeezed: If he throws a heart – Ruff heart in dummy, come back to hand with the ♦A, ruff another heart in dummy, ruff diamond in hand, and the last heart is high. If he throws a diamond – Win the ♦A, ruff a heart in dummy, ruff diamond in hand, ruff heart in dummy and the final diamond in dummy is high.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Double Dummy Challenge #11**

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.

Challenge #11 (difficulty: medium)



You are playing 7♠. West leads the ♦J. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!















Solution:
Win the ♦K, ruff a heart, play the ♣Q and when West covers, win it with the ♣A. Ruff a 2nd heart , return to dummy with the ♦A and ruff another heart. Play the ♦Q and 2 more rounds of club and ruff a 4th heart in hand. You will reach this position:



When you play the ♦8, West will ruff. If he ruffs low, you will overruff with the ♠9 and make the last 2 tricks with the ♠AK. If he ruffs with the ♠J, you will overruff with ♠K and run the ♠9 to finesse East's ♠Q.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!

Double Dummy Challenge #10**

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.

Challenge #10 (difficulty: medium)



You are playing 7♥. West leads the ♠7. You must make your contract against any defense. Good luck!













Solution:
Ruff in hand, play a club to dummy's ♣A and ruff another spade. Ruff a club in dummy, come back to hand with a trump and ruff another club in dummy. Return to hand on another trump to reach this position:



Play another heart and throw a diamond from the table. Continue with the ♣K (and throw another diamond from the table). Now East is squeezed: If he throws another diamond – You will play the ♦AK , ruff a spade and the last diamond in hand is high. If he lets a spade go, you will play a diamond to the ♦K, ruff a spade, play another diamond to the ♦A and enjoy the last high spade in dummy.

Well done to everyone who solved the problem!