More Hocus-Pocus
Bridge Column for May 23, 2003, Harvey Bernstein
East-West vulnerable.  South deals.
                              North
                              S: 10 4 2           
                              H: K           
                              D: A K Q J 6   
                              C: 9 7 6 5 
            West                             East
            S: K Q 7 3                       S: A 5          
            H: J 10 9 8 5                    H: Q 6 3      
            D: 4                             D: 10 8 5 3 2        
            C: Q 10 4                        C: J 8 2       
                              South                         
                              S: J 9 8 6 
                              H: A 7 4 2    
                              D: 9 7       
                              C: A K 3    
          The Bidding:  
                  South    West    North    East                  
                   1NT     Pass     3NT     Pass
                   Pass    Pass     
     After South opened a weak (10-12 high card points) one no
trump, raised to game by partner, West led the jack of hearts. 
Cover the East-West cards and decide what line of play you would
take as declarer.
     Today's hand is from More Hocus-Pocus by Erwing Brecher and
Julian Pottage of London.  The book contains 96 interesting
bridge problems, 80 mind-bending logic puzzles, an IQ test, and
68 very amusing antecdotes.  An incredible bargain at $15.95.
     Have you decided how you will go about collecting nine
tricks?  Obviously if the diamonds break 4-2 or 3-3 you will not
have anything to worry about, so that isn't going to happen.  If
you go after spades the defenders will knock out your last heart
stopper and beat you with heart tricks.  The only other
possibility is that clubs are 3-3 and the long club in the dummy
will be your ninth trick.  
     The safest way to find out is to win the king of hearts and
play a club to the ace and then duck a club.  The defenders will
more than likely continue hearts.  You win the ace and cash the
king of clubs.  Both opponents follow and when the diamonds don't
behave your careful play has preserved your contract.
     More Hocus-Pocus is being distributed by Master Point Press
of Toronto, Ontario, Canada www.masterpointpress.com and is
available where ever good bridge books are sold.
_______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.