Here is an interesting hand I observed on BBO. You are on lead, hearts are trump, and you need to take the remaining seven tricks. Here is the layout:
Can you do it?
Tag Archives: Squeeze
Update 6/6/20: I have solved the puzzle! It turns out that Bridge Composer Double Dummy app knows that West would never be so silly as to open the queen of diamonds. 12 tricks are there on opening lead of the diamond queen.
I will offer my solution after you’ve worked a bit to solve it. Here is the original post from June 5th:
Here is another one from George S. Coffin. This one seems impossible to me. I ran it thourgh my Bridge Composer double dummy software to see if that app found a solution. It did not. So, either Coffin made an editorial or compositional error or he craftily outwitted the software and me. Which do you think it is?
You are in Six No Trump with the queen of diamonds opening lead.
Coffin gave some hints as to what he had in mind:
- Win the king of diamonds on opening lead and start spades with the queen. East cannot productively cover, so her hand becomes irrelevant. You must be careful to play the spade nine under the queen. When you continue with the spade eight and follow with the spade seven in hand, note West’s discard.
- From there you continue spades, watching West’s discards, and you will be able to set up two additional tricks in one of the other suits. That part was easy.
- Then he says you will be able to set up an additional trick in another suit as you continue the squeeze. This is what I found to be impossible. I could not squeeze West when leading from dummy, because I had to discard from hand before West chose his discard.
Maybe you can find a way around that. Good luck.
Email me or put a note in the comments when you would like the solution.
Here is a shorter puzzle from George S. Coffin:
You are South and and the lead is in your hand. Your challenge is to take the last six tricks:
How and when are you going to make best use of your clubs?
I have been dipping into an old book by George S. Coffin, Sure Tricks (2nd edition, 1950). Our copy once belonged to H. Kunimura (any of you recall that name?). Somehow the club obtained it over the years. I googled and was surprised to find the book listed at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sure-tricks-George-S-COFFIN/dp/B000M8HNSC
It contains lots of fun double dummy puzzles. Also play problems in which you are challenged to make your contract by visualizing the worst possible lie of opponents’ cards (thus the title of the book: Sure Tricks).
Here is a sample of his double dummy puzzles:
You are South in 6NT. Lead is the queen of Hearts*. How are you going to make your contract against any defense?
*Typo: Lead corrected to queen of hearts rather than queen of diamonds 6/9/20.
Here is the solution if you give up: Coffin1 Solution
When reading about suit combinations, I strongly suggest dealing out the suit in question.
That’s from Marty Bergen in Bridge Bulletin, January 2020, p, 57.
It’s often hard to see what’s really going on when looking at a hand diagram. Put those cards on the table!
Here is a fun little mini-puzzle for you. Spades are trump and lead is in the South hand. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to take eight tricks against any defense. Enjoy:
This one isn’t as hard as last month’s Double Dummy puzzle from hell. You are South in 6NT and opening lead is the queen of hearts. Take 12 tricks against any defense. Enjoy:
