Fancy seeming plays like endplays or squeezes aren't actually that difficult if you understand the mechanics. It can be hard to see when looking at the full deal, but seeing how these plays work in the end position can help you work backwards. If you realize what you are working towards in the end position, it can help you plan out the rest of the deal.
See if you can identify the right way to finish off these deals. We'll even let you see all 4 hands.
How should you play at this point? You can choose to play from either North or South.
Contract: 4
Goal: 3 tricks
 A6 4 |
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| K5 K |
J2 4 |
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| A Q3 |
Lead the 4 and ruff. Then lead the Q.
Lead the Q and hope west ducks.
Lead the A and discard in the same suit as West.
Try claiming and let the directors figure it out.
How should you play at this point? You can choose to play from either North or South.
Goal: 3 tricks
Contract: 3NT
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NORTH
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| J65 9 |
K108 4 |
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SOUTH
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Lead from South to the 9 of spades. Win a heart return and lead towards the Q.
Lead the ace of spades, cross to south with a heart and then lead towards the Q.
Lead the 9 from North and then lead a spade later.
Lead the A and then lead and plan to play the Q.
Lead the A and then lead and plan to play the 9, covering if West plays the J.
Playing in 4. You reach this end position. How shouldyou play (note, in this case, we don't know who has the Q. We'll just pretend it will show up where we don't want it to)
Goal: 4 tricks
| Vul: Dlr: |
AJ10 4 J |
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| ?32 K3 |
?54 Q 6 |
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| K87 5 3 |
What do you do?
Finesse West for the Q (K and low to the J)
Finesse East for the Q (A and run the J)
Lead the J and see how long East thinks to decide whom to finesse
Lead the diamond and let it be the opponents' problem
Cash a trump and go for a squeeze
You are playing in 4. You can afford to lose three tricks. What's your plan on the below layout (No diamonds have been played, we don't know anything about that suit).
| Vul: Dlr: |
43 Q84 A |
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| Q ??? 5 |
Q3 ??? |
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| 65 J765 |
Play a diamond towards the queen
Play a diamond towards the jack
Play the A (discarding a diamond) and then a diamond towards the jack
Play the A and then a trump
Play a trump
You are in the South hand. The contract is 6NT and you have lost no tricks (so far, so good).
| Vul: Dlr: |
NORTH
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| K6 3 543 |
32 5 6 98 |
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SOUTH
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What should your plan be?
Low spade
Diamond
A then a diamond
A then A and another spade
A and another spade
Play from North (because you don't believe in following the rules)
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