Puzzle Time

Hi all

Greg showed me this deal, it’s from the All Western Regional in Santa Clara. Deep Finesse’s analysis on the printout said that eleven tricks in are possible, even on a lead. First solution in the comments gets eternal glory.

South Dealer
NS Vul
North
9854
Q9
Q6
AQT96
West
AQJT2
T763
9
J82
East
K763
K2
K75
K754
South
AJ854
AJT8432
3

Good luck!

On a side note, would you open the South hand, and if so, what?

Roasted

Hi all

Last weak I experienced a lucky streak, both on the financial and job front. Friends in The Netherlands contacted me whether I was interested in doing some remote database administration. Hell yeah! Even the difference in time zone is convenient, as I will perform all tasks in their off hours.

Remember Washington? I was sitting South and I led my King of after the following auction:

West
North
East
South
 
pass
pass
pass
1
1
1
pass
31
pass
3NT
a.p.

1. A bit horny

This is what I could see.

West
64
A4
AT
AJT9732
 
South
Q72
K5
K87652
84

Declarer took the in dummy and played a to his Ten for my Queen. I continued another via Dennis’ Jack for declarer’s Queen. Next he took a finesse in , Dennis winning the Queen. Another that declarer won with the Ten (nice suit, Dennis!). Now he crossed to the Ace of and asked for the Ace of , pitching a himself.

When the King didn’t come down declarer shook his head and frantically looked for a way out. But Dennis alertly rose with the Ace on the from dummy and cashed out his and the King of , squeezing declarer in & in the process. Down four.

This was the full deal:

North Dealer
All Vul
North
AJ5
J9863
93
KQ5
West
64
A4
AT
AJT9732
East
KT983
QT72
QJ4
6
South
Q72
K5
K87652
84

3NT is of course a very ambitious contract, but declarer could have overcome the lack of entries to the long . Take the lead, play a to the King, finesse in and take the continuation… And now the masterplay: the 4 of to the Ten, creating an extra entry. I’m fairly sure I don’t have enough Pabis Ticci in me to find the killing insertion of the King.