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Adventures of a bridge professional

Adventures of a bridge professional.
Columns by Dutch National Team player Sjoert Brink. Check out the section Columns

Declarer play puzzles
You are declarer in a game of bridge and you are asked to find the best play. Enjoy!
This page always shows the most recent articles. To find the level of  puzzles that suits you best: choose a number of stars in the bar above.


Mini-puzzle (18) **

Solving a double-dummy mini-puzzle, like the one below, is not only fun. It also helps players to gain an insight in playing suit combinations.
Construct the layout with the cards face up on the table. That will make it easier to study all possibilities.

 K 9 
 7
K
A
Q J 4windroosA 8 7
45
A
K
 5 3 
2
Q J

South is on lead in a spade contract. How can he make two tricks?

Solution
 
Mini-puzzle (17) **

Solving a double-dummy mini-puzzle, like the one below, is not only fun. It also helps players to gain an insight in playing suit combinations.
Construct the layout with the cards face up on the table. That will make it easier to study all possibilities.

  
 A 3 2
2
2
windroosA
K 6 5 410 9
QA K
  
Q J 8 7
10

Hearts are trumps. South is on lead. How can he make four out of the last five tricks?

Solution
 
Mini-puzzle (16) **

Solving a double-dummy mini-puzzle, like the one below, is not only fun. It also helps players to gain an insight in playing suit combinations.
Construct the layout with the cards face up on the table. That will make it easier to study all possibilities.

 A K 
 8 7
A
Q Jwindroos10 8
QK
J 10K 8
 2 
2
A Q 3

Clubs are trumps. South is on lead. How can he make all five tricks?

Solution
 
Is this an either/or situation? Or...? *
S/—
K 6 2 
 A 2
8 3 2
A K 10 9 8
  windroos  
    
 A 7 5 4 
K 9
K Q J 5
J 5 4

WestNorthEastSouth
1
pass2pass2NT
pass3NTpasspass
pass   

West leads the 5.

Solution
 
Handle guards with care...*
S/EW
A Q J 
 8 6
K J 5 4
6 5 4 3
  windroos  
    
 6 5  
A 7 2
Q 10 9 8 6
A K Q

WestNorthEastSouth
1NT
pas3NTpas pas
pas   

West leads the 10. How should South play?

Solution
 
Mini-puzzle (15) **

Solving a double-dummy mini-puzzle, like the one below, is not only fun. It also helps players to gain an insight in playing suit combinations.
Construct the layout with the cards face up on the table. That will make it easier to study all possibilities.

 A J 10 
 A

K Q 9windroos
J 10
J 10
A
 2 
5 4
A

South, declarer, is on lead. Spades are trumps.
How can declarer make three out of the four last tricks against best defence?

Solution