Problems 1 to 18	DECLARER PLAY QUIZZES	   by Richard Pavlicek



This file contains 18 declarer-play problems, divided into six groups 
or three problems each.  Are you up to the task?

The solutions follow each set of three problems.

Good luck!



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How Many Trumps Do You Draw?			   by Richard Pavlicek



As South, assume you are declarer in 4 S on each deal. How many rounds
of trumps do you draw at once? (Assume a 3-2 trump break)



1.	4 S

	S  Q 4 2
	H  A 5 4 2
	D  Q J 10 2
	C  A 3

Lead: H J

	S  A K J 10 9
	H  K 3
	D  9 4
	C  Q 10 9 4



2.	4 S

	S  Q 4 2
	H  9 7 6
	D  Q 8 6 4
	C  A 6 3

Lead: H Q

	S  A K J 10 9
	H  A K
	D  A 3
	C  9 8 7 4



3.	4 S

	S  Q 4 2
	H  9 7 6
	D  Q J 10 4
	C  A 6 3

Lead: H K then A

	S  A K J 10 9
	H  2
	D  7 6 3
	C  K Q J 4



How Many Trumps Do You Draw?  (Solutions)	   by Richard Pavlicek



1. Win the H K and draw all the enemy trumps. You have eight top 
tricks, and by leading diamonds you can establish two more tricks to 
ensure your contract. Note that if an opponent leads a club, the 
Q-10-9 will ensure a second club trick for you regardless of the 
location of the king or jack.

It would be an error to play clubs yourself to try for a ruff in 
dummy. This might work, but you don't need it. You might run into foul 
distribution and be defeated in an ice-cold contract.



2. Do not draw any trumps. You have nine top tricks, and your tenth 
trick can be made in clubs --  either from a 3-3 club break or by 
ruffing your last club with the S Q. At trick two you should lead a 
club to the ace, then another club. The opponents can win two club 
tricks or shift to trumps, but there is nothing they can do to stop 
you from ruffing a club if necessary.

If you led just one round of trumps, you might be defeated if the 
defenders played back trumps at each opportunity.



3. Ruff the second heart lead, draw two rounds of trumps then lead a 
diamond. You have nine top tricks and need to establish a diamond 
trick to make ten. If you drew all the enemy trumps, you would be 
forced out of trumps before you could win a diamond trick (try it). To 
cope with heart leads it is necessary to keep a trump in dummy.

Note that you must endure the risk of a diamond ruff --  if they can 
get it, you'll be set --  but drawing the last trump would give you 
almost no chance to succeed.



Nine Finesses!					   by Richard Pavlicek



As South, you are declarer in the contracts shown. Each deal contains 
three finesses and your mission (should you accept) is to decide which 
finesses to take and which one to take first.



4.	4 H

	S  3 2
	H  10 8 4 3 2
	D  A Q 3
	C  A Q 5

Lead: C 6

	S  A Q 7 5
	H  K Q J 9 7
	D  7 6 2
	C  2



5.	4 S

	S  J 10 9 3
	H  A Q 8 4
	D  J 3
	C  6 4 2

Lead: H 5

	S  A K 8 5
	H  3
	D  A Q 10
	C  J 8 7 5 3



6.	6 NT

	S  A K Q J
	H  K J 2
	D  J 10 9 2
	C  10 9

Lead: S 10

	S  4 3 2
	H  A 3
	D  A K 8 7
	C  A Q J 3



Nine Finesses!  (Solutions)			   by Richard Pavlicek



4. Take all three finesses! You can finesse for the king in each side 
suit, and your contract will succeed (barring an unlikely ruff) if any 
finesse works. Since the lead is a club, you should play the C Q at 
trick one. Later you will try the spade and diamond finesses the first 
time either suit is led.

Note that you will win anywhere from 9 to 12 tricks depending on how 
many finesses work. You will be set only if they all lose, which makes 
you a strong favorite (7 to 1 odds if you're a mathematician).



5. Take only the diamond finesse, as it is the only one likely to 
secure your contract. (The heart and spade finesses, even if they both 
work, will leave you still needing the diamond finesse.)

Win the H A, lead the D J and let it ride if not covered. Repeat the 
finesse and cash the D A to discard a club from dummy. Then exit with 
a club. If East wins and leads a trump, do not finesse; win the S K 
and lead another club. You will either establish the long clubs or 
develop a crossruff.



6. Take the club finesse first. If it wins take it again and, assuming 
it works the second time, you can now switch to diamonds to ensure 
your contract (take the diamond finesse for an overtrick.)

If the club finesse loses, you then have 11 tricks and need one more 
in diamonds or hearts. You cannot try both finesses since you cannot 
afford to lose the lead. You should combine your chances: Cash the top 
diamonds to see if the queen drops; if not you will eventually try the 
heart finesse.



100% Guarantee					   by Richard Pavlicek



As South, how do you play each of the following hands to guarantee 
making your contract. Forget about overtricks; assume your "life is on 
the line" to make your bid.



7.	3 NT

	S  K Q 4 3
	H  K 7 2
	D  A 9 6 2
	C  K 4

Lead: H 3

	S  5 2
	H  A Q 4
	D  K J 4 3
	C  A J 7 2



8.	4 H

	S  J 8 2
	H  Q J 10 7 6
	D  K Q 4
	C  A Q

Lead: D 10

	S  Q 7 4
	H  A K 8 5 2
	D  A 7 2
	C  4 3



9.	6 NT

	S  A K 7
	H  3 2
	D  J 10 9 8 4 3
	C  4 3

Lead: S J

	S  Q 3
	H  A K 4
	D  A Q
	C  A K J 10 9 5



100% Guarantee  (Solutions)			   by Richard Pavlicek



7. You have seven top tricks and can guarantee one extra trick in 
diamonds with proper technique and another later in spades.

The key play is to cash the D K then lead the D 3 toward dummy. If 
West follows low both times, finesse the nine (if this loses to the 
10, the D Q must fall later). If West shows out on the second diamond 
lead, win the ace then lead toward your jack. This is called a "safety 
play" as it will succeed against any distribution, though it sometimes 
may cost an overtrick.



8. You have nine top tricks and need one more in clubs or spades. 
Rather than rely on a finesse, there is a sure-fire endplay.

Draw trumps and cash all of the remaining diamond winners. Next win 
the C A (key play) and exit with a club. Whoever wins must break the 
spade suit (else give you a ruff and a discard) and you are sure to 
win a 10th trick.

Note that if you finessed the C Q and it lost, East would return a 
club; then you would have to lead spades yourself and probably fail.



9. You have eight top tricks. If you win the S Q and lead the D A and 
D Q, whoever has the king may hold up; then you cannot set up the 
suit. If you then go after clubs, you may lose to the C Q and D K.

The key play is to lead the D Q without cashing the ace. If it wins 
you have nine tricks and you can switch to clubs for three more.

What if someone takes the D K and returns a spade? No problem! Cash 
the third spade and discard the D A --  a jettison play --  then run the 
diamonds.



The Holdup Play?				   by Richard Pavlicek



As South, you are declarer in 3 NT on each deal with no enemy bidding. 
Decide whether or not you will use the holdup play, and if so, on 
which round you will take your ace.



10.	3 NT

	S  Q J 5
	H  6 2
	D  8 5 3 2
	C  A Q J 4

Lead: H 3

	S  A K 10 4
	H  A 8 5 4
	D  A 4
	C  10 9 3



11.	3 NT

	S  4 3 2
	H  K 7 6 2
	D  Q J 10
	C  A J 4

Lead: S 6

	S  A 10 8
	H  A 4 3
	D  A 7 3 2
	C  K Q 9



12.	3 NT

	S  3 2
	H  A 4
	D  A 8 7 5 4 3
	C  9 7 6

Lead: S Q

	S  A 8 6
	H  K 6 3 2
	D  Q J
	C  A K 5 3



The Holdup Play?  (Solutions)			   by Richard Pavlicek



10. Do not hold up. West's lead of the H 3 indicates only a four-card 
suit (with five he would lead his fourth-best card) in which case your 
contract is assured by winning the H A and taking the club finesse. 
Even if the finesse loses, the opponents can take only four tricks 
(one club and three hearts).

The danger in holding up is that East might shift to a diamond --  
especially attractive for East if he has the C K as an entry. You 
cannot afford an attack on two fronts, so take your H A immediately.



11. Do not hold up. The purpose of a holdup is to deprive the player 
with the long suit of an entry. In this case you are obliged to try 
the diamond finesse which, if it loses, will give West an entry 
anyway. Winning the first spade lead may block the run of the spade 
suit.

West in fact has the D K and his spades are S Q-9-7-6-5, and East has 
S K-J doubleton. By winning the S A, crossing to dummy and taking the 
diamond finesse, you will succeed. Notice what would happen if you 
held up.



12. Do not hold up. (You did notice the question mark in the quiz 
title, didn't you?) Your only chance to make this contract is to set 
up the diamond suit and hope the enemy spades break 4-4. Win the S A 
and lead the D Q --  if West covers, you must let him win the trick.

The danger in ducking the first trick is a heart shift --  not unlikely 
since the H A is a crucial entry to dummy's long suit. You would win 
the H K first, of course; but when you lose to the D K, another heart 
lead would set you. Try it!



Four Spades For Sure				   by Richard Pavlicek



As South, assume you are declarer in 4 S on each deal. Can you find the
sure-fire play to guarantee making your contract?



13.	4 S

	S  A K 9 5
	H  K 6 4
	D  A Q 9
	C  K 9 2

Lead: C Q (East plays C 3)

	S  Q J 10 8 7 6
	H  5 3 2
	D  4 3
	C  A 4



14.	4 S

	S  A 3 2
	H  --
	D  9 8 6 5 4
	C  A K J 10 4

Lead: S 9

	S  K Q J 10 4
	H  A 8 5 4 3
	D  2
	C  3 2



15.	4 S

	S  K 10 8 7 4
	H  A Q J 2
	D  5 4 3
	C  K

Lead: C A

	S  A Q J 9 6 5 3 2
	H  6 4
	D  K 7 2
	C  --



Four Spades For Sure  (Solutions)		   by Richard Pavlicek



13. You have 9 top tricks, and there is only one way to be sure of 10. 
Win the C A and draw the missing trumps (three rounds if necessary). 
Lead a club to the king and ruff the last club in your hand.

Next lead a diamond and finesse the nine (unless West plays the ten or 
jack, then finesse the queen). When East wins this trick he will be 
endplayed: A heart lead allows you to win the H K; a diamond lead 
gives you a free finesse; or a club lead allows you to discard a heart 
and ruff in dummy.



14. A number of plays might succeed in practice, but there is only one 
sure-fire technique. Win the spade lead in hand and ruff a heart with 
the S A (do not cash the H A). Lead dummy's last spade to your hand 
and draw all of the enemy trumps.

Next lead a club and finesse the jack. If this loses you will have 10 
guaranteed tricks: five spades, the H A, a heart ruff, and three 
clubs. Note: If the club finesse works, do not repeat it (a clever 
East player might duck with the queen).



15. Did you notice you have all 13 trumps? Even so, you are in danger 
of going down if the heart finesse loses and a diamond is returned 
through your king.

The lifetime guarantee: Discard a heart at trick one. West's only safe 
return is a heart, but now you can hop up with dummy's ace and lead 
the H Q for a ruffing finesse (if East does not produce the king, 
discard a diamond). Even if West wins the H K, your D K cannot be led 
through and dummy's H J will be established for a discard.



Incommunicado					   by Richard Pavlicek



As South, assume you are declarer in the contracts shown. Can you 
overcome the communication difficulties to succeed?



16.	3 NT

	S  A Q 5 4
	H  4 3
	D  7 6 5 4
	C  Q J 10

Lead: C 5

	S  K J
	H  A 7 6 5 2
	D  A K 3
	C  A 9 4



17.	3 NT

	S  Q 8 4 3
	H  5 4 3
	D  A K 4 3
	C  A 2

Lead: D Q

	S  10 7 2
	H  A K J
	D  7
	C  K 9 6 5 4 3



18.	6 NT

	S  K
	H  A Q J 3
	D  8 5 3
	C  A K Q J 10

Lead: H 2

	S  A Q 4 3
	H  10 5
	D  A Q J 10 4 2
	C  5



Incommunicado  (Solutions)			   by Richard Pavlicek



16. You have 9 top tricks after the club lead, however, the blockage
in the spade suit prevents you from cashing them outright. What you 
need is a side entry to dummy so you can unblock the K-J of spades and
then cross to dummy.

Did you accept the free finesse in clubs? If you did it was a Trojan 
horse, and you would be defeated with accurate defense. The proper 
play is to win the C A at trick one, unblock the spades, then lead a 
club. This ensures an entry to dummy to cash all your spades.



17. Your best chance is to establish the club suit, which requires a 
3-2 break. If you proceed in normal fashion (C A then low toward your 
hand), dummy will have no entry and you may lose your second diamond 
winner. You cannot afford to cash both diamonds early.

The solution is to lead the C 2 and duck it (or finesse the nine). 
Regardless of the return, you can get to dummy with the C A to reach 
your diamond winner, and then cross to your hand in hearts to cash the 
remaining clubs.



18. Did you fall for the trap of ducking the heart to your ten? Sorry, 
if East wins the H K and returns a diamond, you will be forced to risk 
the diamond finesse because your spade winners are blocked.

The contract can be assured with careful play. The key is to play the 
H J (or queen) at trick one. If this loses you can handle any defense. 
For example, if a diamond comes back, win the D A, cross to dummy with 
the S K, return to your hand with the H 10, cash the S A-Q, then lead 
a club and dummy is good.

