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Competition Problem 186 composed
by F.Y. Sing
(after
J-M. Maréchal, Problem 172)
South to make six no-trumps. West leads the ♣Q.
Successful solvers: Jim Berry, Steve Bloom, Ian Budden, Ed Lawhon, Leigh Matheson, Steve McVea, Sebastian Nowacki, Rajeswar Tewari, Andries van der Vegt, Dave Wiltshire, Dick Yuen, Wim van der Zijden. Suggested DRs ranged from 1 to 4, averaging at 2.1. Intrafinesse play isn't always immediately obvious to some (including me, I have to admit). Solution South wins the opening lead and plays the ♥J to North’s ♥K (even if West ducks!). North leads a low spade, South just covering East’s card (an “intrafinesse”). West wins and leads another heart to South’s ♥A, then does best to duck the ♠Q lead that comes next. The ♠7 to North’s ♠A is followed by a diamond finesse and the remaining winners in that suit, North discarding two clubs and a heart. The ♠4 to North’s ♠6 then squeezes West in hearts and clubs. Problem 172 is billed as DR1. F.Y. Sing's minor revisions in clubs and hearts improve the precision and also make the solution slightly less obvious, we thought. ©
Hugh Darwen, 2020 |