Declarer play Problems

Dear BBOers, have a go at trying to solve this bridge problem. Your overall score will be displayed, along with the correct answers once you’ve complete the exercise. Good luck!

Declarer Play Problems

Declarer Play Problems


Problem 1

Contract: 3 No-Trumps (after East opens 3). Lead: 9 on which East plays the 10.

What's your plan?

Correct Answer:

b) Win, play the Jack of Diamonds intending to take dummy’s Ace if it’s covered and play a Club to the 9

Even if the Diamonds provide four tricks you will need to make something of the Clubs. The best chance is to start with a Club to the 9. If West wins with the Jack and exits with a Spade you win with the King and play the Q which collects East’s 10 and gives you three tricks in the suit and nine in all. This delightful play rejoices in the name of an ‘intra-finesse’.


Problem 2

Contract: 6 Clubs.
Lead: 10.
You win with dummy’s Ace and cash the A on which East discards a Heart.

You plan:

Correct Answer:

a) To play off the top Spades

After a Spade to the Ace and the nine of Clubs covered by the ten and King, you cash the Ace of Diamonds and ruff a Diamond with the eight of Clubs. Even if West can overruff and return a trump, you will score the tricks you need as East is squeezed.


Problem 3

Contract: 6 Spades. Lead: 7.

What do you do?

Correct Answer:

c) Win in hand and cash the AKQ intending to play a Diamond to dummy’s ace and take the ruffing finesse if the trumps break or are 4-1,

The first point is to win the Heart lead in hand, preserving dummy’s King as an entry. If trumps are 3-2 it does not matter what you do, but when they are 4-1, the ruffing finesse in Diamonds is clearly better than the direct finesse of the King.


This article was written by Larry Cohen and was originally published in Bridgerama+.

Click here to find out more about Bridgerama+

9 comments on “Declarer play Problems”

  1. Wouldn't it be a nice idea to test before publishing? Got a score of 0/3 whereas all 3 solutions are same as mine.

  2. Something's wrong with the scoring. The summary says I got 0/3 right, but my answer agreed with two of the solution answers.

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