Two double-dummy problems

1. Spades are trump, and it’s your lead with the South hand. How would you make all the tricks?

Q

5

AJ8

A10

Cash the diamond ace and lead the jack. If West covers with the queen, ruff in dummy, overtake the king of clubs with your ace and play the queen of spades, placing East under severe pressure.

He cannot spare a heart, which would make all of dummy’s hearts good; he cannot spare the diamond ten because you’d then cash your eight, squeezing him again; nor can he spare the club queen

because you’d cash your ten, continuing the remorseless squeeze. If West ducks the diamond jack, you discard a heart from dummy, ruff the diamond eight, overtake the club king and play the queen of spades, placing East once again in the same hopeless predicament.

2. You are on the lead with the South hand and, with diamonds as trump, must make five of the last six tricks. How would

you proceed?