The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-13

The trap - -st by whites play Of Q-Qap,
apparently Offering black a chance TO win
a pawn. What happens II black tries it?
the time 81 their lives with No. 50. many
solvers sending IN their answers and then
writing a day or two afterward 10 take it
all hack and offer something elsc.
The remarkable thing about this prob
lem ~ that there are several ways Of
getting the required aix tricks which are
entirely satisfactory to the Y and z play
ers bat which are nevertheless unsound
beCaus- the A and y players will not
stand for H.. Here il a fair sample of one
u the most popular solutions. although
far from correct:
The only way for y and z TO get six
tricks in to fore a discard from r. and
this can 10 done only by rs leading two
winning diamonds II y discarCis a spade
Il makes two spade tricks.
~ he.dircards a heart. Il places the lead
in vs. hand by playing the five Of clubs
on which Y puts the eight. compelling
X Ia win IL with the jack. 40 ~ 20 shut
out the hearts. After this must make
IN. spade queen and must make two
heart tricks.
The only objection To this line 81 play
Is that y will not discard either a spade
or heart on the second diamond lead bur
the DEUCE Of clubs He can then win the
club lead and push a spade through Il.
still holding StOpp~ru in both hearts and
spades himself. Here IL another favOrite
line Of play which was thought to he a
solution:
q leads the ten Of clubs. forcing b to
win IL with the Jack n b returns a spade
u wins 10. puts Y in with a small club and
then Y lesds the jack OF hearts. 80 a. to
give Il a spade discard A diamond led
tricks in diamonds and the five Of clubs,
40 that ABB cannot possibly get another
trick
The defect in this solution il tina. there
10 no law compelling y to win the first
trick Holding up the jack Of clubs ef-
Iectually kills any possibility Of vs. max
ing trick with the jack 81 hearts. aud
spade discard.
One u the beauties Of this problem 10
that one naturally h1ea the attention on
the iack 20 clubs AZ the winning card for
Alb. whereas u " the jack Of spades. One
solver says:
when Il finally dawned ON me that the
rejected and despised Jack Of spades in
A's hand was the taking card for 4 and
". had TO laugh az the time ! had spent
on the Jack opposite
While u IL true that the key 10 the solu-
ton lies la forcing 90 discard. tho trap
In IN the manner In whsch this forced
discard In delayed until the fourth trick.
Up Co that time y must be allowed En-
pursue his way in peace. but then. a. one
solver neatly PUTS II: rs will suddenly
lind himself tn the burnt district
correspondent In 'ieorRia ssizEasts
that this problem should h. called the
game 81 the fOur Jacks. -becalss the trick
y "a make Va jack Of hearts. tn kill US
jack Of clubs. 90 put some unexpected life
into As jack Of spades, and 60 accomplish
all these Objccts by holding On ~ the Jack
~ diamonds until the psychological mo-
merit arrives for itH proper use.
The correct solution ~ for 4 TO lad the
FIVE Of cluhs. for the purpose Of making
a double reeutry IN va hand, ~ " must
he put into the lead twtos. v covers As
seven With tho eight. and 10 B win be- good
enough 70 win the trick with the Jack
u b al over. bscaiss " y laads a SPADE
2 makes the QUEEN. pulR Y IN with the small
club. dlscardis ths nine ~ apadcs On the