The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-04
90
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There are no trumps and II is In the
lead. The question to decide is whether
Y and u can force A and = to win five
tricks or A and can force Y and Y
to win three. The answer is that and
Il win only four.
1t is readily seen that If Y opens with
anything but spade he cannot get rid
Of the spade queen until A has taken home
four tricks-a heart. IA diamond and two
clubs. then throws u into the lead
with the spade and u has to win two
more. n heart and club. or Y has to
win heart and a spade.
To begin with the false solutions that
start right with the spade queen. those
who thought that Y and z would win
only two tricks got II this way: fol-
lows the spade queen with the deuce OF
diamonds. which is the best possible con-
tinuation. A holds the trick with the ten
and makes his ace OF hearts, ha ling
discarded a spade to the diamond lead
% AS to keep his jack Of hearts guarded
2 keeps the heart ten.
A then puts his partner in with the
club seven. Y still dscarding spades
B wins the trick with the ten and comes
along with a heart, upon which Y puts
the ten. Now A has to discard before he
knows whether is going to hold the
trick or Y Is going to take It away from
him with the jack. Whatever plays he
10 lost.
The objection to this solution Is thar
B is too quick about leading that heart
after he wins the club trick. According
TO the play given Y has two hearts and
a spade left in hand. and BIS proper lead
10 the Jack Of diamonds and then the
heart. This forces Y to give UP his last
spade or get down to one heart. which Is
either a winning or losing one.
II z throws the heart ten on the
diamond, a will throw the spade when
tho heart. lead comes along. as must
win II. II z keeps the heart ten and Y
let's 20 a heart, A will be able to see
which player must win the heart trick
and discard accordingly.
OF course Y may discard differently,
but there will be no change In the order
Of the four tricks that A wins. at the
end of which Y will be down to one OF
three positions, one Of which has been
examined. The others are when he holds
nothing but spades. or when no holds two
spades and only ono heart.
In the hrst case. B wins with the club
ten and leads a heart at once. upon which
gsts rid OF the club Jack. so that
takes the rest OF the tricks. In the sec
ond case. when b leads the heart imTedi-
ately after getting In with the club A
disoards according to the size OF the
single heart that Y still holds. II It IL
the jack, A sheds the spade. II z has
the high heart. A discards the club. In
either case Y and n win the rest.
variation Of this solution was to
make Y follow the spade queen with tho
heart seven, keeping the jack Of hearts
guarded all through. a leads dia-
ynond. which b wins with the Jack, so
ms to lead the club ten and follow with
tho heart. This gives or z the
opportunity to win the trick according
to As discard.
But this Is q very poor defence for
"A and b. Tho correct play Ii to let
A win the diamond trick and follow with
the club. SO that h Is In the lead with
the winning diamond. This brings about
one Of the three position already shown
to be winners for A and b.
While the majority Of those who sent
in solutions were sure that A and y
would have to win fve tricks. three were
some who went to the other extreme
and overdid their solution by demon.
strsting that y and Y could be forced
70 win four tricks Az this Ia not true
all such solutions had to be thrown out
20 equally faulty with those that gave
81 and 2 two only.
Correct solutions fron:
Henry Andersen. ID. A. w., b. q
Brainc. Frank II. Young. L. s. Hart. Jr.
e. II. OConnOr. w. y. w.. Charles M
Root, II. NJ. Frost. G. II Darling. JOhr
II Whiting. u. II. Hempel and james
2un1sr.
4 late selutisn % Ne. 81 y y haat