desj@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (David desJardins) (03/18/86)
There is a class of interesting problems involving the construction of a deal (i.e. a distribution of the 52 cards) to satisfy certain properties. One of the most fascinating is to construct deals in which N-S can make a grand slam in any suit, but fare poorly in no trump. As an example I give a deal below in which N-S can make 13 tricks with any suit as trump but only 11 in no trump. There are many solutions but the one I give is perhaps the most elegant (certainly the most symmetrical). Can anyone construct a deal in which N-S can take only 10 tricks in NT? Another possible extension would be to hands where N-S can make a small slam in any trump suit. Although I have not worked on this, it seems likely that they could be made to do very poorly in NT. P.S. If you are interested then I urge you to work on the problem before looking at the solution below. -- David desJardins S: AKQT H: AKQT D: AKQT C: A S: J987 S: 432 H: J987 H: 432 D: J987 D: 432 C: 6 C: 5432 S: 65 H: 65 D: 65 C: KQJT987 N-S can make 7S, 7H, 7D, or 7C, but only 5 NT.
desj@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (David desJardins) (03/26/86)
In article <12466@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> I wrote: > > S: AKQT > H: AKQT > D: AKQT > C: A >S: J987 S: 432 >H: J987 H: 432 >D: J987 D: 432 >C: 6 C: 5432 > S: 65 > H: 65 > D: 65 > C: KQJT987 > > >N-S can make 7S, 7H, 7D, or 7C, but only 5 NT. I have been requested to clarify this, and have been unable to reply via mail, so I am going to post an explanation. In 7C you win the side suit lead, cash the AC, and AK in all side suits, and have all good trumps. In 7S, 7H, or 7D, on a club lead (best), you win the AC and cash AKQ in both side suits. Now ruff one of the tens (East pitching a club) and lead the KC. If West does not ruff you discard your other ten and are left with AKQT of trump over West's J987. If West ruffs you overruff, ruff your other ten, and are left with three high trumps. On a trump lead you simply play AK and ruff in one side suit, then finesse the other side suit. In NT, the defense leads a club and you have three losers. You can take 11 tricks by cashing AKQ and leading a ten; West wins with the Jack and is endplayed into giving you a trick. -- David desJardins