Source: 2006 ACBL Bulletins
Test your queen-placing in the following problems. Assume IMP scoring.
West leads a low diamond, and East wins with the jack. Cashes the A and
K and leads the
K. You ruff. Who has the
Q?
East had the A,
K and
A,
K and
J. That’s 15 points. and he is also marked with a club honor. Since if West had the
K Q, his opening would have been a high club. So West has the
Q. East should have been less forthcoming about his diamond holding. If he leads the
A at the second trick. South won’t be sure which defender has the king.
West leads the 2, and East takes the queen and ace, cashes the
A and exits with a heart.West follows. You continue with a diamond to the ace, both defenders playing low. On the next diamond East plays low again. Who has the queen?
A count of high-card points is inconclusive. East had the A Q and
A but could have opened with either the
K or with the
Q and
J. Instead, draw an inference from the defense. If West had a singleton diamond, he could have beaten the contract by leading it. When East got in with the
A, he’d give West a diamond ruff; and the defense would take two spades. Since even an inexperienced West would have led a side singleton, especially from a weak hand, go up with the
K, expecting West to have held
Q 7.
West leads the 2, dummy plays low, and East wins with the jack and shifts to the
J. How do you play the trumps?
East has the A J and
J, and you must assume he has the
A so, place West with the
Q since East didn’t open.