ACBL Bridge Beat #82: The Vaniva Problem

This, one of the most famous of all double dummy problems, was composed by Sidney Lenz in 1928 in a contest promoted by Vaniva Shaving Cream.

♠ 5
8 5
A K 7
♣ A K 8 6 5 4 2
♠ K 10 7 ♠ 8 6 4 3 2
9 Q 6 3 2
Q 10 8 3 J 6 2
♣ Q J 10 9 7 ♣ 3
♠ A Q J 9
A K J 10 7 4
9 5 4
♣ —

South is to make 7 after the lead of the ♣Q. Scroll down to see the solution.

 

 

 

 

Solution:

North wins the first trick, South discarding a diamond. North leads the other top club.

If East trumps, South overruffs and cashes the ♠A, North ruffs out West’s best spade, and one trump finesse captures East’s queen.

If East sheds a spade, South ruffs and cashes the ♠A, North ruffs out West’s best spade, and South wins the trump finesse and his remaining spades. North wins a top diamond and South ruffs a club. North wins another diamond and coups East’s trumps.

If East sheds a diamond, South sheds a spade and finesses trumps. North wins a top diamond and South finesses and runs all his trumps to triple squeeze West.

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