Declarer Challenge with the II Ultimo, trick 25 of 27. You are the Forehand, the Dealer is the Declarer, and you lead. The piles are used up, so you know the Declarer's last three cards.
P2Dealer, Declarer
3 cards
Your hand
Pad
- Still out: XXI, J♠, C♠ (the Declarer's last three cards).
- Captured so far: you 26 cards with 17 pips, the Declarer 22 cards with 21 pips.
- Bonus cards captured: you K♥, K♦; the Declarer Skus, K♣, K♠.
Which card do you lead to score the most Victory Points?
Answer
The II. The Declarer takes this trick with the XXI whatever you lead, so give them the card with no pip: they finish on 33 Card Points, short of 36, and you score 3 Victory Points. Lead the Q
and its 3 pips give them exactly 36: you still score the II Ultimo and the Pagat Ultimo, 1 Victory Point each, but they score 2 for the contract. Lead the Pagat and they reach 37 and capture the Trull as well.
and its 3 pips give them exactly 36: you still score the II Ultimo and the Pagat Ultimo, 1 Victory Point each, but they score 2 for the contract. Lead the Pagat and they reach 37 and capture the Trull as well.Rule: Nothing was announced, so the Declarer Challenge pays the Declarer 2 Victory Points at 36 Card Points or more and the opponent 3 below that, and the II Ultimo (the II wins the second-to-last trick), the Pagat Ultimo (the Pagat wins the last trick) and the Trull (the Skus, the Moon and the Pagat captured) each score 1 Victory Point silently.