Calling the Twenty — Puzzle E2

Trischaken. A trick already holds Q♥ and C♥ (led Hearts). You must follow suit and hold K♥ and 1♥. The Rising Rule is on: beat the trick if you can.

zwanzigerrufen Puzzle #185

Which card do you play, and what happens?

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Answer

The K♥: you have no choice. The Rising Rule forces you to beat the Q♥ if you can, and your K♥ can. You win a trick worth at least 12 Card Points that you desperately did not want. The lesson to carry into bidding: in Trischaken, high cards are not power, they are debt. (The 1♥ stays for a trick you can legally lose.)