BRIDGE
Two Pretty Squeezes
By EWART KEMPSON
In the match between Colonel Walshe’s team and Mr. Wraith’s team there was one particularly interesting hand.
Both sides were vulnerable when East dealt.
♠ 9 8 3
♥ Q 10 6
♦ A 6 3
♣ 8 7 3 2
♠ Q 7 6 5 ♠ J 4
♥ K 9 4 ♥ 7 5 3 2
♦ J 7 2 ♦ 10 8 5 4
♣ 10 6 5 ♣ A Q 4
♠ A K 10 2
♥ A J 8
♦ K Q 9
♣ K J 9
In Room I, Mr. Wraith landed in a contract of Three No Trumps, and Colonel Beasley (West) led the five of spades. South won with the ace and went across to dummy’s ace of diamonds for the heart finesse. Colonel Beasley followed this finesse to win, so Mr. Wraith took a second time, but as West won king and back came a third heart.
The declarer now awoke to the awfulness of the situation, so he led the king and a low spade, but West merely popped him back with the fourth spade. Eventually the defence made five tricks, and the contract was one down.
The next move was an example of thought…ness[sic] and a fly[sic] defence.
In the other room Colonel Walshe and the writer got to Three No Trumps, and West (Mr. Lill) made the same opening lead of a low spade. South won with the ace and returned the two of spades immediately, but West was in no hurry to take his queen so dummy’s eight won the trick.
A club was returned and the knave finessed successfully. Game was now assured with three spades, three diamonds, one club at least, and two hearts; thus to establish a second heart South led the 6 of that suit towards dummy.
West saw no reason for playing the king, so dummy’s 10 held the trick, and a club was returned. East played the ace, but that was the only trick East–West could take! From this moment the rest belong to South.
He wins the heart return with the ace and takes three diamonds, finishing in dummy. On North’s 13th club East must either bring his knave of hearts or retaining diamonds. West is forced to come down to 10 of spades only, and dummy holds the 6 of hearts and queen, 7 of spades and king of hearts.
A SQUEEZE
The same result against any defence was possible on the hand given below:
♠ J 3
♥ K 4 3
♦ Q 9 6
♣ K J 8 5 3
♠ 9 6 5 ♠ Q 8 7 2
♥ Q J 8 6 ♥ 10 5 2
♦ J 10 7 ♦ K 3 2
♣ Q 6 2 ♣ 10 9 4
♠ A K 10 4
♥ A 9 7
♦ A 8 5 4
♣ A 7
Again the contract was Three No Trumps in each room, and Mr. R. Latimer made 12 tricks against an initial lead of a low spade. He won the first trick, led ace and another club and took the finesse. The defenders were in difficulty with their discards, so 12 tricks were made.
Colonel Walshe and the writer were also in Three No Trumps, but the contract was defeated by one trick, which only goes to prove that anything may happen. Actually North–South have nine tricks using three spades if the club finesse is wrong (which it isn’t).
The play in Three No Trumps is a small slam against any defence; it can be done, but only by very brilliant play.
South must refuse to take the first heart; that is the key move. He wins the second heart with the ace, takes two South must refuse to take the first heart; that is the key move. He wins the second heart with the ace, takes the club finesse East must cover (otherwise it's easy), South wins and plays out his ace of diamonds (another key move). He returns to dummy with the king of hearts and plays out the remaining three clubs, on the last of which East holds 8 7 2 of spades and king of diamonds. He must part with one card which means that (a) North makes the queen of diamonds, or (b) South takes the last three tricks with spades.
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