Warwick Bridge Club
Dealer:N Vul: Nil
NORTH
♠ Q54
♥ 103
♦ AKJ9763
♣ A
WEST EAST
♠ KJ92 ♠ 1084
♥ K652 ♥ J84
♦ 84 ♦ Q
♣ 1076 ♣ J9532
SOUTH
♠ A7
♥ AQ97
♦ 1052
♣ KQ84
One of the worst experiences in bridge is being squeezed unmercifully.
There is nothing physical involved. It occurs when a player, usually declarer, keeps on playing a long suit, which forces the defenders to discard cards that they would rather keep. Claire Duggan (North) executed this tactic when in 6D she forced West to discard cards that would protect West’s Kings.
The important aspect of the bidding was that Mary Johnson, whom we are very pleased to see back at the bridge table, resisted the temptation to respond 3NT after Claire opened 1D. Instead,
Mary strongly supported diamonds.
It was easy then for Claire to check on Aces and set the contract as 6D.
East helpfully saved declarer the trouble of unblocking the Ace of clubs by leading the three. The winning line from here is to draw the opposition’s trumps in two rounds: playing the Ace and then the ten.
Now in dummy, declarer can cash the King and Queen of clubs. A key play now is to cash the Ace of spades.
Whoever has the King must keep it or allow North’s Queen to win. The Declarer can return to hand with a diamond and now comes the squeeze.
West has three spades and three hearts and has to find four discards on North’s four trumps. West must discard the lower ranked cards and is left with just two Kings. South’s Ace-Queen of hearts are now the twelfth and thirteenth tricks.
Results.
Monday, 26 January: (4 and 1/2-table Howell): N Collins, D Moran (63.9) 1; T Hinde, C Hall (60.4) 2; J Nankervis, P Kelly (58,7) 3; W Milne, J Sipple (56.9) 4.
Friday, 31 January: (5 and 1/2-table Howell): N Collins M Simpson (63.4) 1; G Schmidt I, House (60.6) 2; H Price, N McGinness (53.7) 3; S. Head, J Loy (50.9) 4.
