sept20

Dealer East. Vul E/W T3 AJ54 J86 QT64 KJ6 54 3 QT986 AKT9 Q75 87532 KJ9 AQ9872 K72 432 A West North East South Pass 1♠ Pass 1NT Pass 2♠ Pass Pass Pass Once again, no excitement in the bidding, and this timeWest had an easy lead of the diamond ace. East encouraged, and the defense won the first three diamond tricks. East switched to a spade, declarer played low, and West won with his spade jack, returning his singleton heart: jack – queen – king. Declarer decided to cash the spade ace and exit with a spade, hoping for a defensive error. Seeing that dummy was out of trumps, West opted for the obvious (but wrong) defense and played the thirteenth diamond. This was the position: - A54 - QT6 - - - T98 9 - 87532 KJ9 Q98 72 - A Declarer discarded a heart from dummy and ruffed the diamond nine. Then he played another trump, discarding a heart. When he played his last trump, discarding a club, East was surprisingly caught in a criss-cross squeeze, unable to guard both clubs and hearts. Declarer correctly read the distribution and made his contract. Of course, West could have broken this squeeze by leading a club at the diagrammed position instead of automatically playing his last diamond. ירחון ההתאגדות הישראלית לברידג' 48