13th March 2019

Dealer North
S
64
   
E-W Vul
H
1083
   
    D AK104
   
    C K542
   
S
AKJ87
    S
9532
H
954
    H
7
D
763
    D
QJ5
C
108
    C
AJ963
    S
Q10
   
    H
AKQJ62
   
    D
982
   
    C
Q7
   


South
West
North
East


Pass Pass
1H 1S 2S 3S
4H Pass
Pass
Pass


A deal from the Manchester League played by Nicholas Greer.  After the above auction Nicholas reached four hearts, North's two spade bid showed a three card raise to three hearts.  West cashed two top spades and switched to the club ten which ran to South's queen.  South drew trumps in three rounds, East discarding the club jack and a spade and ducked a second club.  East let West win the eight of clubs and West continued with the spade jack, North discarding a diamond while South won in hand.


S

   

H

   
    D AK10
   
    C K5
   
S
87
    S

H

    H

D
763
    D
QJ5
C

    C
A9
    S

   
    H
J6
   
    D
982
   
    C

   

The position was now as shown above.   The contract can be made if one defender has both diamond honours.  If West has both by finessing, if East has both by a trump squeeze.  Nicholas decided that it was more likely that East had the diamond honours.  So he cashed the jack of hearts throwing a diamond from dummy.  East now had no good discard, if he threw a club, then a diamond to dummy followed by a club ruff would leave dummy with all winners, if East threw a diamond then the two top diamonds followed by a club ruff would leave South with a winning diamond for the last trick.  The trump squeeze is an elegant, but rare, ending.

Thanks to Nicholas Greer for reporting this deal