bridge

September 28, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

Both vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xQ 9 2

uA K 4

vK 8 2

wA 9 8 6

WEST EAST

xJ 10 8 6 5 xK 7 4 3

u7 u9 6 2

vJ 5 4 3 v10 9 7

wJ 7 5 wK Q 10

SOUTH

uQ J 10 8 5 3

vA Q 6

w4 3 2

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1NT Pass 3u Pass

4w Pass 6u Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Jack of x

For a squeeze to operate, you usually have to correct the count by giving up a trick you must lose, and thereby limiting the defenders’ options. Once in a while, however, simply running your winners will do the trick.

With his wealth of controls and excellent trump support, North elected to treat his hand as a maximum in support of hearts and cue-bid four clubs. South needed to hear no more and took the short route to the heart slam.

The opening lead did declarer no harm. After winning the ace of spades, declarer started by running five trump tricks, discarding clubs from dummy. Next came the ace and queen of diamonds, bringing about this ending:

xQ 9

u --

wA 9

x 10 8 xK 7

u -- u --

v -- v --

wJ 7 5 wK Q 10

x--

w4 3 2

Declarer continued with the six of diamonds to king, and the defenders had to bow the knee. Should either defender discard a spade, the king can be ruffed out (with a ruffing finesse if West parts with a spade), so both must sluff a club. Declarer simply continues with ace and another club, and the four of clubs becomes the fulfilling trick. Simple, isn’t it?

2010 Tribune Media Services