bridge

bridge

Neither vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x10 6 5 4

uA 10 3

vJ 8 2

wK 6 2

WEST EAST

x7 2 xA K J 3

uK Q 6 4 u8 7 2

vQ 7 5 v10 4 3

wA 8 7 3 w10 5 4

SOUTH

xQ 9 8

uJ 9 5

vA K 9 6

wQ J 9

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v Pass 1x Pass

1NT Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Four of u

Squeezes at the game and slam level occur relatively frequently in top-level competition. This deal, from an early round of the Spingold Team Championship at the recent Summer National Championships in Toronto, is most unusual — not only was declarer squeezed, but it occurred at the one-level! Sitting North-South was one of the world’s great pairs, Alfredo Versace and Lorenzo Lauria of Italy. East-West was Dian Petrov and Fred Schenken of Buffalo.

The Italians arrived in one no trump on a straightforward auction, and Schenken attacked with a fourth-best heart, ducked around to the nine in the closed hand. The nine of clubs was won by dummy’s king and the jack of diamonds was run to the queen. West returned the king of hearts, which was allowed to hold, and another heart was ducked to the ace, setting up the queen.

Declarer cashed three rounds of diamonds and exited with the club queen. West won with the ace and cashed the queen of hearts. Declarer, who had six tricks in the bank and the good jack of clubs in hand if he could get there to cash it, was forced to discard from Q 9 8 of spades and the jack of clubs. He elected to part with a spade, and the defenders took three spade tricks to go with two hearts, a diamond and a club — down one!

2011 Tribune Media Services