This deal from the first round of the Vanderbilt Cup in Reno contained an unusual ending that I don’t recall seeing before. As East, I doubled the 1 opening for takeout, and my son Rich rescued to 1 after the redouble. Eventually, Brian Senior of England became declarer in 3 NT.
It looks like nine easy tricks with the A-K onside, and it would be after a red-suit lead; but Rich found the almost-killing spade lead, won by South’s king. The A-Q were cashed to discover the bad news (I pitched a spade) then South led a heart to develop his ninth trick. Suppose I win the A and return a spade, won in dummy.
If declarer leads another heart, West takes the king and leads a diamond to my A-K, then a third spade severs declarer’s communication. Whichever hand he wins in is left with a loser.
But wait! If declarer cashes one top club in dummy (he can’t cash both because West still has the K) I am caught in a bizarre triple squeeze, reminiscent of the late Geza Ottlik. If I pitch my last spade, I can’t lead a spade to break declarer’s communication; so I must let go my long card in a red suit; and declarer pitches from the opposite red suit. Next a heart is led to the king, and declarer can cope with any defense. If we cash both diamonds and lead a third spade, his hand is high thanks to the squeeze.
Alas, we didn’t put declarer to the test — instead trying to run diamonds after winning the heart. Sorry, Brian, for depriving you of the opportunity for the rare squeeze; but I’m sure he would have gotten it right anyway.
© 2004 Richard Pavlicek
by Richard Pavlicek by Richard Pavlicek