Puzzle 8K09 Main

Deuces and Treys

by Richard Pavlicek

Looking through some old scrapbooks, I came across a torn piece of paper. Apparently it was part of a five-card bridge ending but showed only the West and East cards:

Notrump	?
Leader?	?
	?
	?
—		K J
K J		—
—		A
10 9 8		K Q
	?
	?
	?
N-S win all	?

Puzzled, I turned it over and found these notes on the other side:

North-South win all five tricks in notrump against any defense.
North-South have three deuces, three treys, and three voids.
North has two treys the same color and more spades than South.

Can you reconstruct the ending? And tell me who was on lead?

Puzzle 8K09 Main

Top Deuces and Treys

Solution

Since six of the North-South cards must be deuces and treys, only four high cards can be used. The obvious attempt is to include the three missing aces and a major-suit queen to allow a successful finesse for four tricks. The fifth trick might then be a long card in the finessed major (e.g., A-Q-3 opposite 2) or the result of a squeeze. Alternately, you could remove an ace and extend the length of the finessed major (e.g., A-Q-10-3 opposite 2).

While the above attempts allow many ways to win five tricks, they all fail to meet the stated conditions. I won’t go into the various hangups, as you would have experienced the frustration if you tried. I am convinced that no construction is possible with a queen.

Remarkably, the solution requires an ending with only three winners (aces) and a squeeze that gains two tricks; the critical fourth card being the J. The squeeze is one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. Here’s the ending, which is unique, including exact spot cards:

NT win 5	A 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	A 2		1. N	A!	Q	2	J
	—		2. N	A	J	3	?
	3			West is squeezed
—		K J
K J		—
—		A
10 9 8		K Q
	—
	—
	3 2
North leads	A J 2

North must be on lead, and the A (not the A) must be led, which squeezes East in three suits. Pitching the A is immediately fatal, establishing two tricks for South; pitching a spade loses just one trick for the moment, but North’s established spade winner will squeeze East again. Therefore, East does best to pitch a club, surrendering only one trick, since West guards the third round of clubs.

But wait! Now West gets squeezed in hearts and clubs when North cashes the A. In essence, a double squeeze that gains two tricks.

Regarding squeeze theory, the tiered club threat (one defender stops the second round, partner the third round) is similar to the historical “Bonney’s squeeze” circa 1940, but other aspects differ. A key ingredient is the extended diamond threat; South needs both diamonds, else East could pitch the A and not be squeezed again. For an extended threat to be useful without an entry in its suit is extremely rare.

What’s it called? Who knows, but the terms saturated (threats in four suits) and progressive (two-trick gainer) are appropriate, so it’s your everyday “saturated progressive double squeeze.” Don’t leave home without it!

Puzzle 8K09 Main

Top Deuces and Treys

© 2010 Richard Pavlicek