North | ||||
AQ108 | ||||
- | ||||
West | J5 | East | ||
76 | AKJ10743 | J542 | ||
AK8743 | Q52 | |||
984 | South | AQ762 | ||
65 | K93 | 8 | ||
J1096 | ||||
K103 | ||||
Q92 |
Against 3NT, East won the diamond lead (? Don't ask why a heart wasn't started) and returned a diamond. It's obvious that finessing yields a twelfth trick here, but at the table declarer played the king, thus creating a loser for herself. Was this a bad play? No, because on the run of the clubs East got squeezed in spades and diamonds:
North | ||||
AQ108 | ||||
- | ||||
West | - | East | ||
76 | 3 | J542 | ||
AK | - | |||
9 | South | Q | ||
- | K93 | - | ||
J | ||||
10 | ||||
- |
Want to see that again?
North | ||||
95 | ||||
AQ6 | ||||
West | AQ83 | East | ||
Q107432 | 8654 | 6 | ||
K2 | J109854 | |||
107 | South | K65 | ||
A102 | AKJ8 | QJ9 | ||
73 | ||||
J942 | ||||
K73 |
South | West | North | East |
1 | 1 | 2 | Pass |
2NT | Pass | 3NT | All Pass |
West led a spade to South's 8. At trick 2 declarer led a diamond to the queen, which East for some reason allowed to win. Ace and another diamond put East on lead (West pitching a spade):
North | ||||
9 | ||||
AQ6 | ||||
West | 8 | East | ||
Q1073 | 8654 | - | ||
K2 | J109854 | |||
- | South | - | ||
A102 | AKJ | QJ9 | ||
73 | ||||
J | ||||
K73 |
East now played the club queen, jack and another club, semi-endplaying West while simultaneously establishing dummy's long club. (This was not exactly a high-caliber game.) West, knowing a spade return would let declarer claim, tried a tricky 2. Declarer had marked West with the K for his overcall, but played the ace!
North | ||||
9 | ||||
Q6 | ||||
West | 8 | East | ||
Q1073 | 8 | - | ||
K | J10985 | |||
- | South | - | ||
- | AKJ | - | ||
7 | ||||
J | ||||
- |
Declarer now cashed the 8 pitching his J. He then cashed the 8 (tossing his heart) to squeeze West in the majors. Showoff!
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