A Double Whammy
Q 10 6 5
J 3
A K 7
J 7 5 2
A 3
A Q 7 5
J 9 3
A Q 8 6
| West |
North |
East |
South |
|
|
Pass |
1 NT |
| Pass |
2 ♣ |
Pass |
2 ♥ |
| Pass |
3 NT |
All Pass |
|
West led the
♠ 4 against this game. Declarer inexplicably
played low, winning East's nine with the ace.
Declarer sees a probable three clubs, two hearts, two diamonds, and two spades.
But timing is everything on this sort of hand, and of course, clubs
might not behave.
Declarer started with a heart to the jack, East winning the king.
East exited with the
♥ 10, won by declarer.
Declarer next attacked clubs, leading a low club to the jack, which won.
Declarer continued clubs, East showing out, pitching a diamond.
Unfortunate - the trick count is down to eight now.
Declarer ducked this club to West's 10, and West exited in hearts. Declarer
pitched a club from dummy, winning in hand.
Here is the end position with seven tricks left to go (double dummy):
Declarer led a low spade to the queen, guessing wrong, but East was
endplayed. After cashing the high heart, he was forced to lead
a diamond. Declarer guessed right to play the jack. Declarer then
played two more rounds of diamonds, and West was pinched:
A double whammy - an endplay followed by a squeeze.
Making 3 NT was worth 2.12 IMPs, but going down one
would have been worth -7.84 IMPs, for close to a 10 IMP swing.