HomeHampton Bridge ClubBooks on SqueezesUseful linksInteresting handsBridge Classes
1  Delicate play in three suits

ª A 9 5 3

© A K J 4

¨ A 3

§ A Q 10

ª Q 8 6 2                   ª K 7 4

© 7 6 5                        © Q 10 9

¨ Q J 10                     ¨ 9 8 6 4 2

§ K 5 4                       § 9 8

ª J 10

© 8 3 2

¨ K 7 5

§ J 7 6 3 2

 

Contract 6§.  West leads ¨Q.

Try to make it double dummy first.

 

Answer:

1.      Win with ¨A;

2.      play ª3 from dummy.  Variant A : If East wins with ªK win the diamond return (best) in hand;

3.      Play ªJ.  Variant A1 : If West covers win in dummy;

4.      cash ª9 discarding ©2;

5.      cash ©A;

6.      cash ©K;

7.      ruff ©4;

8.      §J and draw trumps finessing West.

 

 

3.            Variant A2 : if West ducks ªJ;

4.            §J West does best to duck

5.            §2 to §Q;

6.            ªA discarding ©2;  Continue as before

 

2.            Variant B : East ducks the spade and West wins.

3.            Variant B1 : West returns a heart.  Win the heart return in dummy;

4.            cash ªA;

5.            ruff ª5 dropping ªK;

6.            §J West does best to duck;

7.            club finesse;

8.            ª9 discarding ©3;

9.            ©K;

10.        ruff ©4;

11.        §6 to §A drawing West’s last trump and entering dummy

12.        cash ©J to discard ¨7.

 

3.            Variant B2 : West returns a diamond.  Win in hand with ¨K;

4.            §J to finesse West;

5.            §2 to §Q;

6.            ªA, discarding ©2.  Continue as before.

 

The beauty of the hand lies in the delicate handling of spades, hearts and clubs.  It requires clubs 3-2 with West holding §K (about 34%) AND hearts 3-3 (about 35%) and spades 4-3 with West holding three to an honour (about 20%) or residual other layouts – a final result of about 2%.