3 August 2008

John Armstrong and a curious end-play

John Armstrong died last month: he was a great player and a true gentleman. This is a hand John played which I saw on BBO; at John's table a curious end-play was possible.

Camrose 2008J 10 8 2
England v Wales7 6 3
Dealer SouthA 6 2
K J 7
A 9 75
A 8 5Q J 9 4 2
10 8 5 3Q J 9 7
Q 10 96 4 3
K Q 6 4 3
K 10
K 4
A 8 5 2

Closed Room

Rees(N) & Kurbalija(S) v Rosen(E) & Jones(W). N/S bid 1NT-2C-2S-4S. West lead a spade and won the spade return. Now, West lead a heart to the King, and declarer drew the remaining trump, finessed CJ and claimed 11 tricks.

Open Room

Holland(N) & Armstrong(S) v Salisbury(E) & Tedd(W). N/S bid 1S-2S-3C-3D-3S-4S. West lead a club to the Jack, won the spade return, and played a diamond to the Jack and King. Declarer drew trumps, cashed CK, CA, DA, and lead a heart to the King and Ace; claiming 10 tricks.

If at trick eight, South continues to cash black cards, he reaches this position.

-
7 6
A 6
-
--
A 8Q J
10 5Q 9
--
-
K 10
4
8 (lead)

If West throws a small heart, declarer throws a small diamond from dummy and ducks H10 to West; dummy wins the next diamond and has a heart to play to HK. If West throws a diamond, declarer discards a heart from dummy, and East must throw a heart honour; declarer cashes DA and leads a heart to the King and Ace, winning the last trick with H10.

This ending has elements of a double squeeze, a guard squeeze, and a strip squeeze: I don't think I've seen anything similar before.

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