The fascination of bridge draws thousands of bridge players to watch some of the world's life masters playing a friendly match where naturally the standard of bridge would be of the highest calibre. The duel between the declarer and the defenders can be a protracted one if the standard of defence matches that of the table play with a dazzling array of bridges moves and counter moves that become a real treat for the Bridge Kibitzers glued to the Bridge-o-Rama.
Today's hand is taken from such a friendly match played many decades ago where the declarer sitting south was France's great bridge player Perron and defending as east was the 4 time World Champion Billy Eisenberg. The bidding that took place on the north south hands shown below, was as under:
A simple sequence with the following north south cards The opening head was 10S which was what is known in bridge as the Russinow type head where 10S promises two other honours in the suit led. Put yourself in the South seat and figure out how you can make 3NT? Well lets see your prospects as south. You have already got 2 spade tricks on the opening lead. Your hearts are precariously fragile with the KH in grave danger of being quashed under the ace leaving you with nothing but despair and yet you cant escape from east gaining the lead if he possesses the AC.
Then there is some hope if you can manage to run the clubs break ie a 4-1 distribution as dummy has only one solitary entry with AD to run the clubs. So there would be no problem if you squeeze in 5 club tricks which along with 2 diamonds and 2 spades would give you your 3NT contract.
So Perron too took his chances with the club suit and played the JC which held but when he played it, west's discard sank his heart for clubs were 5-0. The crucial point of play had been reached. Can you find a way now to bring home your 3NT contract? No doubt you can get 3 club tricks for sure which coupled with 2 spade tricks and 2 diamonds trick added upto 7 tricks.
A successful diamond finesse with a break yield 9 tricks or even a favourable heart king position could enhance your chances in the making of 3NT contract. But there are no guarantees here. The ground is slippery and you need to tread carefully. How do you go about it? Lets see how Perron found his way.
He continued clubs, Eisenberg winning the second club to play back 9 of spades which held. The 8 of spades was won by the declarer with the ace. Perron now surveyed the scenario before him and found a way where the defence would hang themselves if given the rope. So Perron played back his 4th spade and when west cashed his 6 of spades, Eisenberg was done for. As east, he cold neither afford to discard a diamond nor a club, and so discarded his precious 3 of hearts.
West had no choice left. AH would not have helped. So he led a diamond to hand Perron 3 diamond winners. Eisenberg knew his end was near for on the 4th diamond he would be thrown in for an endplay to play into dummy's clubs. Truly a suicide squeeze was executed by the defenders at first and then by the declarer at the end. The defence had no answer.
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North South
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42 AQ53
5 K1097
A&32 KJ
KQ10875 J2
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West North East South
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- Pass Pass 1H
Pass 2C Pass 2NT
Pass 3NT
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