BRIDGE

Close shave

Andrew Robson

THE spring 1998 St George's Hall Teams Ladder was won by Christine Brazier and Tom Postlethwaite. But it was only fine defence by Tom on the very last hand that clinched the trophy by one point over Shahriar Bakhtiar.

Dealer North East-West vulnerable 4 9 5 4

Q 8 4 2 • K 6 3 +0 J 5

A 3 IP A 5 • Q J 9 4 2 +107 6 2 4108 7 91, 10 9 6 *10 8 7 4* A K 9 3

N

W

S

4 K Q J 6 2

• K J 7 3 • A 5 +8 4

The Bidding South West 14 pass 3NT pass

North East 1. pass 2+ pass pass pass West, Tom, found the +Q opening lead. East encouraged with +9, so he continued with +J and +5 to East, who won 4K and cashed +A, declarer discarding V3 and • 5. East switched to 47 and declarer won dummy's 4A and led •Q, tempting an injudicious cover from East if she held •K. He won his now bare *A and cashed his 4s. West, who had discarded •3 on the fourth +, was forced to discard two Vs on the fourth and fifth 4s.

Declarer crossed to VA and led V5. He knew West had been forced to discard down to a singelton V, but Tom's discard- ing had been smooth and declarer finessed VI West won VQ and took the last trick with •K — down two.

Should declarer have got it right and risen with VK? He had a good count of the hand and West appeared to have started with four Vs to East's three. He was there- fore a 4:3 favourite to hold VQ.

It appears as though V10 switch by East at trick five would disrupt declarer's entries for the squeeze, but declarer can still suc- ceed. He rises with VK and cashes his 4s.

West is caught in a 'criss-cross squeeze' on the fifth 4, forced to bare VQ or +K. Declarer cashes the ace of the suit he has bared, crosses to the other ace and cashes his promoted winner.