9th September 2020

A deal from the semi-finals of the Goldstone Trophy played online in August.


Dealer South
S
KJ3
   
E-W Game
H
QJ87
   
    D 8765
   
    C 87
   
S
98752
    S

H
A6
    H
K10942
D
A2
    D
Q103
C
AK62
    C
QJ953
    S
AQ1064
   
    H
53
   
    D
KJ94
   
    C
104
   

South
West
North
East
2S 2NT
Pass
3D
Pass
3H Pass 3NT
Pass Pass Pass

South, Dave Fussell, opened two spades which showed five spades and a four card minor and around 5-10 points.  This gave Alan Mould in the West seat a difficult bidding problem.  He chose to overcall two notrump for which he had the right sort of strength, but his spade stop was a little tenuous.  John Holland sitting East transferred to hearts and then bid three notrump which became the final contract.  Roger Hopton sitting North led a low spade to the ace and won the spade return with the jack, cashed the spade king and exited with a club (a diamond was necessary to break up the impending squeeze at this point).  Alan now cashed five rounds of clubs leading to the end position below.



S

   
          
H
QJ7
   
    D 76
   
    C
   
S 9     S

H A6
    H
K109
D A2
    D
Q10
C QJ
    C

    S
Q10
   
    H
5
   
    D
KJ
   
    C

   



There was now a choice of ways to make the contract.  He could play the king of hearts then the ace of hearts forcing South to throw a spade and then exit with a spade to endplay South to lead from the king of diamonds - a strip squeeze.  Alan went for the more elegant suicide squeeze, he played a heart to the ace and then a heart to the king and then the last heart which squeezed South in spades and diamonds while North won the trick.