Declarer gets squeezed

[ahydra]

[hv=pc=n&s=s9873hj754dt95c85&w=sat52h93dq7cj9632&n=sj64haktdk632caqt&e=skqhq862daj84ck74&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=pp1c(NAT%20or%2015-19%20BAL)1nppp]399|300[/hv]

 

This was a hand from yesterday's Swiss Pairs. I opened 1C (clubs or strong balanced) and East (an intermediate-level player) bought it in 1NT. Partner led the H4, I took this with the K and returned the S4 (attempting to go passive since I wanted declarer to lead out of his hand). Declarer won the Queen and then overtook the SK with the SA to lead the DQ. I covered, declarer won the Ace, cashed the Jack and played the 8 to partner's 10.

 

Partner led the S9, declarer misguessed and covered it with the 10, I won the Jack and tried to endplay declarer by leading the D6... only to find it held the trick! So I cashed the HA and led the H10. Declarer unfortunately misguessed again and ducked, and partner overtook.

 

The play so far:

[hv=pc=n&s=s9873hj754dt95c85&w=sat52h93dq7cj9632&n=sj64haktdk632caqt&e=skqhq862daj84ck74&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=pp1c(NAT%20or%2015-19%20BAL)1nppp&p=h4h3hkh2s4sqs3s2sks7sas6dqdkdad5djd9d7d2d8dtc2d3s9stsjc4d6d4c5c3hah6h5h9hth8hj]399|300[/hv]

 

In the end position, partner cashed his winning spade and declarer was squeezed. He threw the HQ promoting partner's H7, and finished down 3, with South's flat 1-count taking an unlikely four tricks.

 

This board came in a (7-board) round where we scored a whopping 95% due to accurate defense and our opponents getting quite unlucky. Pity there are only 20 VPs available per round :)

 

ahydra

[phil_20686]

After a heart and a spade return, declarer could have just cashed two spades and played a diamond to the Q, that feels like a much stronger line....

[SteveMoe]

With the ♦ 7 doubleton in Dummy, the ♦6 cannot hold the trick.

Covering the ♠ lead in dummy is a clear error. After winning the ♠ lead in dummy, declarer should lead a small ♦ to the ♦Q then play on elimination lines.