Pretty end position

[wuudturner]

I was kibbing a BBO Vugraf match the other day, when I saw a pretty end position. You can follow what he did in this link:

 

Vugraf hand

 

In the end position, with South on play, he has lost no tricks so far, having taken 8 tricks to that point.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sj7hkdck9&w=shd52cjt8&n=sat8h98dc&e=skq9hj7dc]399|300[/hv]

 

At first glance, it seems you might be hoping the hearts split 3-3 to gain a 12th trick. If you do cash the heart though, and then play the club king, East has no problem, throwing the spade 9, saving his heart winner and the spade KQ. He will get two tricks in the end.

 

But instead, look at what happens if you cash the club king now before the heart. Importantly, pitch a heart on the club! East is caught in a guard squeeze. If he pitches a spade, then declarer can simply duck a spade to East to set up the long spade while the heart suit is under control.

 

So East must pitch a heart. Then you cash the heart winner, stripping the hearts. In turn, that allows you to safely duck the spade jack to East, endplaying him to lead into the spade tenace.

 

At the table, declarer lacked the peripheral vision to find this play, taking the more prosaic line of hoping the hearts might split. I'd have stood up and clapped if he did find the line for 12 tricks. Maybe I can get my eye doctor to prescribe side focal lenses.

[manudude03]

It's a nice ending, but I'd call it a strip squeeze rather than a guard squeeze.

[wuudturner]

It's a nice ending, but I'd call it a strip squeeze rather than a guard squeeze.

 

Yes, a better description.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=sahadacjt7&w=skhdjt987dc&n=shdca65432&e=shkdkqckq9]399|300|

Wuudturner's pretty ending involves what I call a shape-shifter squeeze.

 

On the left is a variant.

With ♠ trumps, South is to lead and make 5/6 tricks.

The ♠A forces RHO to discard a red card.

If RHO discards ♥K, then ♥A forces RHO to discard a ♦,

Then ♦A completes the strip

to prepare for the ♣ throw-in.[/hv]

[Eglwyswrw]

[hv=pc=n&s=sahadacjt7&w=skhdjt987dc&n=shdca65432&e=shkdkqckq9]399|300|

Wuudturner's pretty ending involves what I call a shape-shifter squeeze.

 

On the left is a variant.

With ♠ trumps, South is to lead and make 5/6 tricks.

The ♠A forces RHO to discard a red card.

If RHO discards ♥K, then ♥A forces RHO to discard a ♦,

Then ♦A completes the strip

to prepare for the ♣ throw-in.[/hv]

 

 

yeahbut...

 

why on earth didn't West lead that singleton club at trick 1? :)

 

Nice squeezes. Any more please?

[nige1]

yeahbut...why on earth didn't West lead that singleton club at trick 1? Nice squeezes. Any more please?

I like to present endings in a pure and simple form. North might have been dealt the 13th ♣ :)