Thursday, September 23, 2010

Finesse played as a suicide compound

♠ A 10 3
A 4 2
Q 7 6 2
♣ A 9 8
♠ Q 9 2♠ J 7 5 4
6 5J 10 9 8
A K J 10 58 3
♣ Q 10 2♣ J 5 3
♠ K 8 6
K Q 7 3
9 4
♣ K 7 6 4

West
North
East
South
1 1NT Pass 2♣
Pass 2 Pass 3NT
All Pass

J led. I ran this to my ace and crossed to dummy with another heart to lead a diamond. The Q was allowed to hold, then I exited a diamond. When West ran diamonds, East had to pitch 2 more black cards in this ending:

♠ A 10 3
♣ A 9 8
♠ Q 9 2♠ ? ? ?
10 9
♣ Q 10 2♣ ? ? ?
♠ K 8
Q 7
♣ K 7

East must unguard a black suit. Win West's continuation with a king in dummy, then cross in the suit East doesn't guard and back to dummy's remaining K. One of these tricks will squeeze East again in the other black suit and hearts, then Q will squeeze West in the black suits.

As shown, West could defeat this by exiting without cashing all diamonds. In practice, though, I held ♠J (you did notice the very light 1NT overcall, right?) and could always fall back on that finesse.

The BBO record is here.

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