A Kind of Discovery Play PO Sundelin, Stockholm

Source: IBPA Bulletin Nov 2017 I suffered the following recently, in a team match against Ola Rimstedt (East): Dealer West N/S Vul

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

West	North	East	South
Mika R.	leandersson	Ola R.	Sundelin
2	Pass	2	Pass
3	Pass	4	Pass
Pass	Pass

With some hope, I placed the queen of clubs on the table. The East Ola, won with the king, cashed theA and finessed theJ. When he continued with theQ, North understandebly (But very expensively this time), ducked. Rimstedt threw a diamond, collected the king of spades and played a club to the ace. i had to cover the nine of clubs and Rimstedt ruffed, to produce this ending:

	K 7 K J 10 6
J 10 9 8 Q 5		A 8 5 9 8 3
	Q 9 A 7 J 7

The jack of hearts was covered by the king; Rimsted threw his last diamond. It was my turn to play something – anything – nothing. As I agonized and discovered there was no way out, Rimstedt smiled and said, with bit of surprise in his voice, ”I think I have you endplayed.” He was right: if I ruffed, Rimstedt would get three trump tricks. If I discarded a diamond, he would ruff a diamond in hand and endplay me with a trump to give him a club trick. Finally, if I threw a club, he would ruff a diamond to hand and give me a club, establishing his last club. He would then get either another diamond ruff or force me to ruff his now-good club with my high trump if I return a trump. At the other table, our teammates tried four hearts, which had no chance after two rounds of diamonds and a spade shift.