Elimination Play by E. P. C. Cotter Part 1

Elimination really refers to the stripping process preceding the endplay, but as it is also loosely apllied to the endplay itself, I have left it as the chapter heading. The alert declarer is always on the look out for the opportunity of executing and endplay or throw in as it is also called. Dealer South All Vul

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

West	North	East	South
			2NT
Pass	6NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

Opening lead: J West leads J, won by dummy’s Ace. The declarer counts three (possibly four) club tricks, four diamonds, three hearts, and one spade, with the spade finesse in reserve. He plays four rounds of diamonds, West throwing a spade, and East a club and spade. TheK and Q are cashed, East letting go two hearts, followed by three hearts, ending in dummy this now the position:

	8 4 7
K 5   10		J 10 9
	A Q 7

South, knowing that West has the 10 and two spades, throws him in with the club, to lead away from the spade King.

*Edmond Patrick Charles Cotter: (24 September 1904 – 8 March 1996) was a croquet player from Ireland. Cotter was one of the most successful croquet players in the 1950s and 1960s winning the President’s Cup six times (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1956 and 1960).