Source: 1999 IBPA Bulletins
On this deal from the 1999 Grand National Teams, Flight A, Eric Rodwell described the situation he arrived at as a Rio de Janeiro squeeze, so named after being described by a Brazilian player. Rodwell and Jeff Meckstroth were representing District 9 in the GNT-A against District 6. The deal helped the Floridians to an impressive victory in the GNT semifinals.
Dealer South. E/W Vul
8 3
10 4
Q J 8 3
Q 7 6 5 3
K J 4
J 7 5 3
10 9 7 5
9 2
A Q 7 6 2
—
K 6 4 2
K J 8 4
10 9 5
A K Q 9 8 6 2
A
A 10
West
North
East
South
Meckstroth
Rodwell
1
Pass
1NT
2
3
Dbl 1
4
4
Dbl
Pass
Pass
Pass
(1) Showing a spade fit.
Eric Rodwell
South led A and continued with A, 10. Rodwell won the J and stopped to reflect on what he knew about the opponents’ hands – in a word, everything. Rodwell read the A lead as a singleton, he knew North had at most two hearts and he correctly counted North for five clubs.
He also decided that South’s heart suit was headed by the top three honours (he probably would have bid 4over 2missing the Q). With these deductions in mind, Rodwell set about making life miserable for North.
At trick three, Rodwell ruffed a club in dummy, ruffed a heart, played a spade to dummy’s king, cashed theJ and ruffed a second heart.
This was the position:
—
—
Q J 8
Q 7
—
J 7
10 9 7
—
A
—
K 6 4
K
10
A K Q 9
—
A 10
When Rodwell cashed A, pitching a heart from dummy, North was dead. If he discarded a diamond, Rodwell could cash the K and another diamond, establishing a long diamond as trick number 10 (North would have to put Rodwell in with a forced club return). When North actually discarded a club, Rodwell cashed his K, stripping North’s last club, and played a low diamond to dummy’s 10, endplaying North to lead away from J 8 in the end. Plus 790 was good for a 12-IMP gain because Rodwell’s team-mates at the other table were minus 50 in 4.
8 3
10 4
Q J 8 3
Q 7 6 5 3
