David BirdWikipedia:David Lyster Bird (born 29 March 1946) is a British bridge writer from Eastleigh, with more than 130 bridge books to his name. He was born in London and is bridge correspondent for the Mail on Sunday and the London Evening Standard. He contributes regularly to many magazines, including Bridge Plus, English Bridge, Bridge Magazine and the ACBL Bridge Bulletin.
IMPs Dealer South. Neither Vul
Q 3
5
A K 9 8 5 3 2
8 6 3
A 6
A K Q J 10 6
7
A K 7 5
West
North
East
South
2
3
4
Pass
6
Pass
Pass
Pass
Opening Lead: 2
A lively auction ends with South in 6. There are eleven top tricks, usually a promising signand a 3-3 club break would give you a twelfth.
Is that the only cnace, though?
We’d better hope not, because West’s 2 is unlikely to be from a three card holding. Perhaps you can see something better.
You win the club lead with the ace and draw trumps, finding West with two and East with four. If East hold the sole guard in both minors suits, you catch him in a squeeze-without the count by running your major-suit winners (to retain three diamonds East would have to reduce to two clubs, allowing you to duck a club.
There is a better line available, one that will succeed also when the three card diamond holding lies with West. After drawing trumps, cash the A and K, discarding the A! You can them ruff the diamonds good, cash the K (just in case West has a second club) and lead your remaining spade towards the queen. West, with nothing but spades in his hand, will have to win with the king and lead a spade to dummy´s queen. The club losers in the South hand can then be thrown on the long diamonds.
The complete deal:
Q 3
5
A K 9 8 5 3 2
8 6 3
