posted July 2009

VUgraph

My brother Shafik (who lives in Philly, USA) watched this hand during the recent USA Trials.

Bd: 9 Dlr: North Vul: EW North S Q5432 H Q95 D 10 C QJ42 West East S AK107 S 9 H KJ6 H 87 D AKQ5 D J832 C K9 C A108763 South S J86 H A10432 D 9764 C 5 West North East South Rubin Rodwell Granove Meckstroth Pass Pass 1H Dbl 2D* 3C Pass * good raise to 2H 3H Pass 4C Pass 4NT Pass 5C Pass 5D Pass 5H Pass 5NT Pass 6D Pass Pass Pass Trick 1: H5 H7 HA H6 Trick 2: S6 SA S2 S9 Trick 3: DA DT D2 D4 Trick 4: DK S3 D3 D6

Meckwell were powerless to stop Rubin making the slam, despite the bad trump break.

QUIZ: How did Rubin continue?

SOLUTION:

With diamonds breaking 4-1, you cannot ruff two spades in dummy as the knave is required for drawing.

Rubin continued by playing, at trick 5: -ruff, J, club to K, then Q.

What was North to discard to get down to 5 cards? He was triple-squeezed!! North was holding the Q-5, Q-9 and Q-J.

When North decided to discard a heart (hoping South had the J), Rubin cashed the K, then the J squeezed North again!   A rare delight to behold - a repeating triple-squeeze.

Open Room: Closed Room: West North East South West North East South Zia Ekeblad Hamman Weichse Rubin Rodwell Granove Meckstr Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass 1H 2C Pass 2D Pass Dbl 2D 3C Pass 2NT Pass 3S Pass 3H Pass 4C Pass 4D Pass 4H Pass 4NT Pass 5C Pass 4S Pass 5C Pass 5D Pass 5H Pass 6D Pass Pass Pass 5NT Pass 6D Pass Pass Pass Trick 1: D4 DA DT D2 Trick 2: DK S2 D3 D6 Trick 1: H5 H7 HA H6 Trick 3: CK C2 C3 C5 Trick 2: S6 SA S2 S9 Trick 4: C9 CQ CA D7 Trick 3: DA DT D2 D4 Trick 5: D9 D5 S3 DJ Trick 4: DK S3 D3 D6 Trick 6: C6 H4 S7 CJ Trick 5: S7 S4 D8 S8 Trick 7: H9 H7 HA H6 Trick 6: DJ D7 D5 C2 Trick 7: C3 C5 CK C4 10 Tricks Claimed -200. Trick 8: DQ H9 C6 D9 Trick 9: HK HQ H8 H2 Trick 10: HJ 12 Tricks Claimed +1370. 17 IMPs to team Fleisher.