Bridge - The Scotsman 25/06/2012

Published on 25/06/2012 00:00

It might seem strange that a team from Monaco should win the European Championships, but less so when we see the team, imported by Swiss millionaire Zimmermann. He plays with ex-French champion Franck Multon; the other pairs are ex-Italians Fantoni/Nunes; and ex-Norwegians Helgemo and Helness. This deal shows the Norwegian members of the Monaco team at their aggressive best. West led a low heart to the ace, and the jack was covered by the queen and king. West switched to the king of spades, and Helness returned a spade to the queen. Now West tried a diamond to the queen and ace. Declarer cashed the eight of spades, on which West threw a club and East a diamond, and ruffed his last heart to reach this position, needing the rest of the tricks:

Helness cashed one more trump, discarding a small club from hand. West was caught in a trump squeeze: if he throws a club declarer cashes the ace-king of clubs and ruffs a diamond to dummy to make the jack of clubs; if he throws a diamond declarer ruffs a diamond to establish the two as a winner. Helness was the only declarer in the Open event to make 4S. The defence to break up the squeeze is to lead a diamond; West plays a second diamond when he makes his trump trick.