Bridge - The Scotsman 02/05/13

Another lost opportunity for Scotland’s Lady Milne team, though this one cost just 1 VP. (Scotland won their match against Northern Ireland 24-6.) The opposing North-South stopped in 2S, making 11 tricks when declarer was allowed to take two heart ruffs in dummy.

Scotland bid more ambitiously to the vulnerable game, but Diane Greenwood found the best lead of a trump. Declarer won, took a diamond finesse, and ducked a heart to West. Diane saw no reason to change her plan and led a second trump. Declarer crossed to the ace of diamonds to lead another heart, but Diane won again and led a third trump. Declarer cashed one more trump to reach this position, where she could afford to lose one more trick:

She cashed the last trump, discarding a diamond from dummy, and East threw a club (now that declarer had no trump left she could afford a heart). Declarer woodenly took the club finesse, going two down when it failed. A seeker after style exits with a heart in the diagrammed position. West wins and exits with a diamond, ruffed. At this point a double squeeze has taken effect. West has kept a diamond, so has only two clubs; and East must keep a heart, so she too has to come down to two clubs. Declarer cashes three clubs from the top to make her game and gain 9 imps instead of losing 9.