Applying Pressure

Dlr:
East
Vul:
Both
North
♠ 9 4 2
9 7 2
A J 10 5
♣ K J 9
South
♠ A Q 10 3
8 3
K
♣ A 10 8 7 5 3
West North East South
Pass 1♠(1)
4 Dbl Pass 5♣
All Pass

(1) Canape style: short suits bid first.

This deal was played in the North American Swiss Teams in 1981 by Ann Jacobson, then of Stockton CA. It helped her team win the event.

North’s double showed values, and Jacobson took a chance that she could scramble home with 11 tricks.

West started with three top hearts. Jacobson ruffed the third round and played a club to the king, guessing to follow with the ♣J, letting it ride. Now she played the ♠9, covered by the jack and queen.

Jacobson then rattled off the rest of her trumps, arriving at this position:

Dlr:
Vul:
North
♠ 4
A J 10 5
♣ —
West
♠ —
J
9 8 6 3
♣ —
East
♠ K 8 6
Q 7
♣ —
South
♠ A 10 3
K
♣ 7

Jacobson played the ♣7, discarding the 5 from dummy and catching East in an unusual squeeze. If East let go a spade, Jacobson could go to dummy by overtaking the K, then a finesse of the ♠10 would allow her to cash the suit.

As it was, East discarded a low diamond, and when Jacobson overtook the K, the queen fell. The J 10 and the ♠A were enough to bring her trick total to 11.

The full deal:

Dlr:
Vul:
North
♠ 9 4 2
9 7 2
A J 10 5
♣ K J 9
West
♠ 7
A K Q J 10 5 4
9 8 6 3
♣ 2
East
♠ K J 8 6 5
6
Q 7 4 2
♣ Q 6 4
South
♠ A Q 10 3
8 3
K
♣ A 10 8 7 5 3