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Weekly updates from Kit Jackson offering hints and tips for the modern Bridge player. Enjoy!

Friday 3 February 2012

HOT TIPS ! THE END PLAY!!!


There are lots of esoteric ploys at declarer's disposal. Some of them - such as the automatic double guard squeeze - are pretty rare. But others crop up a lot and here's one of them:
THE END-PLAY (Eliminate and Throw in)
West opens 1C and N/S wind their way - rightly or wrongly - to 4S and when dummy goes down you see this motley collection
J10xx
KQx
Axx
xxx

AQxxx
xxx
Kx
AQ10
Instead of wondering where to get another partner - MAKE IT! Yes, you have an apparent 4 tricks to lose (AH, KS, KC, JC) but there's ways and ways... As they opened the bidding you can be pretty certain West holds all those cards so the contract looks doomed. In fact it's cold as long as West holds the AH, which looks probable on the bidding. West leads a diamond, you lose the spade finesse and the AH and end up with this:

10x
KQ
x
xxx

Qxx
xx
--
AQ10
The key point is to ELIMINATE the red suits. You cash the KH, ruff a diamond in hand and cash the QH, now ending on the table with this:
10x
---
---
xxx

Qx
---
---
AQ10
Having eliminated the red suits you now execute the THROW IN. You can lose one more trick so you lead a small club to the 10. As expected West wins but now is end-played! If they lead a red card you ruff in one hand and discard a club from the other (Ruff & Discard). If they lead a club you make the A & Q. 10 Tricks bid and made.  Once you've organised the end-play West is powerless. Whereas you...:-)
It's fun, I tell you.

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