Double Endplay

Santa Clara Regional Swiss Teams with Kathy, Todd & Bobbette Thorsen
Labor Day, Monday, September 3, 1990
First round, first hand (see this hand for another
                         "First Hand of the Day" bridge hand).

Bidding:
 S(me)  W    N(Kathy)  E
======  ==   ========  ==
 1H     2D   4H        P
 4N     P    5D        P
 6H     P    P         P

Lead:  8 of Spades

          Kxx
          KTxxx
          Axxx
          x
8                   QJ7x
x                   x
KT98xx              QJ
Axxxx               KQJxxx
          AT9xx
          AQJ98x
          x
          x

  This was the first hand of the day.  Looking at what I had bought
myself, I didn't like my chances.  I let the 8 come around to east's
jack and my Ace.  It seems I have a spade loser, unless the queen
jack was doubleton, but on the lead, it seems east has QJ third or
fourth.  Hmmm.

Keeping a straight, confident face, I proceeded to play a diamond to
the ace and ruff a diamond.  Then a trump to dummy, pulling trump,
and ruff another diamond.  Then I waste another trump to get to dummy
again, to ruff dummy's last diamond.  Now I exited with my small club,
eliminating both minors, to this position.
 
          Kx
          KTx
          -
          -

-                   Q7x
-                   -
KT                  -
xxx                 KQ

          T9xx
          8
          -
          -
 
  At the table, West won her Ace of clubs and had to give me a ruff
and sluff, me throwing dummy's losing spade away as I ruffed, giving
me the slam.  But if east won, she would have to either give me the
same ruff and sluff, or lead away from her queen of spades, giving me
a free finesse.  Making 6, which won the match.  A double endplay!