[dburn]

Scoring: IMP

---

South opened 1NT after three passes and played in 4♠ on a transfer auction.

West led a club, and South played the first few tricks at a frantic pace: ace and king of clubs, club ruff (West pitching a diamond), spade to the jack and king. At this point West needed to shift to a heart to beat the contract, but he played his remaining diamond to the two, six and queen.

South cashed the ace of spades and, with immortality in his grasp despite (or perhaps because of) the way he had played until now, bizarrely led a club - a hopeless play that guaranteed not making the contract. All he had to do, though, was draw trumps in this position:

Scoring: IMP

---

to execute a play I have never seen before - a stepping-stone winkle.

East must come down to the singleton ♥K to avoid immediate loss, but South pitches a heart and leads a heart from the dummy. West cannot overtake, so East remains on play with ♥K.

If East plays a high diamond, South wins the king and exits with a club; if East plays ♦8, South runs it to the nine, crosses to ♦K, exits with a club and East must give the last trick to dummy.

There are times when, browbeaten by half the world who think that as a committee member I am not imposing enough regulation on systems and the other half who think I am imposing too much, while all of them think that I am acting solely in my own interests, I wonder why anyone plays this stupid game at all.

But then, thanks to Fred and to BBO, I can watch this gem of a hand live from China at half past two in the morning, and I know why I play bridge.

[qwery_hi]

dburn, on Dec 28 2008, 12:07 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

---

South opened 1NT after three passes and played in 4♠ on a transfer auction.

West led a club, and South played the first few tricks at a frantic pace: ace and king of clubs, club ruff (West pitching a diamond), spade to the jack and king. At this point West needed to shift to a heart to beat the contract, but he played his remaining diamond to the two, six and queen.

South cashed the ace of spades and, with immortality in his grasp despite (or perhaps because of) the way he had played until now, bizarrely led a club - a hopeless play that guaranteed not making the contract. All he had to do, though, was draw trumps in this position:

Scoring: IMP

---

to execute a play I have never seen before - a stepping-stone winkle.

East must come down to the singleton ♥K to avoid immediate loss, but South pitches a heart and leads a heart from the dummy. West cannot overtake, so East remains on play with ♥K.

If East plays a high diamond, South wins the king and exits with a club; if East plays ♦8, South runs it to the nine, crosses to ♦K, exits with a club and East must give the last trick to dummy.

There are times when, browbeaten by half the world who think that as a committee member I am not imposing enough regulation on systems and the other half who think I am imposing too much, while all of them think that I am acting solely in my own interests, I wonder why anyone plays this stupid game at all.

But then, thanks to Fred and to BBO, I can watch this gem of a hand live from China at half past two in the morning, and I know why I play bridge.

Your books also remind me why I love this game so much. (If you are david burn the author that is)

Being on a committee is a thankless job. We are lucky in that, to my limited knowledge, all who serve on bridge committees do it for the love of the game. While we have differences of opinion, the love of bridge overshadows all other considerations I think.

However, I must say, if you are on a committee and there is a potential conflict of interest situation, I will still point it out, and if I happen to meet you, would let you know that I think the right action would be to excuse yourself from that committee.

[Fluffy]

I wonder how many of these hands just go unnoticed when they pass though my eyes.

[HeavyDluxe]

Absolutely beautiful... Cardplay is just so amazing.

Quote

I wonder how many of these hands just go unnoticed when they pass though my eyes.

Far less than go unnoticed by me, for sure... But this is what makes the game so fascinating to me.

[y66]

Very nice hand.

Browbeaten by the whole world and still up at half past two? Wow.

[inquiry]

extremely nice hand... Thanks for posting it.

[twcho]

Surely a hand of sheer beauty.

Please forgive my negligence. What is meant by winkle?

[inquiry]

twcho, on Dec 30 2008, 11:26 PM, said:

Surely a hand of sheer beauty.

Please forgive my negligence. What is meant by winkle?

Terrence Reese in his book "Master Play" (I think in England it might have a different name) describe the Winkle (along with the vise and stepping stone).

Here is a nice write up describing a winkle Bridgeguys on Winkle

[whereagles]

In the 15 years I've played, I executed 1 winkle squeeze so far

Next one will be when I retire, I guess

[FrancesHinden]

inquiry, on Dec 31 2008, 04:46 AM, said:

Terrence Reese in his book "Master Play" (I think in England it might have a different name)

"The Expert Game"

(and in English English it's a vice squeeze, not a vise)