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Elimination Play
As the name suggests, an Elimination Play involves removing the victim's safe exit cards so that he has no choice but to surrender a trick later in the play.
Related Play Problems Play Problem 53
Related Extracts from Past Wednesday Games
Suppose that South bizarrely starts out with the Q♠, and further suppose that you have been told your very life depends upon your making 11 tricks. Then perhaps you might try this exotic (but contract-risking) line of play: Win the Spade opening lead with the Ace Cross to the A♥ Ruff a Spade Back to the A♦ Ruff a Spade Cash the K♦ Ruff the good Q♦! Ruff another Spade Exit a Heart North can cash her second Heart, but has been stripped of everything but Clubs. On the Club return, you must guess correctly to hop with the Queen. Now, you cross to the A♣ to cash the established Spade, and you will live to fight another day.
Let’s say that South leads a Spade. How would you play 6♥? It’s pretty simple, really, just draw the trumps, eliminate the Spades and Diamonds, cash the A♣ and lead towards Dummy’s Clubs. Now, it really doesn’t matter if you guess to play the Ten or the Queen … if North started with KJx you are down, if she wins with a doubleton honor, she’ll be end-played. Of course, the bidding tells us that the K♣ is probably with South, but that’s no reason not to eliminate the side-suits as a precaution against a bizarre opponent.
4♠ is the likely final contract and South no doubt leads a Heart, won on the board. Here is a not completely far-fetched line of play for 12 tricks: Opening Heart lead, won on the board Heart ruffed high Cross to the K♠ Heart ruffed high Cross to the 9♠ Low Diamond to the Queen Diamond ducked to North’s Ace Now, North is end-played! She must concede a ruff and sluff, or else she must give up a Club trick, and either will hand Declarer his 12th trick. Yes, North was asleep at the switch. When the low Diamond was led from the board she had to rise majestically with the Ace and exit a Diamond. This gives Declarer three Diamond tricks, but that is not much help, the defense will still get its 2 tricks in the fullness of time.
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