Of all the advanced plays in bridge, by far the rarest is the smother play. Indeed, the play exists primarily in the literature of the game and the dreams of those who play it.

This example was devised many years ago for a par contest, where hands are constructed rather than dealt. The deal was given a novel twist in that a defense against the smother play was included.

The defense starts with three rounds of diamonds, declarer ruffing the third. South then plays the Q-J of spades, both finesses succeeding as West follows low each time. This leaves West with an apparently invincible trump trick, and since the defenders also have a club trick coming, the contract appears doomed.

South has a last resort, however -- a smother play to eliminate his trump loser. Accordingly, he cashes the A-K of clubs and the A-K-Q of hearts before throwing East on lead with a club in this position:

East leads a diamond, and West’s “sure” trump trick goes up in smoke. If West overruffs South’s nine, dummy’s ace captures the king, while if West underruffs, dummy’s club is discarded and again the king falls to the ace.

This is the smother play in all its glory, but there is a way for the defenders to extricate themselves from this ignominious fate.

If East drops his Q-J of clubs when the A-K are cashed, West can win the third round of clubs and return the spade seven in the position shown to defeat the contract. By divesting himself of his club honors, East can, in effect, smother the smother play.

Tomorrow >> Famous Hand.

— Steve Becker