Lonely on Bear Mountain

Hi all

I got bearhugged last time at Star. Here’s the full diagram with a walkthrough.

West Dealer
– Vul
North
J52
9642
A8
JT54
West
AKT
AQ7
KT964
82
East
983
KJT8
J7
Q963
South
Q764
53
Q532
AK7

EW ended up in an ambitious 3NT via a complicated and conventional sequence I cannot reproduce. I recall I doubled a conventional bid as lead-directing. Hoek led the Jack of via the Queen for my King. I switched a small for declarer’s Ace.

Declarer crossed the river with a small and next he ran the Jack of to Hoek’s Ace. Hoek took stock for a moment, cashed his Ten and exited with the Jack.

Can you see what’s happened? Hoek effectively transferred all controls to my hand.

Declarer took his Ace of and overtook his Queen with the King in dummy. I already have to make a sweaty discard. This is the position with another to come:

West Dealer
– Vul
North
2
9
8
54
West
T
KT96
East
9
J
7
96
South
Q
Q53
A

On the Jack of I throw my  Queen praying Hoek holds the Ten. My hopes get shattered instantly when declarer shows it with a dirty smile on his face. On the 9 I’m squeezed again and declarer claims the remainder with a finesse in .

Actually the squeeze for the overtrick was just insult added to injury, for no one had bid game.