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3 Lots of possibilities to consider

ª K 10 7

© A K 9 4

¨ A 3

§ K 8 5 2

ª J 6 5                        ª 9 8 2

© Q J 10 2                 © 8 7 3

¨ J 10 9 4                   ¨ 7 5 2

§ 9 3                           § Q J 7 4

ª A Q 4 3

© 6 5

¨ K Q 8 6

§ A 10 6

 

Declarer reached 6NT after bidding spades and diamonds.  West led ©Q.

 

There were only 10 tricks on top but lots of possibilities. 

The possibilities to consider are:

 

1.      Spades could break 3-3

 

2.      ªJ could drop (a finesse might also be right)

 

3.      Clubs could break 3-3

 

4.      West could hold §Q J x x (x) as shown here; 

 

5.      West could hold §J 9 or §Q 9.  Then after §9 has fallen under §10, §J or §Q will fall under §A and §8 is a trick.

 

6.      West could hold §Q x, §J x, §9 x.  Then after §Q, §J or §9 falls under §A, West’s remaining high club can be finessed[1].

 

7.      West could hold §Q, §J or §9 singleton and no confusion arises.

 

If any of the favourable club layouts occur an extra trick can be created in the suit by playing a small club from dummy and inserting §10 (unless West produces §Q or §J).  There is of course some possibility of confusion if East holds §Q 9 x, §J 9 x as when he follows with §9 on the second round it could be from an original holding of §9 x.  But even so, it must be right to play on clubs first.  Combining the black suit possibilities we get the following table:

 

Spades 3-3 or ªJ drops

Yes

Yes

No

No

Clubs 3-3 or West has one of the above combinations

Yes

No

Yes

No

Tricks without a squeeze

12

11

11

10

 

If neither suit breaks favourably the only real chance is for a triple progressive squeeze on one defender – not a great chance.  Say East (or West) held ªJ x x x, ©Q J 10, ¨J 10 x x, §x x the third club would squeeze him and then cashing the established winner would squeeze him again.  But if one of the black suits is favourable there are lots of possible squeezes.  The only suit which could be stopped by both opponents is hearts so any double (or guard) squeeze will have hearts as the doubly stopped suit.  But a heart lead and continuation will eliminate the double squeeze.  So, for practical purposes only simple or triple squeezes are relevant.  There are five different possible simple squeezes (ª ©, ª ¨, © ¨, © § and ¨ § - the ª § squeeze is irrelevant as one of the suits needs to break).  And the squeeze could be on either opponent.  The triple squeezes are fairly irrelevant too since they all reduce to a simple squeeze with an extra threat suit.  The good news is that the hand is easy to play – try the club intra-finesse and if nothing good appears run three spades.  If neither succeeds cash any remaining club winners.  If one succeeds hope that a squeeze has operated on someone.  It should be fairly obvious.



[1] The finesse of §10 is called an “intra finesse”