IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT

One for the Textbooks?

By Nigel Guthrie

Tony Parkinson drew attention to this remarkable computer-dealt board from the practice session after the Learn and Play Masterclass for Improvers at Reading Bridge Club. Tony, as one of the expert 'helpers', was sitting West.

Dealer: South. N/S Vul.     K Q J 9 8 3     K Q 9 8     J     A 2     A 5     A 5 2     A 8 7 6     K 9 6 5

West	North	East	South
			1
Pass	2	Pass	2NT
Pass	4NT	Pass	5
Pass	6NT	End

How would you play on a spade lead?

Jessica Killick wrapped up an overtrick with a compound squeeze. The full deal was:

Dealer: South. N/S Vul.     K Q J 9 8 3   K Q 9 8   J   A 2     7 4   J 10 7 4 3   K 2   Q 10 4 3   10 6 2   6   Q 10 9 5 4 3   J 8 7     A 5   A 5 2   A 8 7 6   K 9 6 5

You could take the double heart finesse at double dummy; but declarer correctly reduced to this six-card ending:

9 3   K 9   J   2     -   J 10   K 2   Q 10   -   -   Q 10 9 5   J 8     -   5   A 8 7   K 9

Declarer cashed dummy's penultimate spade, discarding a diamond from hand and squeezing West in three suits. A heart discard by West is immediately fatal, so he had to abandon a minor, say clubs. Declarer now carefully cashed the K (her winner in the suit that West discarded). She crossed back to dummy with the K. Finally, dummy's last spade operated a double squeeze. East was squeezed in the minors and had to abandon diamonds to keep the J, so declarer discarded her last club, and West was squeezed in the red suits.

Does the unlikely 2 lead break up this squeeze? Yes but, luckily for declarer, West has two of the three outstanding club honours. So poor West succumbs to a guard-squeeze in this five-card ending:

9 3   K 9   -   2     -   J 10   K   Q 10   -   -   10 9 5   J 8     -   5   8 7 6   K 9

Declarer cashes dummy's spades, throwing diamonds and squeezing West. As before, a heart discard by West surrenders an immediate trick. Again, if West discards a diamond, then dummy's major winners operate a double squeeze. (East must abandon clubs to keep a high diamond so declarer discards her last diamond, and West is squeezed in clubs and hearts). Perforce then, West must throw two clubs, allowing declarer to cash the K discarding a diamond and finesse the 9 for her thirteenth trick.

Clyde E. Love would have been proud to include Jessica Killick's play in his classic textbook on squeezes.