21st November 2018

A deal from the Swiss Teams at the Lancashire Congress.
Dealer W N-S vulnerable.

S 1072
H 108
D A
C A876542
   


   
S K4
H AQ73
D KJ73
C QJ3

South
West
North
East

Pass
3C Pass
3NT
Pass
Pass Pass

You arrive in three notrump, hoping for a red suit lead, but West leads the five of spades to East's ace.  East returns the spade queen to your king and you play the queen of clubs, relieved to see the king appear from West, East following suit.  You are obviously going to make this contract now, but how do you play to make as many tricks as possible?

Solution

The heart finesse is too risky, but you have 11 tricks and have lost one so the count is rectified for a squeeze.  You need to cash your tricks in the right order though.  First the diamond ace, then a club to the jack and the diamond king throwing a heart from table, retaining the spade ten as a threat.  Now run the clubs.  All you need to do is watch for the queen of diamonds or jack of spades discard.  If neither of these appears play a heart to the ace and hope that the king falls.  The full deal was as below and West was squeezed in the majors to unguard his heart king.  It is important to cash your top diamonds first, otherwise the squeeze will not work (try it).

Dealer West
S
1072
   
NS Vul
H
108
   
    D  A
   
    C  A876542
   
S
J9653
    S
AQ8
H
KJ6
    H
9542
D
1065
    D
Q9842
C
K10
    C
9
    S
K4
   
    H
AQ73
   
    D
KJ73
   
    C
QJ3