23rd September 2020
A deal from an online match

Dealer South
 S
 AKJ94
    
Game All
 H
 76
    
    D AQ74
    
    C K7
    
S
 Q8753
     S
 10
H
 853
     H
 J1094
D
 KJ865
     D
 1032
C
    C
 QJ1062
    S
 62
    
    H
 AKQ2
    
    D
 9
    
    C
 A98543
    

South
 West
 North
 East
1C Pass 1S Pass
2C Pass
 3D Pass
3NT Pass 4C Pass
4H Pass 4S Pass
4NT Pass 5D Pass
5H Pass 6NT Pass
Pass Pass


After the above long and convoluted auction conducted by Raymond Semp as North and Rhona Goldenfield as South, Rhona played six notrump on the lead of the six of diamonds.

Rhona finessed the queen successfully and cashed the club king to find that the clubs were not breaking kindly.  Now a heart to hand followed by a finesse of the jack of spades dropped East's ten.  Another heart to hand and another spade finesse, followed by two top spades and the diagram position below was reached.




 S
 4
    
          
H
   
    D A74
    
    C 7
    
S Q
     S
H 8
     H
 J10
D KJ8
     D
C
    C
 QJ10
    S
   
    H
 Q2
    
    D
   
    C
 A98
    



Normally for a squeeze to work you need to have lost enough tricks to be within one winner of your contract.  Here you have lost no tricks but the ace of diamonds squeezes East "without the count".  If East discards a heart that gives declarer an extra trick immediately.  If East discards a club then South discards the two of hearts and plays two rounds of clubs to set up the nine.  East wins a trick after the squeeze, but has to lead a heart to allow South to make the last two tricks.



Thanks to Raymond Semp for reporting this deal