[bhall]

Scoring: IMP

1♦-P-1♥-4♣
P-5♣-X all P

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From a Swiss match long ago. Naturally, the DK was led and the hand made easily. But should it? Is there a killing lead (or two)? We spent hours afterward going over all the squeeze possibilities.

With ordinary experts, I have offered to declare or defend for a named sum, giving them the right to choose the lead if they defend. I have yet to lose.

Have fun.

[Free]

Is down on a ♠K lead imo, because it wrecks your communication for a ♠-♦ squeeze. An alternative lead obviously is ♠Q

[Fluffy]

I pick to play, but didn't think it for long

♣A, ♥ back, take the trump return and run my tricks for a squeeze without the count on West

On an not trump lead it is pretty easy because heart leads force defenders to return trumps, so it becomes a simpe squeeze against West.. or a double squeeze....

Oh *****, no its not, Frederick is right, spade lead or switch beats it.

[Edmunte1]

I bet on defense.
1)♠K is necesary for destroying the threat 2F, there's no further defense without that, West is squeezed.
2)After this lead declarer must play ♥, trying to ruff and rectifying the count in the same time. East should play high ♥ and return trump. A second trump is played and East should play again high and return second trump.
3) Now declarer cashes trumps. West should avoid discarding ♥Q, otherwise a double squeeze is settled. He must mentain the simple threats in ♠ and ♥, and his partner must control the ♦. The final will be:

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and the defense will prevail

[nige1]

bhall, on Jul 4 2007, 12:16 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP

1♦-P-1♥-4♣
P-5♣-X all P

---

From a Swiss match long ago. Naturally, the DK was led and the hand made easily. But should it? Is there a killing lead (or two)? We spent hours afterward going over all the squeeze possibilities.

With ordinary experts, I have offered to declare or defend for a named sum, giving them the right to choose the lead if they defend. I have yet to lose.

Have fun.

Thank you bhall, for a beautiful problem
As Edmuntel, Fluffy and Free point out, it seems that if West leads anything other than a top ♠, declarer succeeds on a squeeze without the count. Problems like this used to keep players happy for hours Nowadays a double dummy solver program analyzes them in the blink of an eye and spoils all the fun Just as well you are not allowed to use them at the table unless, like Helgemo, you have one built-in.

[Free]

Fluffy, on Jul 4 2007, 06:53 PM, said:

I pick to play, but didn't think it for long

♣A, ♥ back, take the trump return and run my tricks for a squeeze without the count on West

On an not trump lead it is pretty easy because heart leads force defenders to return trumps, so it becomes a simpe squeeze against West.. or a double squeeze....

Oh *****, no its not, Frederick is right, spade lead or switch beats it.

♠ switch does NOT work! Declarer will be able to ruff a ♥ in dummy for contract

[Fluffy]

Free, on Jul 5 2007, 01:16 AM, said:

Fluffy, on Jul 4 2007, 06:53 PM, said:

I pick to play, but didn't think it for long

♣A, ♥ back, take the trump return and run my tricks for a squeeze without the count on West

On an not trump lead it is pretty easy because heart leads force defenders to return trumps, so it becomes a simpe squeeze against West.. or a double squeeze....

Oh *****, no its not, Frederick is right, spade lead or switch beats it.

♠ switch does NOT work! Declarer will be able to ruff a ♥ in dummy for contract

trump lead and spade swtch doesn't wok?

[bhall]

It's true! A trump lead doesn't work. Just run 7 of your 8 trump, and LHO must come down to 3 of each pointy suit. Then ruff out that pesky DJ in RHO's hand and lead a spade toward dummy's AJx. Two tricks for thee, and two for me.

It's also true that, should declarer play a ♥ at trick 2, he can be defeated by a ♠ switch. That's beacuse RHO holds a ♦guard - the Jx.


The twist that earns the money is that, after your mark fails to make on a trump lead, you offer him double or nothing if you take the declaring side with that lead. And after that, if he's still game, you can offer to go back and defend! (They need to be somewhat dense for this to work twice, of course)