Posted 2004-January-20, 07:53
You did perrfect. You can make on similar line without trying spades first, but obviously, no need to go for the three suit repeater if spades are 3-3, so testing for that possibility first is just right.
Full explaination. You can establish a diamond by playing WEST for 3 or 4 diamonds, by way of safety play. But if spades fail to split, this will give you only 11 tricks. And after losing a diamond, there is no double squeeze (both stop hearts, East Clubs, West spades) because neither threat against WEST is in the upper hand. Likewise, there is no simple squeeze against west in hearts and spades because of the same flaw.
Thus, the only shot (if spades are not 3-3) is for a three suit repeater squeeze. You do not bother with setting up a diamond winner by ducking one. Instead you test spades ending in the dummy (somedays the suit will split 3-3, but not today). Now you duck a club. Normally for a three suit repeating squeeze to work, you need two threats in the upper hand (in this hand, the upper hand is spades), because the defender can give up the single upper hand threat and the squeeze gains only one trick. However, here, the diamond suit is "extended". If west gives up diamonds you gain not one trick, but two tricks immediately to make your slam. So on the club 9, west will feels little pain, but on a heart back win in dummy and cash the the club queen. West will crumble.. .the West's hand was....
From analysis of the possible squeeze positions this is the most likely squeeze postion (if spades are 3-3 and hearts 8-0, you could find a squeeze on EAST in both minors).
West
♠JT9x
♥J9xxxx
♦Qxx
♣void
Ben
--Ben--