[inquiry]

bbo hand, with bbo bidding...EW passing
1♥ 4NT
5♥ 6♥
Pass

Opening Lead ♥6 to 4 8 T
Trick TWO, ♥A-♥2-♥5- and either ♣9 or ♣2
Three rounds of ♠ West playing 3,4,J, East 6,7,T (thrid round ruffed)
♦7-8-Q-2

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Plan your play... note if the play of the ♣9 or ♣2 has any influence on the line you choose. Does the experience/play level of EAST make a difference in your choice?

bbo hand, with bbo bidding...EW passing
1♥ 4NT
5♥ 6♥
Pass

Opening Lead ♥6 to 4 8 T
Trick TWO, ♥A-♥2-♥5- and either ♣9 or ♣2
Three rounds of ♠ West playing 3,4,J, East 6,7,T (thrid round ruffed)
♦7-8-Q-2

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(modified due to good comment from pretzalz)

This post has been edited by inquiry: 2009-January-18, 23:48

[pretzalz]

Did you consider double hooking the spades? None of the various squeezes and endplays seem terribly better than 50%[plus the diamond hook which I don't see a way around].. Double hooking spades is at least 74% and even has unlikely play for 7[though I assume this is IMPs where that consideration is largely irrelevant].

[inquiry]

pretzalz, on Jan 19 2009, 12:42 AM, said:

Did you consider double hooking the spades? None of the various squeezes and endplays seem terribly better than 50%[plus the diamond hook which I don't see a way around].. Double hooking spades is at least 74% and even has unlikely play for 7[though I assume this is IMPs where that consideration is largely irrelevant].

Good catch. I did not play the bid or play the hand... I found it when looking at the results of others. I guess to remove the double hook one could change the ♠T to the a small spade. The East played a high club at the table, i wondered what affect, if any that card versus a low card would have.

To remove this possibility, i have modified the original hand.

[maggieb]

I will just try to strip squeeze west now.

[ArtK78]

It seems to me that while there may be some other squeeze chances, you have two lines that involve no guess work: Play LHO for both minor suit kings. Ruff out the last spade and play (1) A and another club or (2) A and another diamond. If LHO wins he must either provide you with a ruff and sluff or lead from his (presumed) other minor suit K.

Playing A and another club is slightly better than playing A and another diamond, since even if RHO has the ♣K it is possible that LHO's ♦K is doubleton.

There is a small chance that you can endplay LHO even when RHO has the ♣K. If you play LHO to have all the rest of the intervening club spots (or a holding that cannot be unblocked, such as JT9), you can lead the ♣Q from dummy, forcing RHO to cover. Then you continue clubs hoping that LHO must win. LHO will then be endplayed. If you are sure that RHO has the ♣K, then this is one possible line.

A better line if you are sure that RHO has the ♣K would be to play RHO for no more than 2 diamonds. Ruff out the last spade, cash the ♦A and play A and another club. If RHO wins and has no more diamonds, he must give you a ruff and sluff.

[nige1]

Inquiry's deal is interesting and unusual..
After ♥TA, ♠AK, ruff a ♠.
Inquiry's title hint sign-posts the way:
Note RHO played ♠x, ♠, ♠T.
While LHO followed ♠x, ♠x, ♠J.
Unless RHO is Zia, LHO started with ♠QJxx.
Hence you can try running ♥ and cashing ♣A, to strip LHO of his ♣.
Only tthen, finesse ♦Q, and exit with ♠x, endplaying LHO to lead a ♦x.
-- if you have read the ending correctly.
This would have been easier to spot if Dummy's ♣Q had been a rag.
If LHO also has ♣K, he is triple-squeezed, making the ending easier to read.

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