[Phil]

Scoring: MP

---

Matchpoints. You open 1N and LHO overcalls 2♦ (♦+M) and you play in 3N.

LHO leads the ♦9 (0-2 higher) and RHO plays the Q.

See any possibilities for 12 tricks?

[hanp]

If LHO has 5 spades (or 4 and RHO pitches a spade) then you have a squeeze if you can figure out the count. Start by taking 6 club tricks.

[Phil]

hanp, on Apr 29 2009, 07:50 PM, said:

If LHO has 5 spades (or 4 and RHO pitches a spade) then you have a squeeze if you can figure out the count. Start by taking 6 club tricks.

Explain. And is there any chance if he has 4 spades?

[whereagles]

To elaborate on Han's reply: seems to me you might be able to reach this position of squeeze without the count:

Scoring: MP

West still to discard

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If you read the cards well, you'll know what to do after West's discard.

Now, whether you should play West for this particular hand is another story...

[Phil]

whereagles, on Apr 30 2009, 03:55 AM, said:

To elaborate on Han's reply: seems to me you might be able to reach this position of squeeze without the count:

Scoring: MP

West still to discard

---

If you read the cards well, you'll know what to do after West's discard.

Now, whether you should play West for this particular hand is another story...

OK, good.

Now can we make it if LHO has ♠Q9xx?

And this was what happened at the table.

[se12sam]

I think the key card is the ♦7 in dummy. If LHO also has the ♦8 to go with his known Ace and 10, we can afford to discard all diamonds from hand.

So, I'd win the first trick, play all clubs discarding two diamonds and a {EDIT: heart} from hand. From the discards on clubs it should become clear which opponent holds which major.

Does that work?

[whereagles]

se12: that could work with LHO having ♠Q9xx, yes. There seem to be a lot of variations. I didn't check whether it always makes, but it sure is easy for East to make a bad disc.

At table I would certainly play LHO for ♠QJxx, but not more than that. To cater for ♠Q9xx requires far more stamina than I'm willing to spend

[se12sam]

Scoring: MP

---

You reach this position. Based on carding so far, it should be clear that West has spades and diamonds (because he threw his hearts away). Now play low to ♥K and low back to ♥A.

1. If West discards two diamonds, you throw him with the last diamond. This allows you to score 3 tricks when the spade honors are split and West has the ♠9
2. If West discards one diamond and one spade, play a low spade to ♠A in hand and exit with the heart. This loser card squeezes West again!

What a delightful position! (provided I got it right )

[cherdanno]

Hmm, very pretty, but you also need East to have the ♠7. Meanwhile, West can always force you to guess between QJxx and Q9xx by exiting with the ♠Q...

[gnasher]

se12sam, on Apr 30 2009, 11:34 AM, said:

2. If West discards one diamond and one spade, play a low spade to ♠A in hand and exit with the heart. This loser card squeezes West again!

Maybe I've misunderstood, but doesn't West just throw his last diamond? The defence comes down to ♠Q+♦A opposite ♠Jx.

[se12sam]

gnasher, on May 1 2009, 08:55 AM, said:

se12sam, on Apr 30 2009, 11:34 AM, said:

2. If West discards one diamond and one spade, play a low spade to ♠A in hand and exit with the heart. This loser card squeezes West again!

Maybe I've misunderstood, but doesn't West just throw his last diamond? The defence comes down to ♠Q+♦A opposite ♠Jx.

Yes, you are correct! Maybe it is better to play three rounds of hearts
- instead of low to ♥K and low back to dummy, I play the other way round and end in hand + lead the third heart. West has to hold on to ♦A and dummy can discard the ♦7.
- however the position now becomes subjective. East leads a low spade and I capture the Queen in dummy. If West started with QJxx, I should now play low to Ace (to drop the J). If West started with Q9xx, I should play the 10 to squash the 9.
- I suppose the only guiding principle here is "restricted choice". But if we guess wrong, a score of 10 tricks will be a sure-fire bottom.

[manudude03]

se12sam, on Apr 30 2009, 10:34 AM, said:

Scoring: MP

---

You reach this position. Based on carding so far, it should be clear that West has spades and diamonds (because he threw his hearts away). Now play low to ♥K and low back to ♥A.

1. If West discards two diamonds, you throw him with the last diamond. This allows you to score 3 tricks when the spade honors are split and West has the ♠9
2. If West discards one diamond and one spade, play a low spade to ♠A in hand and exit with the heart. This loser card squeezes West again!

What a delightful position! (provided I got it right )

If you come down to that position, you can take 5 if you play ♥A then K, then exit a heart (throwing the diamond if it isn't good).