[lamford]

gnasher, on 2012-September-25, 03:49, said:

If you, as Lamford suggested, win in hand, ruff a spade high, play a heart to hand, and play a diamond to dummy, West ought to know that there is no loser outside diamonds - it would be a very strange way to play with AKx KJ10xx K10x Kx - so he certainly has the information he needs to work out that unblocking is correct. I agree that it's rather easier to do this on an internet forum though.

I don't think it helps West to insert an honour if South still has a trump in North. Declarer can even cash the ace of diamonds when in dummy before drawing trumps, and the squeeze operates as long as East has at least one diamond honour and seven clubs. If West has two clubs then cashing the ace of diamonds will generally fail, and one needs to play a diamond towards dummy early. It still does not help West to put in the H from Hx, as you then revert to the strip squeeze on East. In all cases, as far as I can see, you have to guess whether West has one or two clubs. The answer is to ask West what the probability is of the partnership (and East in particular) overcalling 3C on Jxx x KTx Q1098xx or similar, and then you can judge. You are entitled to this information.