[inquiry]

From last night... of course, not a single kibitizer when I finally get one right...

Imps, NS Vul
K52
Q85
QT9
9763


9763
J94 (fixed, thanks luis) :-)
AKJ754
void

E S W N
(1H) 2D (X) P
P P

Opening lead HK to H7
T2.. H4. H9. HA. HQ
T3.. H3. H5. D8. HJ

T4.. SPADE QUEEN.

Plan your play

[luis]

Wow Ben! How many heart queens are there?
My father tried to draw trumps once playing cA and club to the Ace in dummy, but 3 heart queens are too much :-)

[Felix]

I will play W to be 4-2-1-6, without the SA. So i will duck 2 spades, ruff 2 Clubs in hand and cross to dummy with the last D, which will squeeze W in Spades and Clubs.
W hand : QJTx Kx x Kxxxxx (or the like, with anothe C honor)

[inquiry]

Quote

I will play W to be 4-2-1-6, without the SA. So i will duck 2 spades, ruff 2 Clubs in hand and cross to dummy with the last D, which will squeeze W in Spades and Clubs.
W hand : QJTx Kx x Kxxxxx (or the like, with anothe C honor)

The title of the original post refers to a thread started two days ago by The_Hog where you had to assume Rado (or resident Gold Star, world class player) would find a trump squeeze if you didn't return the correct card at trick two... here is a link to that thread.
http://forums.bridgebase.com/in...ay;threadid=555

To Rado, we will have to now add Felix, as he found the trump squeeze as well. Well done! The correct play is duck the Spade Queen, duck the next spade (East had Ax), and then execute a trump squeeze. West was 4-2-1-6 so East is out of the picture. Just be sure to ruff one of the clubs high.

The ending, of course,

S-K
--
T
xx

S-JT S--
H-- H-xx
D-- D-7
C-Kx C-A

S-xx
H--
D-Ax
C--

Lead low Diamond to Ten, pulling last trump and squeezing West in the black suits. If he throws a spade, cash spade King and claim. If he thows a club, ruff a club, and claim.

Ben

[Felix]

Thx for the nice words Ben, but i assure you i wouldn't find it at the table :-)
And also, your writeup was soooo much better than mine!!

[rtewari]

Just that little help from defense....

West should play a club instead of spade at trick 4 and the defense should keep on playing clubs whenever they get a chance - it kills the club menace prematurely.

West should be able to figure out the shape of south hand. Holding 9-10 HCP and 7 HCP in dummy and assuming average 13 HCP with partner, south has max 11 HCP suggesting that the overcalled suit is most likely 6 cards. Partner is either 2-5-3-3 or 3-5-3-2. If it is latter, the spade tricks cannot go anywhere and there is no risk in playing away from club K as declarer cannot have more than 1 card in clubs. But if it former, then you have to ensure that you avoid the trump squeeze.

[inquiry]

Quote

Just that little help from defense....

West should play a club instead of spade at trick 4 and the defense should keep on playing clubs whenever they get a chance - it kills the club menace prematurely.

West should be able to figure out the shape of south hand. Holding 9-10 HCP and 7 HCP in dummy and assuming average 13 HCP with partner, south has max 11 HCP suggesting that the overcalled suit is most likely 6 cards. Partner is either 2-5-3-3 or 3-5-3-2. If it is latter, the spade tricks cannot go anywhere and there is no risk in playing away from club K as declarer cannot have more than 1 card in clubs. But if it former, then you have to ensure that you avoid the trump squeeze.

Well, you are right and wrong. The defense can beat you but by starting SPADES, not clubs, and they have to do this BEFORE the entry to opening leader's hand (HK or Heart ruff) is gone so that his partner can get a spade ruff... After Heart-heart, it is too late. No defense works, and certainly not your suggested club instead of a spade.

So while it is true that "kiling a threat" breaks up a squeeze, if they lead and continue leading clubs, you ruff four clubs in your hand, to go along with 1S, and 3 trumps in dummy... simple math 4+1+3 = 8.


Ben

[rtewari]

You are right!. I completely overlooked the dummy reversal possibilities. :-