fred Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 This hand came up last week in the Palm Springs Regional (an excellent tournament in a beautiful location - if you are inclined to play in ACBL Regionals, this one is about as good as they get): AKJxxKQxxQxxA xxAxxKxxxQxxx You play in 3NT and get a heart lead. If I told you that it was possible to win 12 tricks, you would probably assume that something lucky happened in diamonds (or that the King of clubs was singleton). Actually diamonds were 3-3 and the King of clubs was well-guarded. So how is it possible to win 12 tricks legitimately? This hand is yet another example of the principle that, no matter how long you play and study this game, you will continue to see interesting positions that you have never seen before (including some that are not highly complex). Fred GitelmanBridge Base Inc.www.bridgebase.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jlall Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 well theres a simple squeeze on RHO if he has the DA and the CK, but that seems too easy. edit: ok simple squeeze was wrong terminology. I think the ending is major suit winnerQxx of diamondsA of clubs Kxx of diamondsQx of clubs RHO has the Axx of diamonds and the Kx of clubs. On the major suit winner he's squeezed. Not sure what this squeeze is called. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred Posted December 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 I doubt this squeeze has an official name. Note that you have to guess RHO's distribution when you discard on dummy's last major suit winner. If he keep 2 diamond then you have to discard a club (and lead a diamond next), but if keeps 3 diamonds you have to discard a diamond (and lead a club next). At the table hearts and spades were 3-3, the Queen of spades was onside, and RHO did hold both the Ace of diamonds and the King of clubs. Warning: immediate and unchecked analysis follows - may contain error(s) What if RHO has 3442? He can pitch a diamond on the 2nd last spade. On the last spade he cannot discard a heart or the same position arises. A diamond discard is no good either (as long as you have a spot card in your hand that is bigger than dummy's smallest diamond). You could then set up 2 diamond tricks while ensuring a 3rd round entry to your hand which you would use to squeeze RHO in hearts and clubs. (But this squeeze is not really necessary as long as you keep all 4 of your diamonds since, if RHO comes down to 2 diamonds, he gives you 2 extra tricks in that suit.) If RHO discards a club, you can cash the Ace (dropping his King) and play the Queen of diamonds. RHO must take his Ace. He will be squeezed in hearts and diamonds when you later cash the Queen of clubs. If RHO is 3433 he can defeat you. If you have read this far then you can work this out B) Fred GitelmanBridge Base Inc.www.bridgebase.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inquiry Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 I doubt this squeeze has an official name. Isn't this what Clyde Love Called a CLE squeeze (companion-lead-entry) and what Fook Eng called a developmental squeeze. The basic principle (if no vulnerable stopper endplay is involved) is a loser count of two, a winner in the side suit (here the club ACE)-- or else when you throw them in they cash their winner in the second suit. Then you need a companion (a small card with the threat that you will "develop" or throw them in with (here a small diamond) and a lead to (here a diamond) and an entry (once again a diamond).... The position is[hv=n=sxhdqxxca&w=shdj9xcjx&e=shdat8ckx&s=shdkxxcqx]399|300|When north leads the last major winner (here a spade), East is pinched in both suits. If he throws a club ditch a diamond, cash club ace and lead a diamond. If he throws a diamond, discard a club (have to keep the diamonds for CLE) LEAD (part of CLE) a diamond, and you will score two diamonds. Assume EAST wins the diamond ACE (as good as any). win club ACE, take two diamonds (second low diamond in dummy is "entry" A similar squeeze will work with more LOSERS (more than two) but only if one of the threat suits is at least partially finessable so that there is an endplay feature to the ending. l[/hv] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred Posted December 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 I doubt this squeeze has an official name. Isn't this what Clyde Love Called a CLE squeeze (companion-lead-entry) and what Fook Eng called a developmental squeeze. The basic principle (if no vulnerable stopper endplay is involved) is a loser count of two, a winner in the side suit (here the club ACE)-- or else when you throw them in they cash their winner in the second suit. Then you need a companion (a small card with the threat that you will "develop" or throw them in with (here a small diamond) and a lead to (here a diamond) and an entry (once again a diamond).... The position is[hv=n=sxhdqxxca&w=shdj9xcjx&e=shdat8ckx&s=shdkxxcqx]399|300|When north leads the last major winner (here a spade), East is pinched in both suits. If he throws a club ditch a diamond, cash club ace and lead a diamond. If he throws a diamond, discard a club (have to keep the diamonds for CLE) LEAD (part of CLE) a diamond, and you will score two diamonds. Assume EAST wins the diamond ACE (as good as any). win club ACE, take two diamonds (second low diamond in dummy is "entry" A similar squeeze will work with more LOSERS (more than two) but only if one of the threat suits is at least partially finessable so that there is an endplay feature to the ending. l[/hv] The blockage in the club suit is what makes this position seem so unusual (to me at least). Maybe this is a criss-cross squeeze without the count. Fred GitelmanBridge Base Inc.www.bridgebase.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inquiry Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 The blockage in the club suit is what makes this position seem so unusual (to me at least). Maybe this is a criss-cross squeeze without the count.You are certainly correct that it looks like a criss-cross type squeeze and it is "without count". But interestingly, the "COUNT" is absolutely correct for a CLE or developmental squeeze both of which (they are actually the same thing) precisely two losers. So in this case, the "count" is correct. If you move one small diamond to a small club, interestingly, the endplay does not work. Consider this ending [hv=n=sxhdqxcax&w=shdj9xcjx&e=shdat8ckx&s=shdkxxcqx]399|300|When you cash the spade, EAST discards a diamond. Now when you lead a diamond (big or small), east jumps up with the ace and exits a diamond. You will have to lose another trick. Why is that? It is because dummy's third diamond is essential. One for lead (to give lead to EAST) and one for "entry". By removing a diamond, you lose one of the necessary prerequests for the CLE squeeze (or developmental squeeze). [/hv] I don't know, what name is best, but I find that naming squeeze endings consistenlty helps identify them when they show up. CLE (developmental squeeze) have very specific requirements (2 losers, a lead, a companion, and an entry) which this hand has. So I keep the naming consistent since the sequence of plays for this one (and all similar ones) is identical. I am not smart enough to work thense out at the table without such a lame crutch as grouping them by common characteristics. I have had considerable success with developmental squeezes, not because I am good or anything, but because I have committed these silly things to rote memory. This type of criss-cross ending is not that uncommon to many of the CLE squeezes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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