Time to Show Your Stuff

[inquiry]

Here is the situation... Barometer team match, last hand, you bid 6NT. If you don't make it you are sure to lose. If you make it and opponents do not bid and make the slam, you win. The other table is finished and now all eyes, kibitzers and players from the other table are watching you.

 

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=st5hakq6dak3cak98&s=sa872h87dj72cqj43]133|200|1♣* - 1NT

6NT

 

*16+ one round force

1NT "good 8+"

 

Opening lead ♠KING[/hv]

 

Ok... this looks grim, but I know several of the readers will come up with what must happen to make this one. Can you find the right line (and play the opponents for the necessary hands) to make?

[Mbodell]

Alright, I duck the first trick to rectify the count (maybe this is a squeeze without the count, but I have a hard enough time with a squeeze with the count so I'll dismiss that thought) and have 10 top tricks and threats with the ♠8, the ♦J (or maybe 3), and the 6♥. On the run of the clubs I need to squeeze the person who has the hearts so I can run them and squeeze the diamonds and spades. Alternatively if the person with the hearts keeps them then they need to abandon diamonds so the third diamond sets up the hearts. Maybe West with:

 

KQJ9 xxxx Qxxxx -

 

Now east has only 2 ♦ so if West abandons hearts first I can pitch the J♦ and 1 ♠ on the heart and still have a winner, but I don't have transportation so my line fails on this layout.

[kenrexford]

I always get four clubs, three hearts, two diamond, and a spade, for 10 tricks. I need two more.

 

I think my chances are best when LHO has all three top spades, so I give him that.

 

One obvious option is to play him for J-10-9 in hearts. After I run the round suits down, including the fourth heart, he is caught in a spade-diamond Squeeze (if he also has the diamond Queen). I likely throw him in with the spade, if I get the count right. Of course, he might counter by reducing to one fewer diamond than "needed" and an extra small spade.

 

If I duck one spade, I can catch him with any four hearts, the unprotected diamond Queen, and either five spades or KQJ9 specifically. Then, I win whatever and run the clubs and diamonds, ending in hand. If my spade is not good, the hearts need to run.

 

Can I do better? If I win the second spade, I run out the clubs, and LHO, with all the critical spades, the Q-whatever in diamonds, and four hearts must establish something. If he establishes the diamond (and I guess that), I then run the diamonds, ending in hand, for a spade-heart squeeze. If he establishes the spade, I then use the spade for a red-suit squeeze. However, if he abandons the hearts, I have no solution. So, not this way.

 

What about better if I win the first spade? On the run of the clubs, he might then need to save four hearts, Qxx in diamonds, and two spade tricks, to keep me from just ducking a spade (maybe). But, he cannot do all of this. If he abandons the heart, I then run the hearts, probably catching him in the throw-in (or guessing to drop on his counter).

 

So, what if he abandons the diamond? In that event, I can cash two top diamonds, establishing my Jack, for another threat. Let's suppose he ditches the spade. I can then hook a heart (playing him for J109x originally), and exit a spade. He then must lead a heart back -- oops! I needed to triple hook hearts earlier! If he ditches a diamond, I hook the heart now. He splits, so I win the Queen to cash two diamonds, establishing my Jack for an entry to hook-split hearts again. When he pitched a presumed spade on the diamond Jack, I can then exit in spades for a throw-in re-hook in hearts.

 

OK, so what if he instead ditches that spade? I can set up the spade, but how to get back? All he has to do is exit a hearts, and I am stuck. Sure, I could hook-split the heart at trick 2, even earlier, and then hook-split again after coming back with a club, and then pull clubs to exit a spade, but then he gives me a free finesse in hearts for my 11th and I must yield the 13th to the diamond Queen. That's an easy defense -- just maintain parity with dummy.

 

So, it looks like there is a counter to either complicated squeeze. So, I think I just have to decide which layout he has:

 

1. All three top spades (or sixth of them), J-10-9 in hearts only, and the diamond Queen, or

 

2. Five spades (or KQJ9), four hearts, and Q(x) in diamonds

 

The latter seems wildly more likely. So, I win the second spade, planning a spade-heart squeeze with the establishing diamond Jack as the pressure card.

[inquiry]

Hand shown, real, down to every spot.

 

First, one thought might be to duck the first spade and play for a triple squeeze (giving West the hand Mbodell showed). For a triple squeeze to win two extra tricks (repeat), you need several things. One of which is entries. If West has that hand, he will continue spades and ESTABLISH the heart threat in dummy. You will win four hearts, but declarers hand will be entryless... something like this...

 

[hv=n=shakqxdak3c&w=sjhj9xdqxxc&e=sxhxxxdxxcx&s=s87hxxdjxxc]399|300|here, west abandons hearts (he had 4450) on the last club. You can now take 4 hearts (you ducked first spade), but have to give a diamond at the end. [/hv]

 

So the triple squeeze can never work (both ken and Mbodell mentioned this line, ken realized it can never work). This leaves duck and play for Qx and all the spades (KQJ9, or any five spades) and four hearts together, this is the line ken ended up with. I like this play, and it is the one I "took" (i did not play this hand).

 

We could make the hand more perfect for a different play by giving south A432 of spades, however, where you would need five spades and four hearts together for the simple major suit squeeze.

 

However, an interesting line, should you hold A432 or if you don't wish to play leader for KQJ9 or any five spades is to not duck the first trick, but win it. Here you are playing for doubleton Q of diamonds (something you need since no chance for triple squeeze).

 

By winning the first trick, you can still make if West holds KQJ in spades and specifically JT9(x) of hearts, or JT or J9 sixth of hearts. Imagine something like this....

 

[hv=n=shakqxdak3c&w=sjhj9xdqxxc&e=sxhxxxdxxcx&s=s87hxxdjxxc]399|300|here, west abandons hearts (he had 4450) on the last club. You can now take 4 hearts (you ducked first spade), but have to give a diamond at the end. [/hv]

 

Win the first spade. Cash the Diamond AK (yeah!). Then AK of clubs, and another club. Now you have to decide, West who had two diamonds and one club.. does he have JT9xx(x) of hearts, in which case you have to lead the heart eight and run it if he doesn't cover, or does he have JTxxxx or J9xxxx or T9xxxx in which case you cash one top heart. I would lead the heart eight and if WEST ducks, win the ACE. Here you catch the ten. Now, club, and diamond winner. This is the position with the diamond jack being played...

 

[hv=n=shakqxdak3c&w=sjhj9xdqxxc&e=sxhxxxdxxcx&s=s87hxxdjxxc]399|300|here, west abandons hearts (he had 4450) on the last club. You can now take 4 hearts (you ducked first spade), but have to give a diamond at the end. [/hv]

 

Ok, to find this play is double dummy, so give full credit to duck and play for the Qx of diamonds and major suit squeeze. But I was please to note Ken realized the win a spade at trick one might require triple finessee through WEST on first round of hearts and eventual spade throw in. So the double dummy play can be at least envisioned, if not actually carried out. Well done ken.

 

Note, if West has JT9x of hearts, the play of winning the first spade still works on the identical line (if you have enough nerves to duck the eight of hearts if you lead it and west plays low). That is, you can still force West to cover both heart 87 and throw him in with teh spade at the end.

 

BTW, in a barometer where you think they probably bid the slam too, figure they would fine the spade duck and simple squeeze, and play for the exotic line is a little more attractive... but that puts a lot on the idea they will bid the slam.