Is there a Squeeze?

[MinorKid]

[hv=pc=n&s=shk942dakqjt543c3&n=s9743ha753d72cakj&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1cp2d2s3hp7dppp]266|200[/hv]

 

WEST LEAD ♠K

Plan the play.

[Fluffy]

Look at the spades to see f they are 7-2. Eliminating RHO's spades greatly increase our chances.

 

Take a look for an opponent playing high low in trumps with 96 or 86 allowing us an extra entry to dummy

 

Run diamonds and pitch 3 hearts and 1 spade from dummy before ruffing a spade in hand using ♥A as entry. Guessing comes after that.

 

This gives up a ruffing squeeze against LHO if he is 7-3 in the majors, but that seems unlikely.

[Finch]

To decide if there is a squeeze or not, you need to project how the play will go up to the point just before you play the squeeze card. If the first attempt doesn't work, you have a rethink.

So my first attempt it:

Ruff the opening lead, draw trumps, cross on the ace of hearts and ruff another spade, then run trumps. You are planning to come down to a 5-card ending:

 

x

x

-

AKJ

 

-

K9x

x

x

 

now think through the possibilities

- if LHO started with 7 spades and the queen of clubs, then (apart from taking the club finesse) we cash our red suit winners and he is squeezed

- if LHO started with 7 spades and 3 hearts we've misplayed it, we needed to keep the HA in dummy and cash the AK of clubs earlier

- if RHO started with 3 hearts and the queen of clubs then the last trump discarding a a major suit card squeezes him

 

so on two of these layouts, we simply cash the last diamond discarding a heart, then the HK discarding a spade if it isn't good and if the hearts aren't good we play clubs from the top

 

Now we think through an alternative line. Instead of crossing on a heart to ruff a spade, we cash the AK of clubs (discarding a heart) and ruff a spade then run trumps, coming to

x

Axx

-

J

 

-

Kx

xxx

-

 

If LHO started with 7 spades and the queen of clubs, he isn't squeezed

if LHO started with 7 spades and 3 hearts we discard a club on this trump and he is squeezed on the next one

if RHO started with 3 hearts and the queen of clubs there's no squeeze because we've kept both our menaces in dummy and he is over dummy

 

So although this line succeeds in one case where the first one didn't, it fails more often.

 

Finally, what if we don't ruff a second spade in hand but just run trumps.

 

x

Ax

-

AKJ

 

-

Kxxx

x

x

 

This is going to pick up the same layouts as the first line, except that we may need to take the club finesse if LHO has the queen

 

So, finally: yes, there is a squeeze (of course) but I don't think you have a single dummy 100% line

[Cyberyeti]

 

Now we think through an alternative line. Instead of crossing on a heart to ruff a spade, we cash the AK of clubs (discarding a heart) and ruff a spade then run trumps, coming to

x

Axx

-

J

 

-

Kx

xxx

-

 

If LHO started with 7 spades and the queen of clubs, he isn't squeezed

if LHO started with 7 spades and 3 hearts we discard a club on this trump and he is squeezed on the next one

if RHO started with 3 hearts and the queen of clubs there's no squeeze because we've kept both our menaces in dummy and he is over dummy

 

So although this line succeeds in one case where the first one didn't, it fails more often.

 

The south hand should be Kxx/xx or you just have 5 tricks, this also means you do have a heart menace in that hand.

[Lovera]

To decide if there is a squeeze or not, you need to project how the play will go up to the point just before you play the squeeze card. If the first attempt doesn't work, you have a rethink.

So my first attempt it:

Ruff the opening lead, draw trumps, cross on the ace of hearts and ruff another spade, then run trumps. You are planning to come down to a 5-card ending:

 

x

x

-

AKJ

 

-

K9x

x

x

 

now think through the possibilities

- if LHO started with 7 spades and the queen of clubs, then (apart from taking the club finesse) we cash our red suit winners and he is squeezed

- if LHO started with 7 spades and 3 hearts we've misplayed it, we needed to keep the HA in dummy and cash the AK of clubs earlier

- if RHO started with 3 hearts and the queen of clubs then the last trump discarding a a major suit card squeezes him

 

so on two of these layouts, we simply cash the last diamond discarding a heart, then the HK discarding a spade if it isn't good and if the hearts aren't good we play clubs from the top

 

Now we think through an alternative line. Instead of crossing on a heart to ruff a spade, we cash the AK of clubs (discarding a heart) and ruff a spade then run trumps, coming to

x

Axx

-

J

 

-

Kx

xxx

-

 

If LHO started with 7 spades and the queen of clubs, he isn't squeezed

if LHO started with 7 spades and 3 hearts we discard a club on this trump and he is squeezed on the next one

if RHO started with 3 hearts and the queen of clubs there's no squeeze because we've kept both our menaces in dummy and he is over dummy

 

So although this line succeeds in one case where the first one didn't, it fails more often.

 

Finally, what if we don't ruff a second spade in hand but just run trumps.

 

x

Ax

-

AKJ

 

-

Kxxx

x

x

 

This is going to pick up the same layouts as the first line, except that we may need to take the club finesse if LHO has the queen

 

So, finally: yes, there is a squeeze (of course) but I don't think you have a single dummy 100% line

The 9 of spade is both controlled, the diamond could be 2-3 and club J is in inderminate position so i think to a compound guard squeeze (run diamond for almost two or three rounds, club A and K pitching heart, ruff spade then diamond until 4 [next-to-last free winner]).(Lovera)

[Lovera]

Obviously the heart are 2-3 and not diamond (trump) with such as Q J in W and 10 in E.

[whereagles]

Odds for 7-2 spades are probably worse than the club finesse, so I'd probably end up taking the hook.

[nige1]

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WEST LEAD ♠K Plan the play.[/hv]

[hv=pc=n&s=shK93dc3&n=s9hdcakj&d=n&v=b&b=13&]100|200|

Agree with everybody (especially Fluffy): Ruff the ♠ lead. Cash all trumps but one, discarding 3 X ♥ and a ♠. Cross to ♥A. Ruff a ♠ to reach this 4-card ending.

 

Now, cash ♥K, chucking ♠9 unless it's good. If your ♥ aren't good, then guess to cash ♣AK, hoping to drop ♣Q.[/hv]

[Windboe]

There are many squeeze possis:

 

a) A simple !C/!H squeeze against W or E, if they have 3!H and !C Queen.

b) A double squeeze if W has 7!S and E 3!H

c) a triple squeeze against E, if he has stops in all suits. Surely E can convert it to a).

d) A simple !S/!C squeeze against W has 7!S and !CQueen.

e) A simple !S/!H squeeze

 

Only if W has 3 !H but only 6!S and E the !CQueen third, there is no squeeze and you will go down.

 

Your problem is not wether there is a squeeze.

Your Question is: Which squeeze works, if there is one?

Might they make mistakes?

 

So try your best by card reading as far as possible.

Run the !D, Trick 2-7 and watch the discards. You have much to count, special the outstanding cards in 3 suits. Look who hesitates, there is the one who has problems.

After 7 tricks you have: in hand 4!H 1!D 1!C; dummy 2!S 2!H 3!C(with one card to discard).

 

Helpful things will happen:

1. W has discarded 5 !S from his 7-card holding. You discard a !H - not a !S - in dummy, cross via !H and ruff the !S high.

2. E refuses to throw away his third !S, nor he discards a !H. That means he has 2!S 3!H 1!C in his hand. Wether he is a world class player or he has no !CQ. What do you think?

3. My human opponents usually discards !S at East, because they have 3!H and!S discards are so easy. Now you have them.

Play a simple squeeze as a double squeeze; cash the !H - ending in hand - and table the last !D.

 

Not that it works automatic. If W has 4 !h I might miscount.

 

But the chance of making is great.

[Lovera]

Squeeze ending of compound guard squeeze : North (sp) 9 7(idle card) (he) A 7 (di) - (cl) J ; South (sp) - (he) K 9 4 (di) 4(next to last free winner) 3 (last free winner) (cl) - ; West (sp) Q (he) Q J (di) - (cl) ?Q x(idle card) ; East (sp) A (he) 10 x x (di) - (cl) ?Q . When South leads diamond 4 West discards idle card and East if discards heart make good 9 in South after A and K then East if discards spade takes 9 in favoureble position controlled by West , club J double treath without comucation , twin entry menace in heart : when South leads diamond 3 starts a double guard squeeze ; if East discards club takes club J in favoureble position controlled by West , spade 9 double treath without comucation , twin entry menace in heart : when South leads diamond 3 starts a double guard squeeze. [ In parenthesis (sp)=spade (and so on..) ].