IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

 

There are complex squeezes and simple ones.  Here is one where declarer knew how to establish a “threat” card and remove a card from the defender’s hand.

 

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

#11-10

Dlr

E

Vul

E/W

S

A1063

H

A832

D

KQ

C

J83

S

K75

H

J764

D

A4

C

10972

  pad  

S

J842

H

Q10

D

976

C

K654

 

S

Q9

H

K95

D

J108532

C

AQ

West

North

East

South

  

 

   Pass

    1D

  Pass  

   1H

   Pass

    1NT

   Pass       3NT       Pass      Pass

   Pass

 

 

BIDDING:  South rebid 1NT rather than his weak diamond suit.  This allowed him to protect his black suit honors from the opening lead.  North had an easy raise to game.

 

PLAY:  West led a low club with East playing the king.  After winning the ace, declarer knocked out the ace of diamonds and won the club return.  Declarer now had eleven tricks and saw a good play for one more.  He led a spade to the ace setting up his queen as a threat card.  Next he cashed the jack of clubs, led a heart to his king, and started running the diamonds.  Here was the layout with one diamond yet to play:

 

                 S10  HA8

SK

HJ7

                   SQ  H 9  D2

 

When the deuce of diamonds was led West was toast.  He finally discarded the king of spades hoping his partner held the queen but declarer had his twelfth trick.  Note that the squeeze will not operate if declarer fails to first cash the ace of spades to remove an “idle” card from West.  Also note that this squeeze will work against either defender who holds the king of spades along with heart length.  This type of squeeze is called the Vienna Coup.

 

Copyright ©2011 Larry Matheny