tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26947137.post-23505114118420421502007-10-09T16:42:00.000+02:002007-10-19T10:47:18.459+02:00I encountered the following hand this weekend:<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;width:100%"><table class="firmit_template_deal" style="width:250px"><tr><td><table class="firmit_template_info"><tr><td class="firmit_template_info_td">Dealer:</td><td class="firmit_template_info_td">West</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_info_td">Vul:</td><td class="firmit_template_info_td">Both</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_info_td">Scoring:</td><td class="firmit_template_info_td">imps</td></tr><tr></tr></table></td><td><table class="firmit_template_seat"><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='spades'>&spades;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">T876</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">J</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">K82</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">Q9752</td></tr></table></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><table class="firmit_template_seat"><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='spades'>&spades;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">J543</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">A82</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">AT63</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">JT</td></tr></table></td><td></td><td><table class="firmit_template_seat"><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='spades'>&spades;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">92</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">T97654</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">95</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">843</td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td></td><td><table class="firmit_template_seat"><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='spades'>&spades;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">AKQ</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">KQ3</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">QJ74</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">AK6</td></tr></table></td><td></td></tr></table></div><br />The auction was pretty standard, ending in 3NT played by South. LHO started with a small <span class='spades'>&spades;</span>. 11 tricks were easy, but perhaps 12 were possible by means of a squeeze. So I took <span class='spades'>&spades;</span>K and played a low <span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span> to the K. LHO hesitated, so we know where <span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span>A is. Next was the <span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span>J, which is necessary to rectify the count for a squeeze. With normal layouts and if the <span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span>J holds, we have 3<span class='spades'>&spades;</span>s, 1<span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span>, 3<span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span>s and 5<span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span>s = 11 tricks, perfect for a squeeze.<br /><br /><span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span>J held, so I played a <span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span> to my Q and LHO took the Ace (mistake). He returned a <span class='spades'>&spades;</span>. After cashing all my <span class='spades'>&spades;</span>s, I ran the <span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span>s. This is the position in the end:<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;width:100%"><table class="firmit_template_deal" style="width:250px"><tr><td><table class="firmit_template_info"><tr><td class="firmit_template_info_td">Dealer:</td><td class="firmit_template_info_td">West</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_info_td">Vul:</td><td class="firmit_template_info_td">Both</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_info_td">Scoring:</td><td class="firmit_template_info_td">imps</td></tr><tr></tr></table></td><td><table class="firmit_template_seat"><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='spades'>&spades;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">T</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">-</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">2</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">52</td></tr></table></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><table class="firmit_template_seat"><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='spades'>&spades;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">J</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">A</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">T6</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">-</td></tr></table></td><td></td><td><table class="firmit_template_seat"><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='spades'>&spades;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">-</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">T976</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">-</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">-</td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td></td><td><table class="firmit_template_seat"><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='spades'>&spades;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">-</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">KQ</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">Q7</td></tr><tr><td class="firmit_template_seat_td1"><span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span></td><td class="firmit_template_seat_td2">-</td></tr></table></td><td></td></tr></table></div><br />On <span class='clubs'>&clubs;</span>5 I discarded <span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span>K, and LHO was squeezed in 3 suits. 3NT+3 won us a full imp, it's not much, but in MP it would've been a top.<br /><br />I have no idea why LHO didn't take his Aces. From the auction he should've known his partner had nothing, and creating a third trick was impossible.<br /><br />Note that if you don't play <span class='hearts'>&hearts;</span>J, the squeeze doesn't work. When LHO holds up his <span class='diamonds'>&diams;</span>Ace one more round the squeeze also doesn't work, because the communication to my hand is broken.Freehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121114182464630256noreply@blogger.com