Discussion #5: June 2021 - How to Squeeze an Opponent Even If They are the Last to Play
How to Squeeze an Opponent Even If They are the Last to Play
During COVID lockdown last year, many people took the opportunity to play bridge on-line. I was declarer (sitting South) when this hand came up. Needless to say, I failed to make the 4H contract going one down. The auction was not complicated but the play of the hand was .......
The 6♦ was led by West, dummy plays 2♦ and East wins Q♦ and cashes the A♦. East then cashes the A♥ and exits with the J♣. You have seen East play 11 points, East is likely to also hold the K♠ given the opening bid. If the clubs break 3/3 then you can pitch your losing spade and you have ten tricks. So this was my line - draw another round of trumps, play on clubs and if they break 3/3 pitch a spade. If not, fall back on the spade finesse. East had four clubs and West two. Last resort, try the spade finesse which also failed. Down one! Can you find a better line before looking at the solution?
Solution: Declarer wins trick four with the Q♣ and continues with the K♥, the A♣ and the A♠, then three more hearts leaving the following position:
When South plays the 9♥, the J♠ is discarded from dummy. Now what is East going to play? If they play the K♠ you can cash Q♠. If East lets go a club, you can take two club tricks. The key play was cashing the A♠ early. This ensures that your side is not squeezed before the defending East. If the A♠ is not cashed early and the 9♥ is played, dummy will be squeezed before East. I think cashing the A♠ early is a bit like ‘rectifying the count’. You are establishing an opponent’s card to master rank on a temporary basis.
