From                 Wednesday Game Archives

                                          Theme               Double Squeeze

                                          Difficulty           * * * *

                                          Dlr North           None Vul             Hands Rotated

                                                                                                 for Convenience

West leads A♥, and continues a Heart.  The lead and the bidding pretty much confirm that Hearts are 6-2, so, playing matchpoints, there is not much point in ducking the second round of Hearts.  You win the K♥ at Trick Two, cross to the K♣ (both opponents following), and finesse the Q♠, losing to the King.  The J♦ comes back.

You have lost two tricks, and can count ten top tricks of your own.  Can you score that 11^th trick?

SOLUTION

You could win on the board and try another Spade finesse.  But, after that preempt, the odds favor West to have that J♠.  This opens up a delightful opportunity!  If West has the J♠, and with East holding the remaining Hearts, we can orchestrate a double squeeze!

Win that Diamond shift on the board, cross to the A♠, and then rattle off all those winning Clubs.  This will be the situation with one Club left:

When the last Club is played, East must hold on to the Q♥, so he pitches a Diamond.  Declarer no longer needs that Heart, and now West is squeezed in Spades and Diamonds.

Keys to Success

   - Winning the second round of Hearts (a further hold-up in unnecessary in view of the bidding)

   - Realizing that the J♠ is more likely to be with West (becuase of East's Heart length)

   - Playing for the Double Squeeze instead of the Spade finesse