A Basic Squeeze
|
| ♠ |
A 10 |
| ♥ |
Q J 9 5 3 |
| ♦ |
Q 10 8 7 2 |
| ♣ |
2 |
|
|
| ♠ |
7 3 2 |
| ♥ |
K 7 6 4 2 |
| ♦ |
3 |
| ♣ |
10 7 6 4 |
|
|
| ♠ |
Q 9 5 4 |
| ♥ |
A 10 |
| ♦ |
J 9 6 5 |
| ♣ |
8 5 3 |
|
|
| ♠ |
K J 8 6 |
| ♥ |
8 |
| ♦ |
A K 4 |
| ♣ |
A K Q J 9 |
|
|
Clearly, 6 NT is off the top two hearts. A
6 ♦ contract loses a heart and a diamond if the defense forces South to ruff a heart
at trick two.
But
6 ♣ makes. for example, if the defense forces South to
ruff in hearts on the second trick, declarer can simply draw trumps, which squeezes East:
|
| ♠ |
A 10 |
| ♥ |
Q |
| ♦ |
Q 10 8 7 2 |
| ♣ |
— |
|
|
|
|
| ♠ |
Q 9 5 4 |
| ♥ |
— |
| ♦ |
J 9 6 5 |
| ♣ |
— |
|
|
| ♠ |
K J 8 6 |
| ♥ |
— |
| ♦ |
A K 4 |
| ♣ |
J |
|
|
East, to play to the fourth round of trumps, has to keep four
spades and four diamonds, an impossibility.