The Old Routine

by Mark Horton

One hallmark of the expert is his knowledge of squeeze play. Although the legendary Giorgio Belladonna famously said that one could become a great player without any special knowledge of this technique it frequently comes to the rescue, as on this deal from the sixth session of the Bermuda Bowl final.

Dealer West. None Vul
	♠ A K J 9 6 4 ♥ A 10 4 ♦ 6 2 ♣ 3 2
♠ Q ♥ Q 9 6 5 ♦ J 8 7 5 ♣ K 9 7 5		♠ 10 8 5 3 ♥ J 2 ♦ K Q 9 ♣ Q J 10 8
	♠ 7 2 ♥ K 8 7 3 ♦ A 10 4 3 ♣ A 6 4

Closed Room

North’s raise to 3NT was well timed as this type of deal very often delivers nine tricks more easily than ten.

West led the five of hearts for the jack and king and declarer played four rounds of spades, East winning the last of them with the ten. The club switch was taken by declarer’s ace and he took no chances, playing a heart to the ace and claiming nine tricks, +400.

The USA had to work much harder in the replay:

Open Room

East led the queen of clubs and when that held he continued the suit, declarer winning with dummy’s ace and playing a spade. When the queen appeared Hamman gave some though to ducking (at double dummy the start of the only winning line) but that would have looked very foolish if West had started with a doubleton spade and declarer took the ace and continued with the king and jack, dummy discarding a heart while West threw both his remaining clubs.

When declarer played a diamond East went up with the king and declarer ducked.

The winning defence now is for East to exit with a club. Declarer ruffs, as West discards a heart, and exits with a spade, dummy discarding a heart and West a diamond. Now when East exits with his last club dummy is squeezed in front of West.

However, East exited with the nine of diamonds and declarer went up with the ace, ruffed a diamond and exited with a spade to arrive at this four card ending:

	♠ 9 ♥ A 10 4 ♦ ♣
♠ ♥ Q 9 6 ♦ J ♣		♠ ♥ J 2 ♦ ♣ 10 8
	♠ ♥ K 8 ♦ 10 ♣ 6