Feb 23 2009
My Main Squeeze
This article is written by guest contributer Lance Shull. This article also appeared in the Wilmington MABC Regional Tournament’s daily bulletin for Saturday February 21, 2009.
One of the pivotal hands in a knockout match from Thursday night turned on breaking up a squeeze on the opening lead. Both declarers reached a contract of 6 NT via mildly dfferent auctions. Audrey Ventura had to select an opening lead from
Jxx xxxx Axx xxx
against the (unopposed) auction:
| 1NT | 2H (transfer) |
| 2S | 3D |
| 3NT | 4C |
| 6C | 6NT |
and selected her highest club in an effort to avoid giving away a trick. This choice had the desired effect of setting the contract, but for an unforeseen reason. At the other table, Malcolm Smith, of Whiteville, NC, received the diamond A lead against the same contract, buying the cards shown in the box below:
Smith won the second diamond and ran the next 10 tricks ending in the dummy. East was squeezed between the black suits and pitched a club, his only hope being that partner could hold a club spot higher than declarer’s. Smith claimed trick 13 with the club 9 for +990.
Ventura’s lead at our table broke up the club communication necessary for the squeeze to operate, given that she followed through with a second club upon winning the diamond A.
+ 50 was worth 14 IMPS to the good guys in an eventual 13 IMP victory.
 KQxxx
|
 |
| A
|
AQx
QJx
KT