Thursday, August 13, 2009

Pointless squeeze (from Nat'l Swiss)

For the first time in a long time I went to basically all of nationals, playing about 17 sessions. In the final session, I mis-sorted a hand for the first time I can remember (it was really freaky seeing diamonds turn into hearts, particularly when my hand went from 5323 to 5503 after I had mis-bid and mis-defended). And there was also this example:

♠ J 9 8 3
♥ Q 10 8
♦ K Q 5 2
♣ 6 4
   
♠ 5 4
♥ A K 9 3 2
♦ 10 7
♣ A J 10 2


Me LHOCHORHO
1♥ 2♠ 3♥ All Pass


2♠ was 4 spades and a 5 card minor, 11-15 points.

The defense led a low diamond to the K and Ace. A diamond was ruffed, then a high spade and a spade to the 9 and K. Another diamond was played: I ruffed 9, which held, then played ♣10 to LHO who won and played a trump, ♥10 holding in dummy.

Anyway, after winning the ♥10 I was in this position:

♠ J 9
♥ Q 8
♦ Q
♣ 6
   
♠ -
♥ A K 3
♦ -
♣ A J 2


I'm already down 1, but want the rest of the tricks. So I ruffed a spade high, and ♥K, ♥Q, ♦Q squeezed LHO in the black suits.

Of course, ♥K successfully drew all outstanding trumps, so for this squeeze I had to "rectify" the count by compressing my trump winners. I could have just ruffed a club.

So after 500 hands I can still spot a squeeze, but ruffing in dummy is beyond me.

I'm not sure if the ♣10 was a good play or not. I could have always drawn trumps in 2 rounds and set about losing and ruffing and pitching my 3 club losers. But, on that layout ♣10 was safe, and if LHO had been 4216 and defended the same way I would still have made. I don't see a way to cater to both possibilities, so maybe ♣10 was best (other than leading ♥10 from dummy, except you're not in dummy).

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