Black Tie Squeeze

Hi all

Here’s a 6NT from one of the Dombo teams matches last week. The game stayed in the back of my mind for a couple days, and finally I found out why.

North Dealer
NS Vul
North
Kx
AJTxx
QJ9x
QT
West
Jx
98xxx
KTx
xxx
East
QT9xx
x
xx
KJxxx
South
A8xx
KQ
Axxx
Axx

North opened 1, East overcalled 1 and South ended up in 6NT. West not being blessed with second sight started with the Jack (a lead from West beats 6NT). Declarer lost track and ended up one trick short.

The plan. You have eleven tricks if you develop the for three tricks. Number twelve has to come from a squeeze, there are no other options available. So take the lead with the King and play a to the Ace and a to dummy, West takes and plays again a for your Ace. Cash both the King and Queen of and cross to dummy in . Now the rest of the red suit tricks and East is trapped.

North Dealer
NS Vul
North
T
QT
West
.
not
important
.
East
Q
KJ
South
8
Ax

When the Ten of is played from dummy it’s all curtains for East.

I hear you say: “But if West switches to a when he’s in with the King?” Now this is what I like about this game. Follow the same lines as above and it will lead to this:

North Dealer
NS Vul
North
x
T
Q
West
.
not
important
.
East
QT
K
South
A8
x

Again these curtains on the Ten.

West can take away one entry when in with the King, but the other black suit will still provide the communication for the black suit squeeze. One question is still left, how to get to play 6NT from North?