The Squeeze by Foxymoron

The Squeeze by Kenneth Price

There is always something special about bidding and making 7NT, even if it is too ambitious, and such was the case here. The first two bids by West were replicated at many tables and the decision comes on East's second turn:

If my partner showed two of the two three honours, I would probably bid 7H as East. Although that might need trumps 3-2 and a guess in a side-suit, I will be well-placed in practice with a possible ruffing spade finesse, not available in 6NT. Not to mention that playing in no-trumps could be catastrophic if hearts are 4-1 or worse, which will happen 32% of the time. Bidding 6H is also fine, as you are more likely to make an overtrick safely, and can still make when hearts are 4-1. At our table Steven Paul and Judith Hughes got an average for the very sensible auction 2H-6H.

How should you play 7NT on the ten of clubs lead from South, covered by the jack, queen and ace? Both Andy Conway and Steve Coulter reached the grand, in the spirit of the late Kenny Rogers' song, The Gambler. I can almost hear him sing:

"If you're gonna play the game, boy

You gotta learn to play it right." 

They combined their chances well by cashing the ace and king of diamonds, the king of clubs, a top spade, and six rounds of hearts. They had the genuine chance of the spade-diamond squeeze, much better than 50% as it shows up when North has both queens. It also drops the doubleton queen of spades offside, or the doubleton queen of diamonds in either hand, and one can always judge to fall back on the spade finesse if one thinks that is right. When South didn't discard a spade or a diamond, they judged well that South had both ladies and dropped the queen of spades to share the top. The more prudent Mike and Carrie Eden in 7H had to be content with 80% but they were quite happy with that. One of the advantages of playing the squeeze is that you can safely play for an overtrick in either 6NT or 6H, and don't ever risk going off. The pair that went two off in 7NT can console themselves that going one off would not have been any matchpoints either!