Three-suited Squeeze (Le Bridgeur Magazine n°894 – May 2015)

Article written by Jérôme Rombaut and published in the French magazine Le Bridgeur n°894 on 15 May 2015.

This month, Funbridge invites you to discover another squeeze deal commented by the Belgian player Jean-Michel Grosfils.

In the last article, we had given you a first example of an unusual squeeze where opponents were obliged to slavishly rectify the count for declarer.

Here is a new case seen on Funbridge illustrating an elegant three-suited squeeze without the count.

Q 5 3 2  A K 6  A 6 4  A K 10

A J 10 4  Q  K 10 9 8  Q J 5 3

9 6  4 3  Q 7 3  9 8 7 6 4 2

K 8 7  J 10 9 8 7 5 2  J 5 2  –

S	W	N	E
			PASS
	PASS

 
The bidding phase is not a model of its kind. Still, West picks the unfortunate lead of the heart queen. The fact that he did not choose the diamond lead shows that both honours in this suit are not in opener’s hand. Bad news. Unless West holds ace-second of spades, you seem to be doomed to lose two spades.

However, by drawing your trumps, you will put unsustainable “three-suited” pressure on West. Let’s have a look at the end of the deal:

Q 5 3  –  A 6  A K 10

A J 10  –  K 10  Q J 5

9 6  –  Q 7 3  9 8 7

K 8 7  J 10  J 5 2  –

 
On the penultimate trump, the noose is already tightening. If West discards a club or a spade, the die is cast. So he discards the diamond 10. You play dummy’s spade 3 for instance and follow with spade 7. West can’t play the ace without giving a trick away to you. After the spade queen, you cash the club ace-king by discarding the two losing spades you hold. Then you play diamond ace and diamond, the diamond jack becoming the hoped-for twelfth trick.