[Free]

A hand I saw yesterday in the Bermuda Bowl. It was Sweden vs Italy, imp score 6-8 after just a few boards. Now the Swedes bid 7C on this hand, after a relay bidding I almost understand:

North:
AKQ8
Q74
4
A10973

South:
96
AJ3
AQ65
KQJ8

Lead was S3. So he plays SA, small D to the Ace, ruff a D, small C to the 8, ruff a D, small C to the K, ruff a D. West had 2C, 3D and discarded S5 on the last D. You know he has 8 cards in the Majors. If he has the HK, you have to play on a squeeze, if he doesn't have the HK you should finesse.

North:
KQ8
Q74
-
-

South:
9
AJ3
-
QJ

So you're in North. How do you play and why?
At the table they played H4. IF you play H4, what card do you play in South?

Free



EDIT: discard = S5, not S3...

[bhugi]

Quote

A hand I saw yesterday in the Bermuda Bowl. It was Sweden vs Italy, imp score 6-8 after just a few boards. Now the Swedes bid 7C on this hand, after a relay bidding I almost understand:

North:
AKQ8
Q74
4
A10973

South:
96
AJ3
AQ65
KQJ8

Lead was S3. So he plays SA, small D to the Ace, ruff a D, small C to the 8, ruff a D, small C to the K, ruff a D. West had 2C, 3D and discarded S3 on the last D. You know he has 8 cards in the Majors. If he has the HK, you have to play on a squeeze, if he doesn't have the HK you should finesse.

North:
KQ8
Q74
-
-

South:
9
AJ3
-
QJ

So you're in North. How do you play and why?
At the table they played H4. IF you play H4, what card do you play in South?

Free

BTW, How can West Lead S3 and also discard S3 on the last D ?

[luke warm]

on heart 4 from board i take the ace and play last 2 clubs, throwing hearts.. if the HK doesn't appear, i play spades.. any time i have a choice between finesse and squeeze (all things being equal), i lean toward the squeeze

was 7D bid at both tables? i'm not crazy about this at teams, but i guess it could work out

[bhugi]

Quote

on heart 4 from board i take the ace and play last 2 clubs, throwing hearts.. if the HK doesn't appear, i play spades.. any time i have a choice between finesse and squeeze (all things being equal), i lean toward the squeeze

was 7D bid at both tables? i'm not crazy about this at teams, but i guess it could work out

32 hcps adding both hands, and a singleton in Diamond. Good try for a grand slam.
If diamond Q change to spade J or heart K you are home.
A splinter auction in Diamond can get you there to 7.

Just like holding 27 hcp with a splinter bid, very likely you are going to play in 6 other than 4 level if you think the two hands are match (In a way the hcp didn't distributed in the splintered suit)

[Free]

These were the hands of east and west:

West:
10753
K1062
J82
54

East:
J42
985
K10973
62

As you can see, the squeeze was the best sollution. At the table, declarer played HJ and went -1, a big swing for Italy because at the other table they only bid 6C=.

[inquiry]

Quote

These were the hands of east and west:

West:
10753
K1062
J82
54

East:
J42
985
K10973
62

As you can see, the squeeze was the best sollution. At the table, declarer played HJ and went -1, a big swing for Italy because at the other table they only bid 6C=.

This hand for WEST is very hard to believe given the play, you stated earlier, where you said "West had 2C, 3D and discarded S5 on the last D."

I have no doubt what soever that the declearer, with 12 top tricks would have cashed all his top spades before touching hearts. If West had 4S and threw one, dummies last spade would be good. Go back and check the hands again. This is simply not possible.

Ben

[Free]

Sorry ben, but it is as it is. I must say that the declarer wasn't playing the best bridge for a few hands, but this was also a weird method. If you don't believe me, check the hands (they're reversed for easier look) online if you can find them somewhere.

[inquiry]

Quote

Sorry ben, but it is as it is. I must say that the declarer wasn't playing the best bridge for a few hands, but this was also a weird method. If you don't believe me, check the hands (they're reversed for easier look) online if you can find them somewhere.

You are right. The play went as you suggested. Declearer left the SPADE KQ in dummy and simply took the heart hook without playing clubs for squeeze. But of course, the problem here is one of entry, so to play for the squeeze, has to lead a heart to the ACE now, and run clubs, giving up all chances on the heart hook. Still, if you want to take the heart hook, it seems like cash both spades makes sense to me... (the hand can be found at).

http://fsbridge.nexe...3/wtc/index.php

At this point, the spade discard from WEST looks like from five. That is 5S-3D-and 2C. This makes the heart hook 4/3 favorite. But, again, if you are going to take the heart hook, there is no reason not to cash two top spades first. And when all the spades fall, hand over. I certainly think if you find WEST with 5S, playing the heart hook is right. I guess what happened, after the spade discard, South figured west had 5S so just went ahead an hooked in hearts without cashing the spades first.

Of course, EAST may have been "kidding" with the spade discard from a three card suit, but in that case, no squeeze per se, you have simply a direct heart hook.

I am still amazed that declearer took the hook without cashing two spades first. This is Bridge 101, it can't lose and it can (as on this hand, amazingly enough) win. BTW, the hook versus the squeeze are both down one, not one down two and other down one (1D, 3D ruffs, 4C, 3S, 1H is always 12 tricks if you don't run out of trumps and allow them 1S and 1H).

[luke warm]

Quote

~snip~
I am still amazed that declearer took the hook without cashing two spades first. This is Bridge 101, it can't lose and it can (as on this hand, amazingly enough) win. BTW, the hook versus the squeeze are both down one, not one down two and other down one (1D, 3D ruffs, 4C, 3S, 1H is always 12 tricks if you don't run out of trumps and allow them 1S and 1H).

i agree IF you're taking the hook all along.. cashing 2 spades gives up on any chance for the squeeze tho

[inquiry]

Quote

Quote

~snip~
I am still amazed that declearer took the hook without cashing two spades first. This is Bridge 101, it can't lose and it can (as on this hand, amazingly enough) win. BTW, the hook versus the squeeze are both down one, not one down two and other down one (1D, 3D ruffs, 4C, 3S, 1H is always 12 tricks if you don't run out of trumps and allow them 1S and 1H).

i agree IF you're taking the hook all along.. cashing 2 spades gives up on any chance for the squeeze tho

This is in fact true, cashing 2 spades does give up any chance for the squeeze. But guess what? You are locked in dummy, so to play for a SQUEEZE, you have to lead heart to the ACE and run last two clubs. So playing for the squeeze gives up any chance for the hook.

[Free]

That was exactly my thought: if you play for squeeze you cant try the hook, and vice versa. That's why I was wondering what you would play: squeeze of hook. Both is not possible...

[inquiry]

Well which one to play for depends entirely upon your reading of the situation. The SPADE discard was odd (because you then either cash spades and hook or play for squeeze... so a discard for four makes no sense). So with the SPADE discard you have to decide. Was it from 5S or 3S. If from 5S, the hook is odds on favorite. If from 3 cards, the squeeze equals the hook. What do I mean?

If West has 5 spades he will have 3 hearts. So EAST will have four hearts. Odds will be 4 to 3 that he hook is winning. That makes the hook 57.14%, squeeze 42.86%. If West has 6S, then the hook is even better odds... 78.4% versus 28.6%.

Only if west initially had 4 spades, is the squeeze now better than the direct hook. But in this case, West's discard has set up the spades. So when West is long in spades, the correct play here is to cash top two spades, and if last spade not good, then hook heart.

What is West is short in spades (3S's)? Now the only person you can squeeze is EAST, and for the squeeze to work, the finessee will have to work. So no need to worry squeeze versus finessee.

So to answer your question, the hook seems to be the best percentage play. West should have simply discarded one heart instead of the spade to give south no real chance (since squeeze is anti-percentage). The spade discard gave south one "extra" free chance that amazingly wasn't taken.

Ben

[mishovnbg]

Hi Ben!
As I mention in other post, after advanced player become an expert, he normally return to finesses from squeeses ;D.

[inquiry]

Quote

Hi Ben!
As I mention in other post, after advanced player become an expert, he normally return to finesses from squeeses ;D.

lol... but come on, squeeze are SOOO much fun... :-)

[Gerben47]

Try to find out from other clues which play is more likely to succeed. If there are no clues or the clues balance out, take the squeeze, unless you are playing MP in an ordinary contract and you want to go with the field.

[Trpltrbl]

Quote

A hand I saw yesterday in the Bermuda Bowl. It was Sweden vs Italy, imp score 6-8 after just a few boards. Now the Swedes bid 7C on this hand, after a relay bidding I almost understand:

North:
AKQ8
Q74
4
A10973

South:
96
AJ3
AQ65
KQJ8

Lead was S3. So he plays SA, small D to the Ace, ruff a D, small C to the 8, ruff a D, small C to the K, ruff a D. West had 2C, 3D and discarded S5 on the last D. You know he has 8 cards in the Majors. If he has the HK, you have to play on a squeeze, if he doesn't have the HK you should finesse.

North:
KQ8
Q74
-
-

South:
9
AJ3
-
QJ

So you're in North. How do you play and why?
At the table they played H4. IF you play H4, what card do you play in South?

Free



EDIT: discard = S5, not S3...

Squeeze, much more Fun

Mike ;D