Cluelessly Breaking Up My Squeeze in 6NT

Last night was the annual Christmas party at the local club. I must say, my partner and I had copious amounts of alcohol – he finished a bottle of wine by himself, and I had several glasses of pepsi and malibu (we were probably the only two people drinking), not to mention all the food from the potluck. Despite that and the hand I’m writing about today, we still wound up with over 60%. Clubs really should do this more often – have potluck dinners. As usual, my dish was one of the few empty ones at the end of the night, and it’s not because I didn’t make enough; it’s just that good.

Anyway, on to the bridge… My partner and I bid to 6NT by me (west) on these cards.

Dealer: E Vul: EW	North ♠ xxx ♥ J9xx ♦ xx ♣ AT9x
West ♠ AKQJT ♥ KTx ♦ xxx ♣ xx		East ♠ x ♥ Ax ♦ AKJ9x ♣ KQJxx
	South ♠ xxxx ♥ Qxxx ♦ QTx ♣ xx

6D in the 5-3 fit has a sure club and diamond loser, 6C in the 5-2 fit has 2 sure club losers, 6NT is makable on a double squeeze but I’m totally not convinced that’s the right line, but 6S in the 5-1 fit makes pretty easily since spades split 4-3 by either ruffing a heart in dummy or ruffing out a club to set up a long club.

In 6NT, north led a diamond, which is probably best. If nothing else, it cuts down on entries for a later squeeze. I tanked for awhile, took the ace and continued with the CK and CQ, both holding. I tanked again. Now I could play for clubs to be 3-3 or play for something good to happen in diamonds. It turns out I should then lead a diamond and south won’t be able to take a club now, but I decided it’s not very likely north led from 2 small and ducked the club ace twice, and squeeze possibilities looked grim now. This was not against a good pair. So, I played for clubs to split and went down 1.

Let’s see how the squeeze could materialize. If north takes one of the first 2 clubs and leads another diamond, I can cash the 3rd round of clubs, run the spades and reach a 3 card ending. On the last spade at trick 10, north, must unguard hearts to keep from making dummy’s club good, therefore dummy can throw away the club. Now, south must also unguard hearts to keep from making dummy’s diamond good, and the heart ten would take trick 13. Making 6. Simple.

Dealer: E Vul: EW	North ♠ ♥ J9x ♦ ♣ T
West ♠ T ♥ KTx ♦ ♣		East ♠ ♥ Ax ♦  J ♣ x
	South ♠ ♥ Qxx ♦ Q ♣

But, is the squeeze still there if north ducks clubs twice? You can’t rectify the count now without risking losing both club tricks or a club and a diamond. So, on the run of the spades, you can reach this ending with one spade left to cash:

Dealer: E Vul: EW	North ♠ ♥ J9x ♦ x ♣ AT
West ♠ T ♥ KTx ♦ xx ♣		East ♠ ♥ Ax ♦ KJ ♣ Jx
	South ♠ ♥ Qxxx ♦ Qx ♣

North can safely pitch a diamond and south a heart. The best you can do now is play AK and a heart and hold south doesn’t unblock the Q to get himself endplayed. I think I would have been able to execute the squeeze if north had cooperated, but she made what turned out to be an excellent duck of clubs twice.