Play for the squeeze, why not?

There's a regional bridge tournamant being held this week at Sam's Town Casino in Tunica MS.

Click on the photo of Sam's Town to enlarge the image.

I don't get to play tournament bridge much because of job commitments, but when I do, I really enjoy it. I picked up this tasty hand in the afternoon session of the Thursday Flighted Open Pairs: ♠A Q 10 5 ♥A Q J ♦A K Q ♣9 8 4.

While I was busy counting my high-card points, it went Pass Pass 3♥ to me. What would you do? Yes, I could double, but I decided to bid 3NT. Perhaps 4NT should show this hand, but we didn't have that agreement. Everyone passed and left-hand opponent led the ♥8 (hands rotated for your convenience):

                  ♠ 9 7
                  ♥ 10 7
                  ♦ J 10 8 7 5
                  ♣ A K 3 2
===
                  ♠ A Q 10 5
                  ♥ A Q J
                  ♦ A K Q
                  ♣ 9 8 4

I called for the ♥10 and my right-hand opponent played the king (mistake, but it didn't matter). I could see that I had 11 top tricks (one spade, three hearts, five diamonds and two clubs). A spade finesse for the king would increase my total to 12. If the spade hook was on, however, why not play for a squeeze to take all 13?

I cashed my ♦A K Q, led the ♣8 to dummy's ace and advanced the ♠7 to my queen, which held. Next, I carefully cashed my two good hearts, led a club to dummy's king and played two more diamonds. On the two diamonds, I discarded my low club and a spade. When I led dummy's last spade to my A♠, RHO played the king and LHO the jack -- indeed, West had been squeezed. She couldn't protect both clubs and spades. Here are all four hands:

                  ♠ 9 7
                  ♥ 10 7
                  ♦ J 10 8 7 5
                  ♣ A K 3 2
♠ J 8 4 3 2                    ♠ K 6
♥ 8                            ♥ K 9 6 5 4 3 2
♦ 6 3 2                        ♦ 9 4
♣ Q 10 7 5                     ♣ J 6
                  ♠ A Q 10 5
                  ♥ A Q J
                  ♦ A K Q
                  ♣ 9 8 4

Making seven was a score of plus 720 and 9 matchpoints on a 12 top.


The tournament, held each September at Sam's Town, is called Delta Dealin'.


Bridge players count their tricks at the regional tournament at Sam's Town Casino.