Daily Bridge Club

Senior squeezes

Jim Hilton was today’s declarer in the Silver Ribbon Pairs (an event for players over age 60) at the ACBL Spring Championships.

At four hearts, Hilton took the ace of clubs, ruffed a club in dummy and reasonably led a trump to his nine. (East might have held A-Q-7.) West took his queen and led a third club, and when dummy ruffed, East overruffed with the ace and led the queen of diamonds.

Hilton won and cashed three trumps, pitching two spades from dummy. With five tricks left, dummy had the A-K of spades and A-5-2 of diamonds. South had 10-4-2 in spades, a trump and a diamond.

TWO SPADES

East was squeezed: If he saved only two spades, Hilton could take the A-K, making his ten high. If East kept two diamonds, South could take the ace and ruff a diamond, making dummy good. Making five.

East misdefended. If he discards on the third club, he can take the ace when South leads a trump next, then exit in diamonds. South must ruff something to reach his hand, ruining his squeeze.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ AK8 3 ♥ J864 ♦ AK5 2 ♣ 10. You open one diamond, and your partner bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Auctions starting with one diamond-two clubs are troublesome, and opening hands with 4-4-4-1 shape are especially awkward. Expert opinion would differ. Some would bid 2NT despite the unbalanced pattern. A few would rebid two diamonds! Bid two spades unless in your style a twolevel “reverse” would promise great strength. North dealer E-W vulnerable