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November Solution

The Perfect Squeeze
 

 North
 
  ªK32  
  ©AJ2  
  ¨K432

 West
§Q32

East
ªQ65   ª10987
©KQ1098 ©7654
¨J7 ¨Q1098
§765

 South
§4
  ªAJ4  
  ©3  
  ¨A65  
  §AKJ1098  

Contract: 6 Clubs by South. Lead: ©K

Assuming that ©Q is with East, play low from dummy to correct the count or prepare for a ruff of a ¨to establish the possible fourth round. Switch must be to a minor suit. Draw trumps. Play ©A discarding a ¨from hand. Play ¨AK and ruff a ¨. If they are 3-3 a ª can be ditched on the thirteenth ¨. As the cards lie there is now a 5 card ending. Play the last two trumps. East must hold the ©Q and therefore only two ª. West must hold the ¨Q and therefore also only two ª.Therefore the ªQ drops. Otherwise the twelfth trick comes from one or other red card. If all the red cards are in the East hand, East will have only one ª. Playing the ªA will either drop the Q or leave room for the marked finesse.

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