Bridge Deal of the Week (Aug 18 2006)

Problem:

The Auction:
West   North   East   South
                                 1NT
pass     4♣*     pass   4♥**
pass     7NT     all pass

*   - Gerber
** - One Ace

Accustomed to holding bad cards, you happily pick up a 15 point hand and open 1NT. Partner asks for Aces with Gerber, and you show one. Partner's 7NT bid nearly throws you off your chair! This must be your lucky day.

When dummy comes down, ou note sadly that even with a combined total of 36 High Card Points, the contract is not cold; there are only 12 top tricks. West leads the ♠10. However, you do have several options to try for the 13th trick. Clubs could break 3-3; the heart finesse could work; or you could play for a squeeze. You win the spade lead, and play two rounds of diamonds, East discarding a heart on the second round. You play the ♣A, and a club to the Queen, West pitching a spade. You play a spade to dummy, East discarding another heart. How do you proceed?

Hint:
You have a complete count of the entire hand. East has 1 spade, 1 diamond, 5 clubs, and therefore 6 hearts. The hand has come down to the location of the ♥K. If West has the card, you can simply take a finesse. If East has it, you can squeeze him in hearts and clubs. But you first need to decide who has the ♥K.

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Bridge Baron deal No: 38282662097328381055718428041

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Deal Of The Week