Bridge in Oz

Nobody vulnerable, IMPs, you are declarer in 6NT.

♠ 652
♥ AQ102
♦ A3
♣ J863

♠ AK8
♥ K3
♦ K97
♣ AK1097

With opponents passing the bidding was 2NT by you, 3♣, 3♦, 4NT, 6NT. Clubs as a source of tricks was the deciding factor.

Clearly 6♣ is a better spot but getting there is another matter. Could you and your partner do that?

The ♠10 is led. You win in hand and cash ♣A and K. West plays the 2 and 4, and East the 5 and then discards the ♦4. You play a third round of clubs and East discards the ♥4. West exits with the ♥9. You try the 10 and East puts up the J.

What now?

It rather looks like East started with five hearts; she would not have discarded so soon from the Jack with fewer. If West had five spades then you have a double squeeze.

Cash the top hearts leaving one in dummy and discarding your low spade from hand.Then cash ♠K and the clubs. On leading the last club the deal looks something like this:





West must discard a diamond and then you can throw dummy's spade. East is then squeezed in the red suits.