BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You’re West on lead, and now going for an overtrick in 3NT, which means that you must win five of the remaining tricks.

Have you spotted the simple squeeze against South? To achieve it, you must strip him of his ‘spare’ cards. So you now exit with ♦ J (keeping control of the suit, of course); North must win with the queen and South can discard a club, followed by a spade when North continues with either of his red suits. On cashing your second ace, South has to bare one of his black knaves, thus establishing your suit.

Note that this is one of the simplest squeeze positions. In addition to your squeeze card ( ♥ a), you need a menace in each hand (the doubletons) with an entry to both hands ( ♠ Q and ♣ a).