[Lovera]

nige1, on 2019-June-02, 12:11, said:

As Lovera and Cyberyeti point out, the ♦s give you slight extra double-squeeze chances

For example, Maartenxq's line results in 13 tricks when LHO has ♦KQJ and 4+ ♥s, as on the left.

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On a non-♦ lead, if RHO shows out on the 1st or 2nd round of ♥s,
then declarer's best chance is to play for a layout like that on the left:
Cash the major winners and run ♣s for a standard double-squeeze.

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Franckly i was for the previous one situation (A♦,A♠ and on last club W/E is squeezed..).

[nige1]

Lovera, on 2019-June-06, 14:53, said:

Frankly i was for the previous one situation (A♦,A♠ and on last club W/E is squeezed..).

Declarer can start by cashing ♥KQ.
If West shows out on the 1st or 2nd round of ♥s
Then West is more likely to hold ♠K so declarer should probaby finesse.

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If both follow to ♥KQ then declarer reduces to the ending on the left
When ♣4 is cashed,
-- Either opponent with a ♥ guard and ♠K is squeezed.
-- West with a ♥ guard and ♦KQJ is squeezed. .

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On a non-♦ lead,
if East shows out on the 1st or 2nd round of ♥s,
then East is slightly more likely to hold ♠K than West.
Hence, declarer's best chance is to reduce to the 3-card ending on the left
When ♣4 is cashed,
-- West must keep a ♥ guard, and
-- East must keep the putative ♠K.
-- In which case, ♦AT win the last 2 tricks.

-- Also if West has everything, the squeeze is overwhelming.

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Edited to avoid confusion -- replacing "RHO"/"LHO" with "East"/"West"

This post has been edited by nige1: 2019-June-24, 20:05

[Winstonm]

fromageGB, on 2019-June-06, 03:56, said:

Well, I said in post #22 the odds are against this, but I'm sure it's not worth anyone working out how unlikely this is. Almost all you want is an ace or king in spades. Bidding goes on probability, and when this happens you shrug and accept your bad luck. The fact that opener might get only 5 tricks with this hand does not prevent him from opening 2NT. Equally the fact that I might not make 6♣/NT will not prevent me from bidding it.

Wouldn't you rather know than guess? Don't you think it is better to develop good havits (not using ace-asking when improper) than bad habits?

[Lovera]

nige1, on 2019-June-06, 18:20, said:

Declarer can start by cashing ♥KQ.
If LHO shows out on the 1st or 2nd round of ♥s
Then LHO is more likely to hold ♠K so declarer should probaby finesse.

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If both follow to ♥KQ then declarer reduces to the ending on the left
When ♣4 is cashed,
-- Either opponent with a ♥ guard and ♠K is squeezed.
-- LHO with a ♥ guard and ♦KQJ is squeezed. .

---

On a non-♦ lead,
if RHO shows out on the 1st or 2nd round of ♥s,
then RHO is slightly more likely to hold ♠K than LHO.
Hence, declarer's best chance is to reduce to the 3-card ending on the left
When ♣4 is cashed,
-- LHO must keep a ♥ guard, and
-- RHO must keep the putative ♠K.
-- In which case, ♦AT win the last 2 tricks.

-- Also if LHO has everything, the squeeze is overwhelming.

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It's slight different from the previous one where were indicate the two Aces (then in N/S remains ♥AQxx/Kxx,♠Q idle c./J,♣4sq.c.). The heart suit is at indeterminate position it being in W or E the longness.

[fromageGB]

Winstonm, on 2019-June-06, 18:26, said:

Wouldn't you rather know than guess? Don't you think it is better to develop good havits (not using ace-asking when improper) than bad habits?

Of course, but I am not aware of methods that can show a minor and cue bid controls all the way including control of the trump suit, and not interfering with other sequences that may have meaning such as bidding a major after a long minor. Please enlighten me.

[Lovera]

Another automatic ending is the "criss-cross" squeeze. With the possibility that trump suit doesn't break, it means that the diamond suit allows to move between the two hands.

[Winstonm]

fromageGB, on 2019-June-07, 07:30, said:

Of course, but I am not aware of methods that can show a minor and cue bid controls all the way including control of the trump suit, and not interfering with other sequences that may have meaning such as bidding a major after a long minor. Please enlighten me.

Me, neither.

Note: Playing rubber bridge with a pick-up maybe ace ask is OK and practical; however, with a fine partner in any other form of the game it is the kind of undisciplined bid that partner notices, and one that can end a partnership.

That was and is my only point. Long range, being disciplined is more important than any one result.

[Lovera]

What seems strange to me is that this hand combined with that of the dummy presents, once the presence of the four Aces has been ascertained, such a variety of squeeze finals, of which little is spoken, such as to render certain the possibility of the grand slam which should , for greater safety, be played with the trump suit.

[nige1]

Lovera, on 2019-June-17, 06:33, said:

... the grand slam which should, for greater safety, be played with the trump suit.

This deal might be an exception to Lovera's sensible general rule: Notrump might be slightly better than a suit, especially on a non-♦ lead. (Ideally, North should be declarer, in either contract).
Suppose defenders lead a ♣ and all follow. IMO, declarer should start by cashing 2 rounds of ♥s...
-- If both defenders follow to 2 rounds of ♥s, then you can reduce to the 1st ending above.
-- If East shows out on the 1st or 2nd round of ♥s, then East is more likely to hold ♠K so you can reduce to the 2nd ending above
-- If West shows out on the 1st or 2nd round of ♥s, then West is more likely to hold ♠K so a simple ♠ finesse might be best.

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[Lovera]

nige1, on 2019-June-24, 19:05, said:

This deal might be an exception to Lovera's sensible general rule: Notrump might be slightly better than a suit, especially on a non-♦ lead. (Ideally, North should be declarer, in either contract).
Suppose defenders lead a ♣ and all follow. IMO, declarer should start by cashing 2 rounds of ♥s...
-- If both defenders follow to 2 rounds of ♥s, then you can reduce to the 1st ending above.
-- If East shows out on the 1st or 2nd round of ♥s, then East is more likely to hold ♠K so you can reduce to the 2nd ending above
-- If West shows out on the 1st or 2nd round of ♥s, then West is more likely to hold ♠K so a simple ♠ finesse might be best.

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At those endings you can add the criss-cross ♠/♥ for N/S A/J10,83/K that suggests to have the trump suit yet because the S hand is unbalanced and not apt to play NT. I think that it's easier to have the honors in diamond suit devided between E and W and that all this discussion points to avoid to finesse (by a squeeze).