S-T-E Intro

S-T-E: Trump Control

S-T-E: Two-Suit

S-T-E: Variations

S-T-E Hands


SQUEEZE PAGE

BRIDGE HOME

The Squeeze-Trim-Endplay: Hand

Less than two weeks after constructing this section of the website, this hand came up in actual play. I attended to it only because of the multiple squeeze possibilities; eventually I noticed that it could be played as a squeeze-trim-endplay. The hand:

xx
9xx
KJxxxx
Jx

AKJ2
AJ10
AQx
Axx

You open 2 and rebid 2NT over your partner's 2 response. Your partner takes you to 3NT. The opening lead is a high spade.

With the spade lead, you have 11 tricks and are looking for a 12th. IMO, the best chance is the double finesse in hearts. Declarer went to the board on the second round of diamonds, took a losing heart finesse, and another spade came back. Declarer eschewed the second finesse in hearts for a squeeze. As you can see, there are multiple squeeze possibilities.

On the actual hand, both the K and Q of hearts were offside. There is nothing in the bidding to let you know that. But suppose you knew that. Imagine that Lefty overcalled 2H or opened 3H. How could you play the hand?

Discussion/Answer