Progressive squeeze at HCL ProAm

Srini played this hand beautifully to bring home a slam in the proAm pairs.

A 2NT opening quickly led to 6NT contract, and as declarer Srini got some help when Boye Brogeland led a spade to ten and jack.

Srini took his only obvious chance of heart break by playing ace and another, and Boye returned another spade. East – Richa Shriram – had an easy diamond discard available. Srini now tested hearts and they broke his heart when West discarded. A club was thrown from dummy and ♠ K cashed. East was in trouble. A heart discard immediately sells the contract, so choice was between clubs and diamonds, she elected to let go a club – diamond being the more obvious threat.

CK and CA now brought down Queen and Jack, setting up ♣ T, and this card again squeezed East in red suits.

Later in the discussion we thought that West could possibly break the squeeze by returning a club, but that’s not the case.

Declarer wins in dummy with A and cashes his remaining two spade winners. Both heart and club sell two tricks, so must let go a diamond. Declarer can now cross to ♦ A, cash ♥ K to test hearts and discarding a club, and then run of diamonds again squeezes East.

 

Well played Srini!!