Answer: Bridge Problem 1

 

North
♠ 63
♥ 4
♦AQJ53
♣ Q7543

 

West
♠ AQJ872
♥ 75
♦987
♣ 86

 

East
♠ 104
♥ 863
♦K1064
♣ J1092

 

South
♠ K95
♥ AKQJ1092
♦2
♣ AK

 

Dealer: West
Vul: North-South
W N E S
2♠¹ P 4♠² 5♥
P P P  
¹ Weak
² Preemptive
Opening lead: ♦9

Win the ♦A and play the ♦Q. If East doesn’t cover, you have 11 tricks. Assuming East covers, ruff high, draw trumps, cash the ♣A and ♣K, and run the rest of the trumps. West has to hold on to three spades (or else East-West will have to let dummy score a minor suit winner at the end). But which three spades will West hold? This is the position at the tenth trick, before the lead of the last trump:

 

North
♠ —
♥ —
♦J5
♣ Q7

 

West
♠ AQJ8
♥ —
♦–
♣ —

 

East
♠ 104
♥ —
♦10
♣ J

 

South
♠ K95
♥ 2
♦–
♣ —

 

West is caught in a single-suit squeeze. If West keeps the ♠AQJ, a low spade will force West to give you a trick with the ♠K. If West discards the ♠Q or ♠J, South plays the ♠K and has to score the last trick with either the ♠9 or one of dummy’s winners.

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