Simple Squeeze With the Count

Here is another of my favorite deals from the Birmingham regional, also in the Sunday Swiss. I was declarer in 6NT with a spade lead. How would you bring this one home? 

Dealer: S Vul: None	North ♠ xx ♥ xxx ♦ Axxx ♣ AJTx
	South ♠ AQx ♥ AKQ9 ♦ Kx ♣ KQxx

The free finesse (which is a wining finesse) gives you the 11^th trick. East had preempted in spades so you kind of knew the spade position anyway. Where is the 12^th trick coming from? If hearts are 3-3, the H9 will be a winner, but is there another place the 12^th trick could come from? Diamonds? Spades?

We already know east has the remaining spades so if he has 4 hearts, he can be squeezed in the majors, but that is very unlikely. If either opponent has 4 hearts and 4 diamonds, that person can be squeezed in the red suits.

First, you have to duck a trick to reduce yourself to 1 outstanding loser. In this case, duck a diamond (or play K and another diamond). Now, only the person who started with 4 diamonds can guard that suit and keep dummy’s small one from becoming good. The position you want to get to is to have A9 left in hand and Hx and Dx in dummy with the lead in dummy. The defenders would still have to hold a diamond honor and 2 hearts with an honor. Given that east started with 7 spades, odds are good that west started with 4 hearts and 4 diamonds.

Dealer: S Vul: None	North ♠ ♥ x ♦ x ♣ A
West ♠ ♥ JT ♦ Q ♣		East ♠ KJx ♥ ♦ ♣
	South ♠ ♥ A9 ♦ ♣ x

Upon cashing the CA at trick 11, east’s hand is immaterial and west cannot guard both diamonds and hearts. For declarer, it is easy: If the diamond is good, cash it at trick 12. If it’s not the boss, play a heart to the A and hope that the 9 is good.