An elegant squeeze to gain a precious over-trick…

This looks like a perfectly robust 4♠ contract, with the likelihood of three losers – one in each of the three side suits. But this event was match-pointed pairs, and if the losers could be restricted to two, an excellent score would be achieved…

Frank writes:

North started by leading the ♦J, and the trick continued 6, 7 5. North continued with the ♦T to the 8, Q, ♠4. Declarer drew trumps by cashing the Ace and King, North throwing the ♣2. Next, Declarer played a heart to Dummy’s Ace, and exited via the ♥6 to South’s King.  South led the ♦A, ruffed by Declarer’s with the ♠Q, and then Declarer ruffed a heart in Dummy, played the ♠J, to leave the following 4 card ending, with the lead in Dummy:

When the ♠8 is played, it is immaterial what S throws, W throws ♣3 and N is squeezed in ♥s and ♣s – clearly if he throws the ♥Q then Declarer’s ten becomes a winner, and if he throws a club then a club to the King and a Club back to Dummy’s Ace will see Dummy’s third club become good.

Declarer made several good plays, he had to keep the ♦K on table, giving South an easy but lazy exit, as one can see a Club switch at any point removes the ♣K and kills the squeeze. Also he had to draw trumps with the Ace, King and ruff the third Diamond with the ♠Q, and it was important to ruff the third Heart in case South had started with three hearts including the Jack. 

That was a really good play to find at the table, and Frank was rewarded with a 100% score as nobody else found this squeeze.