Bridge Column for June 20, 2003, by Harvey Bernstein
East-West vulnerable.  East deals.
                              North
                              S: K 8 5 2          
                              H: A 8 4       
                              D: A 9 6       
                              C: A 7 5   
            West                             East
            S: Q J 9 4                       S: 7 6 3        
            H: K J 9 6 3                     H: 10 5 2     
            D: 5 2                           D: J 3               
            C: 6 3                           C: Q J 8 4 2   
                              South                         
                              S: A 10 
                              H: Q 7        
                              D: K Q 10 8 7 4
                              C: K 10 9   
          The Bidding:  
                   East   South     West   North                  
                   Pass    1NT      Pass    2C  
                   Pass    2D       Pass    4NT 
                   Pass    6NT      Pass    Pass
                   Pass
     Thanks to Marty Baff of Beachwood for this hand from a local
duplicate game.  
     South was a little light for one no trump, but the six card
diamond suit made this an easy decision at duplicate bridge. 
When North made a quantitative jump to four no trump, South
decided that the long diamond suit was worth a try for slam.
     The opening lead was the queen of spades which was allowed to
come around to the ace in the closed hand.  Declarer cashed the
king of diamonds and then played a small diamond to the ace in
dummy.  A small heart was led towards the queen.  West won the
king and shifted to the six of clubs (a heart would have been better).  
     Declarer won the king of clubs and played the ten of spades. 
This was covered by West and won with the king in dummy.  The ace
of clubs was cashed followed by three rounds of diamonds
producing the following three card ending:
                              North
                              S: 8           
                              H: A 8         
                              D: Void        
                              C: Void    
            West                             East
            S: 9                             S: Void         
            H: J 9                           H: 10 5       
            D: Void                          D: Void              
            C: Void                          C: Q           
                              South                         
                              S: Void  
                              H: 7        
                              D: 7 
                              C: 10    
     This position is a perfect "Double Squeeze".  When declarer
cashes the seven of diamonds, West must retain the nine of spades
and so throws the nine of hearts.  Declarer discards the eight of
spades from dummy and East must keep the queen of clubs and so
throws the five of hearts.  Declarer plays a heart to the ace and
the eight of heart takes the trick that fulfills the contract. 
Very nicely done.
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Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.