Easy Peasy Double Squeezy

In a random matchpoints robot tournament, I landed in what seemed like a normal 6NT contract, despite the wild upgrade I made by leaping straight to 3NT over partner's 2♦ waiting response with only 23 HCP.

West led the ♣4, I played the ten from dummy which held, and then played a low club back to my ace on the following trick. When I started cashing hearts, they split 4, 1. Luckily, I didn't have any losers in the suit because West held the singleton jack.

Making the contract was a guarantee at this point, but since it was matchpoints, I needed to relentlessly chase for the overtrick.

Other than executing a squeeze, the only way I could rely on taking all 13 tricks was to pray for a lucky layout, such as either side holding Qxx of clubs or someone holding a tight QJ of spades. However, playing for the double squeeze gave me an additional, elegant chance to secure all 13 tricks, even if neither of those exact card distributions dropped.

At tricks 4 and 5, West pitched two diamonds when I unblocked the hearts from my hand. The trick 6 play was crucial here. Whether playing for a double squeeze or a simple squeeze against East in spades and diamonds, I knew that cashing both diamond honors would most effectively allow me to take all the tricks. This was a vital move because West would have no diamonds left after cashing both diamond honors, and would be forced to pitch either black suit when I ran the two good hearts from the dummy. They chose to pitch a club and a spade at tricks 9 and 10.

East, on the other hand, also suffered the squeeze at the subsequent trick, as they would either be forced into pitching a spade, leading to both honors dropping, or pitching a diamond, both automatically giving me the simple overtrick.