The Free Suit
In the initial example
---
Ax
---
Axxx
--- ---
Q10 Kxx
--- ---
Qxxx J10x
---
Jxx
A
Kx
Righty had no excess cards in the free suit (diamonds). Therefore, the presence of the diamond winner was irrelevant. If declarer had cashed it early on, the position would have been (also moving around the club honors):
---
Axx
---
Axxx
--- ---
Q10 Kxxx
J ---
Qxxx J10x
xx
Jxx
---
Kx
Note that Lefty has been given a free winner in diamonds. However, Lefty cannot keep this free winner. On the next-to-last spade, Lefty cannot throw a heart, and throwing a diamond leads to the position above. If Lefty throws a club, the club suit can be established with a ruff. But even if this was played in no trump, the last spade would force out another club. And now the club trick can be safely lost to Righty.
When Right has Excess Winners: Case 1, Declarer has no Winners in the Free Suit
When Righty has excess cards in the free suit, Righty will probably pitch them to save hearts and clubs. Then the position is as above. But suppose Righty saves an excess card in the free suit.
When declarer has no winner in the free suit, this position is reached:
---
Ax
---
Axxx
--- ---
Q10 Kxx
--- 9
xxxx xx
x
Jxx
---
Kx
Now, the jack of hearts in the guard suit cannot be established. When Right wins the King of hearts, Righty will cash a good diamond.
However, Righty has been forced to discard down to two clubs. This might save the day. The play of the king and ace of clubs will now drop Righty's two clubs. The question is if Dummy's clubs are now good enough to set up the last round of clubs. If we let Righty start with two club honors, the dummy needs the 98 of clubs:
---
Ax
---
A982
--- ---
Q10 Kxx
--- 9
J764 Q10
x
Jxx
---
K3
The club suit could not have been established without first squeezing a club out of Righty; the club could not have been squeezed out of Righty except for the need to save a diamond to accompany the heart winner when Lefty is squeezed out of the heart guard.
So, very interestingly, when Right tries to save a winner in the free suit, the extended menace suit is converted into a guard suit.
The Free Suit: When Declarer Has a Winner in the Free Suit
If declarer has a winner in the free suit, the squeeze on Righty is even more potent. (The situation is analogous to a squeeze-trim-endplay.) This is the ending situation.
---
Ax
---
Axxx
--- ---
Q10 Kxx
--- xx
xxxx x
---
Jxx
A
Kx
To save a free winner in diamonds, Righty had to save two diamonds. That means Righty has been forced to discard down to a singleton club. That means that cashing the club winner drops this last club, which means dummy does not have to have as much of a club threat. For comparison purposes, assume again that Righty started with two of the high clubs. If the ending position is this:
---
Ax
---
A872
--- ---
Q10 Kxx
--- xx
J954 Q
---
Jxx
A
K3
the king of clubs is cashed removing Righty's last club. Declarer leads towards dummy, Lefty must insert a high club, and dummy overtakes and establishes a club trick with the 87.
If the seven is removed from dummy and given to Lefty, a precise sequence of plays is needed.
---
Ax
---
A852
--- ---
Q10 Kxx
--- xx
J974 Q
---
Jxx
A
K3
Declarer must lead the diamond winner, squeezing a heart out of Lefty. Declarer then cashes the heart winner, removing the last heart from Lefty's hand. A club back to the king leaves this position:
A85
J97 --
3
A blocking club in declarer's hand would be a problem now. But in the above situation, declarer can lead towards dummy and duck when Lefty inserts a high club. Now the last two tricks go to dummy.
Again, the exact cards needed in dummy depend on what Righty was forced to discard. If Lefty can retain three cards higher than dummy's spot, there is no squeeze. But just two (and no blocking situation) is not good enough.
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