1 - Simple Squeezes Squeeze Classifications (mostly from Clyde E. Love’s Bridge Squeezes Complete) 1 - The Simple Squeeze A two suit squeeze against one defender The most common type of squeeze, a simple squeeze, is an endgame position in bridge whereby a defender is forced to make a discard from one of two suits and whichever he chooses will yield a winner for declarer. Terminology − Threat: A card held by declarer or dummy that could be promoted to a winner. − Guard: A card held by the opponents that currently prevents a threat card from becoming a winner. − Idle card: A card that can be safely discarded. − Squeeze card: The card that, when played, will force an opponent(s) to discard a guard as they have no idle cards remaining, thus promoting one of declarer’s threats. − Upper/lower hand: The hand that lies to the left/right of the opponent to be squeezed respectively. − Automatic squeeze: A squeeze that will work against either defender. − Positional squeeze: A squeeze that will work against only one defender. Conditions There are four necessary conditions for a simple squeeze. These can be remembered with the mnemonic BLUE: B: A single defender is busy guarding both threat suits. L: There is only one outstanding loser (which the squeeze will promote into a winner). U: At least one threat lies in the upper hand. E: There is an entry to the established threat after the squeeze. We will always assume that South is declarer and holds the squeeze card. The squeeze card is coloured green and the threats are underlined. Idle cards are blue. Types There are three main types of simple squeeze. These are classified by how the entries are positioned. 1) Long-threat entry: North has an entry in his own threat suit. 2) Opposite-threat entry: North has an entry in South’s threat suit. South has a re-entry in the same suit. 3) Criss-cross: Both threat suits are blocked but North has an entry in South’s threat suit and South has an entry in North’s threat suit. The Long-threat and Opposite-threat types can be automatic or positional. The Criss-cross is always automatic. Tips • Before the squeeze, the loser count must be correct or the squeeze will not function. “Rectifying the count” involves losing the correct number of tricks in order to set up the squeeze position. • Cash any outside winners and all extra winners in one of the threat suits before executing the squeeze. This makes it easier to follow which guards to watch for as the opponents discard. 1 - Simple Squeezes 1A) Long-threat Entry Aut A J North has an entry in his own threat suit. There is a threat in both hands so this squeeze is automatic; if West held East’s cards, the squeeze would . 2 operate the same way. K Q A Cash AC, watching what is discarded by the defender. If he pitches AH, cash KH and AS; if he pitches QS, use the 2S . entry to cash both AS and JS. 2 K . A NT 1P) Long-threat Entry Pos A J North has an entry in his own threat suit. K Here both threats are in the North hand, so the U in BLUE is only satisfied when West is the victim. The squeeze will . not work if East holds West’s cards. K Q A Cash AC and discard in the opposite suit to West’s discard. . 3 2 . A NT 2A) Opposite-threat Entry Aut K North has an entry in South’s threat suit. South has a re- K 3 entry in the same suit. For the squeeze to be automatic, North needs a small card . 2 and South a winner to reach his threat. A Q J 4 Cash AC and then cash KH. On the first trick, East must discard AS or a heart. If he discards the latter, the 3H . provides a re-entry back to the South hand. A 10 2 . A NT 1 - Simple Squeezes 2P) Opposite-threat Entry Pos K North has an entry in South’s threat suit. South has a re- A 3 entry in the same suit. When South’s re-entry is not an immediate winner but the . threat itself, the squeeze will function only against West. A K Q 10 9 8 On cashing AC, either the KS threat or the 3H re-entry is discarded depending on West’s discard. Observe that if East has no hearts then behaves the same J 2 as the long-threat entry automatic squeeze. This squeeze differs when only South’s highest heart is good enough to . A NT also beat East’s once West has been squeezed. 3) Criss-cross Aut J 2 Both threat suits are blocked but North has an entry in A South’s threat suit and South has an entry in North’s threat suit. 2 Cash AC and then the winner in whichever suit East K Q discards from. K Q . A J 2 . A NT Extended Squeeze Aut A K 9 2 Any squeeze can be extended by simply adding extra cards to the threat suits. For example, in this diagram an extra heart and spade has been added to each hand from the long-threat entry automatic squeeze. South can cash . 2 surplus winners such as AH and AS first without changing Q J 10 the position, or play the squeeze card first. K Q . 3 2 A J . A NT 1 - Simple Squeezes Squeeze Techniques Vienna Coup A J The Vienna Coup is an unblocking play to ensure that A entries are handled carefully. When the threats are split between North and South and . 2 South holds the squeeze card but no winners in either K Q threat suit, South’s threat suit must be unblocked before K 5 the squeeze trick. . If you cash AC first then East can safely pitch a heart 2 because the suit is blocked. Hence, South must cash the Q 3 AH first and then play 2C back to his hand, establishing a long-threat entry automatic squeeze. A NT Transferring a Stopper A J This is a technique that transfers a guard from one Q 2 opponent’s hand to the other in order to create a squeeze position. West guards spades and East guards hearts, but when QH K Q is led from North, East must cover with KH to promote J 5 K 3 2 West’s JH or else declarer has the remaining tricks. However, on cashing AC, West is now the victim of a long- . 2 threat entry automatic squeeze. 2 A 10 Before the count is rectified, transferring a stopper may also be done earlier by taking a losing finesse a particular . A NT way around when the opponent’s honours are split. Count Squeeze Aut A Q A Count Squeeze is different in that a defender isn’t forced to give up a guard in a threat suit, but instead useful information about the distribution of the hand. 2 Suppose South knows that West has AH and there are 3 4 3 K spades remaining between the defenders. If he cashes AC A and West discards AH, he simply cashes KH and AS. 3 2 . If however West discards an “idle” spade on AC, then 2 when South leads 2S and West follows, East must be left K with only KS which can now be dropped under AS saving declarer from the losing finesse. A NT Show-up Squeeze: A small variation to the count squeeze is when the KS and 4S are swapped between the defenders. Now when West discards a small spade on the squeeze trick and a spade is lead at trick 2, the KS will “show-up” and save declarer guessing whether to finesse or play for the drop. 1 - Simple Squeezes Other Two-Suit Squeezes Against a Single Defender Blocked Simple Squeeze Aut K 2 This squeeze is a special type of opposite-threat entry K automatic squeeze where each hand has exactly one less card in South’s threat suit. The nuance is that South has no outright losers but also no way to cash them . separately. A Q J On cashing AC, if East discards a spade the 10H threat is used as an entry to North. If West discards a heart, AH is . cashed with the KH falling under it, with the 10H being won at the end. A 10 It is possible to apply the blocked threat (threats of the . A NT form Ax opposite K or equivalent) to many types of squeeze. Jettison Simple Squeeze Pos K 2 Similar to the blocked simple squeeze, South has three A winners but insufficient entries to cash them all. After leading AC, pitch 2S if West discards AS, thus . winning AH and KS. A Q J If West discards a heart however, the AH winner must be jettisoned in order to win KH and 10H in the South hand. K 10 . A NT . . . 2 - Double Squeezes 2 - The Double Squeeze Two simple squeezes, one against each defender A double squeeze is essentially two simple squeezes, one against each opponent. The opponents may be squeezed either simultaneously or sequentially. Typically, there are three threats and one will materialise into a trick. Of the three threat suits, each defender guards two: one suit shared by both and the other two suits guarded by one defender each. It’s impossible to have all three threats in one hand, so we assume that South always has the single threat and North has the other two.