The Squeeze Play By James R. Klein **** The most fascinating of all advanced plays in bridge is undoubtedly the squeeze play. Since the origin of bridge, the ability to execute the squeeze play has been one of the many distinguishing marks of the expert player. What is more important is the expert's ability to recognize that a squeeze exists and therefore make all the necessary steps to prepare for it. Often during the course of play the beginner as well as the advanced player has executed a squeeze merely because it was automatic. The play of a long suit with defender holding all the essential cards will accomplish this. The purpose of the squeeze play is quite simple. It is to create an extra winner with a card lower than the defender holds by compelling the latter to discard it to protect a vital card in another suit. While the execution of the squeeze play at times may seem complex, the average player may learn a great deal by studying certain principles that are governed by it. 1. It is important to determine which of the defenders holds the vital cards. This may be accomplished in many ways; for example, by adverse bidding, by a revealing opening lead, by discards and signals but most often by the actual fall of the cards. This is particularly true when one of the defenders fails to follow suit on the first or second trick. 2. It is important after the opening lead is made to count the sure tricks before playing to the first trick. 3. The first two principles above cover the preparation for the squeeze play. The fundamental principle in the execution of the squeeze is , with rare exceptions, that only one trick in excess of the sure tricks can be gained. In other words, if your contract is four spades and you can count only 9 sure winners, only the 10th trick can be gained by the squeeze play. If you can count 11 sure winners, a squeeze can produce the 12th etc.. 4. In order to execute the squeeze, it is necesaary to allow the oppponents to take their tricks at the earliest opportunity, except of course, the one trick which you intend to gain by the squeeze. If you have contracted to take ten tricks and you hold nine sure tricks, it is urgent tht you allow the defenders to take three tricks as soon as possible. Usually the defenders will take these tricks of their own accord early in the play of the hand. In the case of the slam, the one loser should be given up as soon as possible whether or not defender takes the trick of his own accord. The reasons for this will be explained presently. 5. No squeeze can operate unless there is communication between the two hands, since no card can be a threat if there is no way to cash it. 6. No opponent can be squeezed until he is forced to discard an essential card. An essential card is won, which if discarded, will set up a trick for the declarer. The number of essential cards defender must hold will generally determine upon what trick the the defender can be squeezed. For example, note the following: (NORTH) A K Q J 2 A J (WEST) 10 9 8 7 6 K Q In this example, West holds seven essential cards. At the seventh trick, if declarer can play a winning card in one of the other two suits, West will be squeezed and declarer can now take the balance of the tricks. West cannot unguard his King, Queen of Hearts nor discard a Spade. The above example is unusual. Generally in the course of normal play, the squeeze will operate against three, four, or five essential cards. In these cases, a squeeze will be started on the ninth, tenth, or eleventh trick. Since this is so, it is important to remember that playing for a small slam, that the sure count is eleven tricks. Declarer must take eight out of nine, nine out of ten, or ten out of eleven of the first tricks. Let us now look at some examples and see how the squeeze play works in each case. EX. 1 2 K 5 4 3 Q 5 4 3 . A K 7 6 3 J 10 9 8 7 6 5 Q J 10 9 2 J 10 9 8 7 6 . J 10 9 8 . 4 3 2 A K Q 4 A 8 7 6 A K 2 . Q 5 The contract is 7 NT. West leads the Queen of Hearts. This is an unusual squeeze, since declarer can only count eleven sure winners: three spades, two hearts, three diamonds, and three clubs. He must produce two extra tricks. Declarer takes the first trick in dummy and leads to the spade ace. He then plays the spade king and West has one safe discard, a heart. When the spade queen is played, West becomes hopelessly squeezed on the fourth trick. He cannot discard another heart for declarer's two small hearts would produce the twelfth and thirteenth tricks. If West discards a diamond or a club a twelfth trick is now developed. Declarer will now play the suit from which West has discarded and West will again be squeezed for the third time and eventually will have to discard from his guarded heart suit. This is known as the progressive squeeze and can be operated only when defender has to defend against three suits. EX. 2 A 2 9 3 2 K 3 2 . K 5 4 3 2 J 10 9 8 Q 7 6 5 Q J 10 8 7 6 5 4 8 7 6 9 5 . Q . J 10 9 8 K 4 3 A K A Q J 10 4 . A 7 6 The above hand will serve as an example of how a squeeze play should be executed. It requires only common sense in the application of the earlier mentioned principles. Declarer can count eleven sure tricks: two spades, two hearts, five diamonds, and two clubs. After the opening lead of the heart queen, declarer has no intention to play for a squeeze to make twelve tricks. If the clubs break 3-2, a club is all that will be lost. If that happens there will be tricks to spare. However, since a club trick must be lost before declarer can get his three tricks in the suit, he should be prepared to give up the first trick as an emergency in the event the suit does not break. West takes this trick with his singleton queen and returns the heart jack. This play should be illuminating to declarer. It is quite apparent that West should also hold the ten of Hearts. When declarer plays the club ace, he gets the bad news about the club break and he must prepare for the squeeze. He has learned two important things, first, that West holds the ten of hearts and, second, that East holds the club control. Therefore, dummy holds the heart nine as a threat card against West's ten and that also the five of clubs is a threat card against East's club jack. Declarer should not discard either one of threse two cards until or unless it is absolutely necessary. Now, four diamond tricks are cashed by declarer and the position of the cards after the ninth trick has been played will be as follows: A 2 9 . 5 J 10 9 Q 7 6 10 . J K 4 3 A . When declarer now plays the diamond ace, West becomes squeezed for the first time. He must discard a spade since the heart discard would establish dummy's nine. At this point, dummy's heart becomes useless and is discarded. East must also discard a spade to protect against dummy's five of clubs. Declarer's three spades are now good. The above is known as the double squeeze since both defenders are squeezed on the same play. You may note that the squeeze occurred on the tenth card played by declarer. Many players who do not understand the squeeze play might proceed after the opening lead of the heart queen by running the five good diamond tricks first in the fond hope that the defenders might discard clubs. If this were done, let us see what would happen against a good defensive pair. After the heart queen and the five diamonds were played, the following would be the position with seven cards remaining and South ready to lead to the seventh trick. ♠ A 2 ♥ ♦ ♣ K 5 4 3 2 ♠ J 10 9 ♠ Q 7 6 ♥ J 10 8 ♥ ♦ ♦ ♣ Q ♠ K 4 3 ♣ J 10 9 8 ♥ K ♦ ♣ A 7 6 The hand as shown is merely a suggested position. The reader may rearrange dummy's cards in any way he chooses. At any rate, the above position would offer very little hope in taking six of the last seven tricks which would be necessary in making the slam. EX. 3 ♠ A J ♥ A J 4 ♦ 10 9 6 4 ♣ J 6 4 2 ♠ K Q 10 7 4 ♠ 9 8 6 5 3 ♥ K Q 9 3 ♥ 10 8 6 2 ♦ 5 3 ♦ 7 ♣ 10 7 ♣ 9 8 5 ♠ 2 ♥ 7 5 ♦ A K Q J 8 2 ♣ A K Q 3 In the above example, against a contract of seven Diamonds, West leads the King of Spades. Declarer can count twelve sure tricks.