Mastering the Squeeze
Presented by Carolyn Weiser at the Watertown
Sectional on May 24th, 2008
Mastering the Squeeze may seem advanced, but it is actually easier than an End Play. It begins with the ability to recognize the difference between a treat and a non-threat suit.
A non-threat suit is a suit in which you can take the same number of tricks regardless of the number of discards the opponents make in that suit.
A threat suit is a suit in which the number of tricks you can take can increase if you can force the defenders to make the necessary discards.
Example: Here are the hands you see.
You are South
North
You are in 7NT
S- KQ6
West (LHO) leads the spade 10
H- QJ5
D- Q63
C-
AK42
South
S- AJ3
H- AK10
D- AK42
C- Q65
You have 12 top tricks. You need a 3-3 break in either minor to take 13.
In this hand spades and hearts are
non-threat suits. You can get no more or less than 3 tricks in either
suit, no matter what the opponent’s discard.
In this hand clubs and diamonds are threat suits because if
either opponent holds 4 cards in one of the minors and discards one, you gain
an extra trick.
To execute a Squeeze the following conditions must exist:
1. You have all the tricks necessary
to fulfill your contract but one.
(In the example above you have 12 and need
13)
2. You need at least 2 threat suits.
(In the example above you have the
required 2: clubs and diamonds.)
3. There must be an entry in at least one of the threat
suits.
When only one threat suit has an entry,
you must cash all your other winners, ending up in the
hand opposite the entry card.
4. You must play the non-threat suits before the threat
suits.
(In the example you must play spades and
hearts before either minor)
5. Simple, two-suited squeezes may require
that you “rectify the count.” This removes a safe discard from the opponents.
You will give up (duck) a number of tricks before you begin your squeeze.
Subtract the number of SURE tricks you have from the number you need. This
will tell you how many you must “duck: before you begin to run off your
winners
Note, that:
1. if the threat suits are all in the same hand you can
only squeeze the hand that plays BEFORE the hand
with the threat card (suits). [That defender must play before the hand with
the threat card]
2. if the threat suits are divided, you can squeeze
whatever player is unlucky enough to hold both
stoppers in both threat suits.
In the end position, you discard the opposite suit from the squeeze hands last discard.
Here are the hands:
North
S- KQ6
H- QJ5
D- Q63
West
C- AK42 East
S- 10987 S- 542
H- 86432 H- 97
D- 75 D- J1098
C- 73 South (You) C- J1098
S- AJ3
H- AK10
D- AK42
C- Q65
You cash your major suit winners. East is guarding both minors. In order for the squeeze to work the same player must be guarding both threat suits.
This is the position when you play your last heart -
North
S-
H- Q
D- Q63
West
C- AK42 East
S- 9 S-
H- 864 H-
D- 75 D- J1098
C- 73
South (You) C- J1098
S-
H-10
D- AK42
C- Q65
When you play the H-Q, what can East do? If he throws a diamond, our D-2 will be good in the end. If he throws a club, dummy’s 2 will be the 13th trick.
Example 2: Contract: 7NT - West leads the Spade king
North
S- AJ4
H- AJ
D- KQ987
West C-
A105 East
S- KQ109 S- 8765
H- KQ98 H- 107642
D- 53 D- 62
C- 862
South (You) C- 94
S- 32
H- 53
D- AJ104
C- KQJ73
You have 12 top tricks plus a threat in both major suits (2 threat suits). Unfortunately the lead of the S-K has removed an entry to the spade suit. Hearts is the only suit with an entry. The entry card is the H-A, therefore, you must end up in the opposite (South) hand. This means that you must take diamond tricks before you take your club tricks.
As you play your last club, this will be the position:
North
S- J
H- AJ
D-
West
C- East
S- Q S- 8
H- KQ H- 107
D- D-
C- South C-
S- 3
H- 5
D-
C- 7
West will be squeezed on the last club. If West discards a spade, you will discard a heart from dummy. If he discards a heart, you will pitch dummy’s S-J. Either way, the last 2 cards in dummy will be good.
Remember a Simple Squeeze works when you have all of the required tricks minus one. If you are in 6 and have 5 tricks, you must RECTIFY the count first. This means that you must give up one trick immediately so that you are in the position of having all of the tricks you need, but one.
II. Sometimes the threat suits are divided between two hands. Here is an example.
Example 3: You are in 6NT doubled by West. West leads the D-9. Six is easy and with the double, you can actually make seven
North
S- 753
H- AKQJ109
D- A6
West
C- Q7 East
S- KJ10 S- 982
H- 874 H- 632
D- 987 D- 543
C- AJ102
South (You) C- 8654
S- AQ64
H- 5
D- KQJ102
C- K93
Thanks to the double, you place all the honors (there is a lesson here) with W [S-KJ, C-A]. Your threat suits are clubs and spades. Your spade suit has an entry but you club threat suit does not. This means that you must cash winners, ending up in the hand OPPOSITE the hand with the entry. First take your diamond winners. West will have to make 2 discards. Now take your heart winners. You will discard 2 spades and a club on your good diamonds.
The last 3 cards will be:
North
S- 7
H- 9
D-
West
C- Q East
S-KJ S-9
H- - - H- --
D- -- D- --
C- A
South (You) C- 86
S- AQ
H-
D-
C- K
When you lead the H-9 you can discard the C-K. West must find a discard. IF he discards a spade, take your A and the Q. If he discards the C-A, take the C-Q, pitching you spade Q ... Remember, in order to execute a simple squeeze you need all the tricks but one.
III. Sometimes the treat-suit is blocked. What can you do? The solution is to unblock it.
Example 4: North You are in 7NT. West leads the club 10. You see these hands:
S- 5432
H- KJ10
D- Q65
C- QJ4
South (You)
S- AK6
H- AQ9876
D- A
C- AK2
You need to answer the following questions:
1. How many tricks do you have?
2. Are there any threat suits?
3. Are the threat suits divided or in the same hand?
4. What does one opponent need to have for there to be a squeeze?
5. What is your plan? Which non-threat suit will you play first?
6. In which hand should you be then you take your last winner in a
non-threat suit?
These are the answers
1. You need 12 tricks
2. Spades and diamonds are the threat suits.
3. The diamond threat is in dummy and you can arrange to have the
spade threat in your hand by discarding
spades on the run of hearts. The diamond threat is blocked so the
diamond Ace must be taken early, leaving
the spade suit with the entry. It is OK for
both threat suits to have entries as long as there is no blockage.
4. One opponent’s needs to have the D-K and long spade. If the spades
are 3-3 there is no squeeze as either defender can keep spades
5. You should play hearts then clubs. Win the lead. Take the D-A. Run
hearts, discarding 3 spades from dummy. Then cash your clubs.
6. The spade suit is the threat suit with the entry, but it is not
flexible. You must take the last non-threat winner
in
the north
hand.
Four-card ending- Example 4:
S- 2
H-
D- Q6
C- Q
S- J98
S- Q10
H -
H-
D- K D- J10
C- C-
S- AK6
H-
D-
C- 2
When you play the Club 2, West will be squeezed. You can interchange the East and West hands and the squeeze still operates, because the threat is divided. It is important to take the opening lead in your hand in order to be in dummy later.
The full deal
S- 5432
H- KJ10
D- Q65
C- QJ4
S- J987 S- Q10
H- 32
H- 54
D- K98 D- J107432
C- 10987 C- 653
S- AK6
H- AQ9876
D- A
C- AK2
IV: You can also pull off a squeeze with three threat suits. This can confound the opponents, particularly if one opponent must protect two (or more) of the threat suits.
Example 5: Triple-threat squeeze - You are in 7 NT. West leads the diamond King. You see these hands
North
S-AK543
H- K765
D- A3
C- K3
South (You)
S- Q10
H- AQJ
D- J1082
C- AQ42
You have only 11 tricks, but 13 if spades divide 3-3. You can not concede a trick to rectify the count in 7. The only hope you have is that spades are indeed 3-3 or the person with 4 spades also will feel obliged to guard other suits too. This will put them on the horns of a dilemma, if you don’t give it away. Remember, light voice and a firm, “thank you, partner.” You actually have three threat suits: spades, diamonds, and clubs. After you win the opening lead (good move) take your non-threat suit winners (hearts) first. Heart A,Q,J – club to the K and H-K. You note that your LHO discards the D-9 on the 3rd heart, but is strained on the 4th heart. What ever he discards will help. It will probably be the C-5. Now play the suit LHO just discarded (clubs). This will continue to put pressure on him. Clubs will squeeze your LHO again. You will be brought to this ending:
North
S-AK543
H-
D-
C-
West
East
S- J987 S- 62
H- H-
D- Q D- 765
C- C-
South (You)
S- Q10
H-
D- J10
C- 4
On the lead of the C-4 West is finished. If he discards a spade, you will run all the spades. If he discards the D-Q your J-10 will be good.
The full deal:
S-AK543
H- K765
D- A3
C- K3
S- J987
S- 62
H- 42
H- 10983
D- KQ9
D- 7654
C- J765
C- 1098
S- Q10
H-AQJ
D- J1082
C- AQ42
V: The pseudo-squeeze. Sometimes you can pull off a squeeze with only one threat suit; as long as the opponents do not realize that there is only one threat suit. Technically, if there is only one threat suit, as long as one opponent holds on to that suit, you will be finished. If you leave that suit until the end, a defender may feel squeezed anyway and save the wrong card.
Example 6. You are in an overly ambitious 7NT. LHO leads the spade 8. These are the hands you see.
North
S- AKJ10
H- AKQJ
D- 32
C- 432
South (you)
S- Q32
H- 432
D- AK
C- AK765
You can count 12 winners. There is no chance of a 13th and only one threat suit. Try a ruse. Run off your major suit winners, the ones the opponents can see. This is called a pseudo-squeeze. The defenders will have to commit before you do. One defender may think he has to protect diamonds.
This is the full deal.
S- AKJ10
H- AKQJ
D- 32
C- 432
S- 8765
S- 94
H- 765
H- 1098
D- 8765
D- QJ1094
C- QJ
C- 1098
S- Q32
H- 432
D- AK
C- AK765
SUMMARY
Squeeze plays can be used in any contract, though they are most frequently needed when playing in a slam.
To pull off a successful squeeze you must:
1. Recognize the threat suits (cards)
2. Rectify the count (often)
3. Take your non-threat suits first
4. Maintain communication between the two hands
5. End in the hand opposite the threat suits
Practices: The Squeeze
I. You are in 7 spades. Answer the following questions based on these hands.
North
S- Q987
H- Q2
D- AJ9
C- K432
South (You)
S- AKJ1065
H- A
D- KQ10
C- A65
Questions:
1. How many tricks does South have?
2. What are the threat suits?
3. Are the threats divided or in the same hand?
4. In order to squeeze a defender, what must that player hold?
5. Which suits should you play first?
ANSWERS
1. You have 12 tricks.
2. Hearts and Clubs are threat suits.
3. The threats are divided. Both appear to be in the North hand, but
this is an illusion. If South discards 2
clubs
from dummy, South will retain a club threat.
4. The player being squeezed must hold the King of Hearts and at least
4 clubs. If clubs are 3-3, both
defenders are
guarding clubs and there is no squeeze.
5. You should play spades and diamonds. The clubs must be saved until
the end.
These will be the cards when the last diamond is played:
S-
H- Q
D- A
C- K4
S-
H-
D- 10
C- A65
When the D-A is lead, E will be squeezed. In this case the squeeze works against either opponent because the threats are divided
II- Threat Cards: Which card is the Threat Card in each combination?
Declarer Dummy
1) A4 K52
2) A54 K2
3) A54 K32
ANSWERS:
1) The deuce in dummy. If you discard a card from
dummy, the threat will disappear.
2) Declarer’s 4. If declarer discards a card from this suit, the
threat will disappear
3) The 4 or the 2. The threat is flexible. This is the most desirable
threat. A card can be discarded for either declarer’s hand or from dummy and
the threat will be maintained in the opposite hand. With a flexible threat
suit, you can cash your non-threat winners and winners and end up in either
hand.
III: The Squeeze
North
S- Q9
H- A1032
D- 876
C- AK65
South
S- A87
H- KQJ97
D- J54
C- Q9
The Bidding:
N E S
W
1C 1D 1H P
2H P 4H P
Opening Lead: Diamond 9
East cashes 3 diamonds. West discards the Spade 6 on the 3rd diamond. East should shift to the Spade 2 (weakness in dummy).
Questions:
1. How many tricks do you have?
2. What are the threat suits?
3. Are the threats divided or in the same hand?
4. Is there an entry to either of the threat suits?
5. Which spade should you play?
6. If you elect to play for a squeeze, which opponent will be
squeezed?
7. What is the order of play?
Answers:
1. You have 9 tricks.
2. Spades and Clubs are the threat suits.
3. The threats are in the same hand. The threats are the S-Q and the
long club. You can only squeeze West, the hand that will
play before the threat suits.
4. The club suit has an entry
5. Play the ace.
6. West will be squeezed as it is unlikely East led away from the K
7. Play the S-A then Heart winners. On the last heart, you will be in
this position:
North
S- Q
H-
D-
West
C- AK65 East
S- K S- 103
H- H-
D- D- 10
C- 10873
South C- J4
S- 87
H- 9
D-
C- Q9
West is squeezed. Whatever he discards on the Heart 9, you keep in dummy. The rest will be winners.
The four hands:
North
S- Q9
H- A1032
D- 876
East C- AK65 East
S- KJ654
S- 1032
H- 6
H- 854
D- 92
D- AKQ103
C- 108732
South
C- J4
S- A87
H- KQJ97
D- J54
C- Q9