Contract Bridge

Some players talk about a squeeze as if it were as much beyond their comprehension as, say, the theory of relativity. Actually, a squeeze is usually an uncomplicated play requiring three basic elements to make it work. These are:

1. Declarer must have all the remaining tricks but one.

2. He must have communication between his own hand and dummy when the squeeze card is played.

3. One defender must have to guard at least two suits.

So in today’s deal, Element No.1 is met after West cashes two spades. Declarer now has 10 of the remaining 11 tricks.

Element No.2 is met because there are entries to both the North and South hands.

Element No.3 is met because only East can guard against declarer’s holdings in hearts and clubs.

Now let’s see how the squeeze operates. Assume West shifts to a club at trick three, won with dummy’s king. South draws two rounds of trump, then cashes the ace of clubs, an important part of the process.

Declarer next plays three more trumps, discarding a club from dummy. This leaves dummy with the A-K-Q-7 of hearts while South has the 9-3 of hearts and J-9 of clubs. But observe what has happened to East in the meantime. On the last trump lead, he must choose a discard from the J-8-5-4 of hearts and the queen of clubs. A heart discard establishes dummy’s last heart; a club discard establishes South’s J-9 of clubs. Either way, East must succumb.

Note that the squeeze would fail if declarer did not first cash the ace of clubs before running his trumps. In that case, dummy’s high club would block the suit and nullify the pressure exerted on East by South’s jack. Element No.2 — two-way maneuverability at the critical point — would be lacking.