Most players are of the opinion that squeezes occur towards the end of the play of a bridge hand. While it is generally true, there are exceptions, as witness today's deal from a pairs tournament. The east defender feels the pinch as early as trick four, a most unusual thing indeed to happen. Enjoy the play.
Contract: 3NT by south. West leads the H 2. East follows with the eight and you win with the ten. How do you proceed?
Analysis: The lead has given you the tenth trick. You may be able to develop one more trick if spades are 3-3. Is there a chance for the twelfth trick?
Play: Duck a spade at trick two. West wins with the ten and exits in H Q. Win with the H K in dummy. The 10-card position is:
Cash H A now. What should poor east discard on this?
East squirms in his seat and finally parts with a diamond. When you cash the diamonds next, east follows with the jack and the queen. A diamond to the ten turns the screw on him again and he is squeezed in the black suits now. The complete hands are:
Discussion: When you cashed the third heart, it applied extreme pressure on east on all the remaining three suits. East played for the D 10 in his partner's hand and so discarded a diamond. Three rounds of diamonds next, squeezed him in the black suits, resulting in twelve tricks. To be exact, it is a repeating squeeze .
The purpose of ducking a spade at trick two in this deal is two-fold; one of establishing a third trick in the suit if it behaves 3-3, and the other of rectifying the count as a preparatory move to the squeeze. Other squeeze positions are possible too if spades prove to be 3-3 with the east-west hands.
a) Suppose east has S Q-J-x H x-x D Q-J-x-x C 10-x-x-x. East is squeezed in the minors when you cash the thirteenth spade.
b) If west has started with S 10-x-x H Q-J-x-x D Q-x C J-x-x-x, west is squeezed in hearts and clubs on the last spade.
In the above two squeeze positions, you will discard the D 5 from dummy on the thirteenth spade.
Play out the deal with a deck of cards. You will feel elated, having executed for the first time, a repeating squeeze!
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