Triple Squeezes

 

Here one defender is squeezed in three suits, not the usual two.  Sometimes, a Triple Squeeze will produce two extra tricks, the so-called Progressive Squeeze.

 

Related Extracts from Past Wednesday Games

 

 

 6

♠ A974

87632

Qj

♣ K8

 

 

 

2nf February, 2011

♠ T853

KJ

A83

♣ QT65

          North

West             East

          South

♠ J2

T954

742

♣ J732

 

 Dlr     East
 Vul     E-W 


 
 
 
 
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♠ KQ6

AQ

KT965

♣ A94

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    1

Pass    1        Pass    2NT

Pass    ??

 

The final contract is 3NT.  Looking at all four hands you can count 11 tricks if you guess the Spades correctly.  But if West’s opening lead is a low Club then there will be no guess!  Look what happens:

            Low Club, low from Dummy, Jack, Ace

            Diamond to Dummy’s Queen

            Diamond to West’s Ace

            Club to Dummy’s King

            Spade to Declarer’s King

            Diamonds are cashed

Here is the position with one Diamond left to be cashed:

                                    Dummy

                                    ♠ A97

                                    876

                                   

                                    ♣

            West                                        East

            ♠ T85                                      ♠ J

            ♥ KJ                                       T954

            ♦                                             

            ♣ Q                                         ♣ 7

                                    Declarer

                                    Q6

                                    AQ

                                    9

                                    ♣ 9

When the last Diamond is led what should West pitch?  He knows from the bidding that Declarer must have the Q, so pitching a Heart is out.  He also knows that pitching a Spade will give away that suit.  And depending on how sophisticated are the E-W carding agreements, he may or may not know where the ♣9 is.  If West is an optimistic fellow, and is not sure of the whereabouts of the ♣9, he might dump the ♣Q, which turns out to be doubly fatal!  Now Declarer cashes the ♣9 and West is squeezed in the majors!  12 tricks on a (pseudo-) Progressive Squeeze!

 

When that last Diamond was played, West had to pitch a Spade.  That gives Declarer her 11th trick but there is no 12th, as West is sitting over Declarer’s Heart and Club holdings and is not further squeezed on the run of the Spades.

 

Declarer made a good play at Trick 1!  By ducking in Dummy, East was forced to play the Jack, meaning that now only West could guard the Club suit.  If Declarer had won the first trick on the board then there would be no squeeze and Declarer would have to guess the Spades correctly for 11 tricks.  Well, not entirely true, because if Declarer guesses wrong and plays the Spades from the top then West can be thrown in with a Spade and forced to lead a Heart!

 

 

 12

♠ J7654

842

J

♣ J765

 

 

 

7th July, 2010

♠ A82

QJ75

843

♣ K93

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ Q3

K9

AK52

♣ AQT42

 
Dlr     West
Vul     N-S 


 
 
 
 
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 All Rights Reserved

♠ KT9

AT63

QT976

♣ 8

West    North   East     South

                        1♣       Pass

1        Pass    2NT?   Pass

3NT     Pass    Pass    Pass

 

3NT by West is held to 10 tricks by that Spade lead but, with East at the helm, 11 tricks can be made in exotic fashion.  South leads a Diamond won by Declarer (he must not duck, he cannot afford a Spade switch).  Now Declarer leads the K to South’s Ace, wins the Diamond return, cashes the QJ, then ♣A, ♣K, Club finesse, and the remaining Clubs.  This is the position with one Club left to play:

                                    North

                                    ♠ J765

                                   

                                   

                                    ♣

            Dummy                                    Declarer

            ♠ A8                                        ♠ Q3

            ♥ 7                                         

            ♦ 8                                           5

            ♣                                             ♣ 4

                                    South

                                    KT

                                    T

                                    9

                                    ♣

When the last Club is led, South has these unpleasant choices:

-         Pitch a Diamond: That’s the worst choice as South now falls victim to a progressive squeeze (Declarer cashes the Diamond next, squeezing South in the majors), and Declarer has no fewer than 12 tricks!

-         Pitch a Heart: That allows Dummy’s Heart to become the 11th trick.

-         Pitch a Spade: Well, at least that gives Declarer a guess for his 11th trick … he can either throw South in with a Diamond, playing him to have two Spades and no Hearts left (scoring just 10 tricks), or he can guess right and take his Spade tricks.

 

 

 2

♠ AK9

4

J543

♣ KQ543




From 22nd November, 2006

♠ QJ5

AKJ5

AKQ8

♣ 98

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ 6

T987632

T7

♣ AJT

 

Dlr       East
Vul      N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ T87432

Q

962

♣ 762

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    Pass

2NT     Pass    4        Pass

4        Pass    Pass    Pass

 

In the featured auction that 4 was a Texas Transfer.

 

If North is on lead she will no doubt start with the A♠, after which a simple Spade ruffing finesse nets 12 tricks.  But, suppose that South is on lead and she somewhat randomly starts with a Diamond.  Now, it’s 13 tricks for Declarer!  Yes, North is caught in a Progressive Squeeze … Declarer has 11 top tricks, but North is squeezed in 3 suits on the run of the trumps.  Dummy wins the opening Diamond lead, and cashes 7 Hearts.  Ouch for North!  She must come down to 5 cards and all variations lead to North being squeezed out of not just one, but two tricks.  Making 7!

 

Time for a reality check!  That Progressive Squeeze is pure fantasy, of course.  If the Spade honors are split, and likewise the Club honors, then this line of play is good for just 11 tricks.  The realistic line of play after the Diamond opening lead is to draw trumps, pitch a Spade on the Diamonds, concede a Club, and ruff the third round of Clubs on the board.  How mundane, the Progressive Squeeze was much more fun!

 

 

 2

♠ 873

AQJ42

AQ

♣ AQ7




From 13th December, 2006

♠ QJ2

8763

J4

♣ T982

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ AT64

KT6

T7

♣ K653

 

Dlr       East
Vul      N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ K95

9

K986532

♣ J4

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    2

Pass    2NT     Pass    3♠

Pass    3NT     All Pass

 

East will probably lead a Spade, ducked on the board, won by West’s Jack.  The Q♠ is played, won by East’s Ace, followed by a 3rd round of Spades won on the board.  With the Diamonds 2-2, Declarer has 10 cashing tricks at this point, but there’s a chance for a nice play.  Yes, Declarer must cash his A♣ before running the Diamonds!  In the 3-card entry, East will be squeezed in Hearts and Clubs and that will be 11 tricks for Declarer.  Note that the squeeze does not operate without cashing the A♣ early (the so-called Vienna Coup).

 

It was obliging of the defense to cash two Spades and tighten up the position so that the squeeze could take effect.  Is it better for East to duck the Q♠ continuation at Trick Two?  No, it’s even worse!  Dummy’s K♠ wins the trick, as before the A♣ is cashed, and 7 Diamonds are played.  East is caught in a progressive squeeze now!  He must come down to 3 cards, and is squeezed in 3 suits:

-         If he bares the K, Declarer will score two extra Heart tricks

-         If he throws his Spades, Dummy’s Nine will be good, and when that card is played, East is squeezed for the second time

-         If he throws his K♣, the J♣ is cashed and again East is squeezed for the second time.

In all cases it’s 12 tricks for Declarer.

 

The way to hold Declarer to 10 tricks is for East to shift to a Heart or a Club at Trick Two, but that’s not an obvious defense.  From West’s point of view, East might have the Ax of Diamonds, in which case it is essential to continue Spades and knock out Dummy’s entry.

 

 

 2

♠ T6

JT64

AJT

♣ QT62

 


7th May, 2008

♠ 43

A7

Q9762

♣ KJ85

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ AKQ8

KQ932

K3

♣ 97

 

Dlr       East
Vul      N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ J9752

85

854

♣ A43

West    North   East     South

                        1        Pass

1NT     Pass    2♠        Pass

3NT     Pass    Pass    Pass

 

After East’s 2♠ reverse, West had more than enough points and stuff in the unbid suits for 3NT.  North’s obvious opening lead is a Club, won by South’s Ace.  The Club return is ducked in Dummy and won by North’s Ten, at which point North cannot profitably continue the suit, so she shifts to a Spade won by Declarer.  Now, Declarer can count 7 top tricks, with hopes of a 3-3 Heart break for 9.  Also, there is a Diamond trick that can be established, and that should be done right away while Declarer still has the A entry to hand.  So, the K is led, won by North’s Ace and another Spade comes back.  Now what?  Declarer is up to 8 tricks, and still hoping for a 3-3 Heart break.  However, the best chance to make the contract (but giving up on 10 tricks) is to duck a Diamond next, which makes the contract whenever either red suit breaks.

 

But perhaps Declarer will decide to go for the gusto, playing on Hearts before Diamonds, risking the contract while trying for 10 tricks.  After winning the second Spade return, he cashes three rounds of Hearts getting the bad news.  Now it looks as if Declarer is down one, but look what happens, this is the position before Declarer cashes the third Spade:

                                    North

                                   

                                    J

                                    JT

                                    ♣ Q6

            Declarer                                  Dummy

            ♠                                              ♠ Q8

            ♥                                              93

            ♦ Q97                                      3

            ♣ KJ                                       ♣

                                    South

                                    J9

                                   

                                    85

                                    ♣ 3

When that Q♠ is cashed, Declarer pitches a Diamond and North is squeezed in three suits!  Whatever she pitches gives Declarer his 9th trick (and a 10th too if a Heart is pitched).  A rare Triple Squeeze!

 

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