Study 4V81 Main

Make It on a Squeeze!

by Richard Pavlicek

Each of these contracts can be made only by a squeeze as described.
Arrange a deck of cards and play out each deal.

1.	A Q 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
N-S vul	K 6 5 4		1. W	J	A	5	3
	A J 2		2. N	4	Q	2!	8
	A K Q		3. E	9	A!	7	5
J 10 8 7 2		9 5	4. S	6	7	Q	9
8 7		Q J 10 9	5. N	4	3	K	2
10 9 6 5		8 7 3	6. S	4	5	A	7
7 2		J 8 5 4	7. N	2	8	K	6
	K 6 3		8. S	3	2	A	4
	A 3 2		9. N	K	5	6	7
	K Q 4		10. N	Q	8	9	8
6 NT South	10 9 6 3		11. N	J	?
				East is squeezed

You have three chances for your 12th trick: (1) J falls, (2) hearts 3-3, or (3) the same defender guards hearts and clubs. To prepare for the squeeze it is crucial to duck the first heart, else East could remove your last heart entry and kill the squeeze.

East does his best to return a heart at Trick 3, which you win in hand to keep the entry with dummy’s threat. The exact order of the remaining play is not critical, as long as you unblock the top clubs prior to winning the last spade-diamond winner in hand. Clearing clubs at the last possible moment was good technique, because an opponent might pitch a club voluntarily if unaware of your threat.

2.	A 8 3 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
None vul	6 5 4 3		1. W	K	6	9	8
	K 10 8 4		2. W	Q	2	4	K
	6		3. S	J	4	3	7
Q		7 4	4. S	J	A	A!	2
A J 8 7		K Q 10	5. N	3!	Q	2	8
J 7 6 2		Q 5	6. E	K	9	A	4
A K 10 4		Q 9 7 5 3 2	7. W	J	5	10	5
	K J 10 9 6 5		8. S	10!	10	8	3
	9 2		9. S	9	2	4	5
	A 9 3		10. S	6!	?
4 South	J 8			West is squeezed

North’s raise was intended as an advance sacrifice or blocking bid, but after a club lead 4 cannot be beaten — thanks to a squeeze. Declarer takes care to ruff his club loser high (unblocking the spade suit) then leads a heart (not a diamond). Opponents are obliged to continue hearts, which serves to isolate the heart stopper to West. (Note the defense cannot attack diamonds without losing their diamond trick, and a club yields a ruff and sluff.) Running trumps then squeezes poor West.

Do you see how 4 could be defeated? While illogical at the table, an original heart lead and continuation allows West to erase the heart threat completely when he gains the lead in clubs.

Study 4V81 Main

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© 2010 Richard Pavlicek