Study 6D93 Main

Non-Pure Squeezes

by Richard Pavlicek

Non-pure squeezes are those in which one of declarer’s threat suits requires a combined protection by both defenders (i.e., one defender cannot protect the suit by himself), or those in which the trump suit has a ruffing role after the squeeze. In practice, these situations are more difficult to recognize than pure squeezes, but their knowledge could be vital and they shouldn’t be ignored.

This study is merely an attempt to approach the subject and is by no means complete. Many varieties of non-pure squeezes exist, and a thorough analysis could take hundreds of pages, with little practical value. I will consider only the more common varieties.

Guard Squeezes

A guard squeeze is not a pure squeeze. It relies on the need of one defender to keep a certain card, called a guard, to prevent his partner (who has the stopper) from being finessed. While a guard squeeze could arise in many situations, the only practical application is when a pure squeeze would not function.

The most obvious failing case for a pure squeeze is when one of the ambiguous threats is not accompanied by an entry in its own suit. West can retain his stopper in that suit as long as possible, forcing it to be the common suit of the ensuing double squeeze, in which an entry is essential.

Guard Type 1

South holds both ambiguous threats, only one of which is accompanied by an entry in its own suit.
East can beat South’s entried threat with only one card. North has a winner in the basic threat suit.

Cash the free suit ending in North. If West releases the guard in South’s entried
threat suit, East can be finessed. Else the ending is a double squeeze.

1.	A J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	K	3	2	4
	2		2. S	3!	?
	A 2			West is guard-squeezed
K Q		—
K		A
Q 3		K 6 5 4
—		—
	—
	Q
	A J
NT win 5	K 3

On the K West must pitch the 3 to avert a double squeeze. On the next club, if West pitches the Q, East can be finessed. If West pitches the K, the A will squeeze East in the red suits.

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

Yes, you belong in 6 , but then there would be no story. You duck the first heart as East signals with the nine, then West leads the 10 to your ace. As the best chance assume West has spades stopped. In that event you can succeed if West has any two of the missing diamond honors (i.e., if East can beat your 8 only once). Lead all your clubs discarding three diamonds from dummy (unblocking the 9 and J). If West gives up his heart stopper, you have a double squeeze. If West lets go all of his diamonds, you will finesse the 8. Note the squeeze would fail if you switched the 10 and 4.

Guard Type 2

Ambiguous threats are divided but only South’s threat is accompanied by an entry in its own suit.
East can beat South’s threat with only one card. North has an entry in the basic threat or South’s threat suit.

Cash the free suit. If West releases the guard card in South’s threat suit,
East can be finessed. Else the ending becomes a double squeeze.

3.	A J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	Q		1. S	K	3	2	4
	2		2. S	A	?
	2			West is guard-squeezed
K Q		—
K		A
Q 3		K 6 5 4
—		—
	2
	—
	A J
NT win 5	A K

On the K West must pitch the 3 to avert a double squeeze. On the A, if West pitches the Q, East can be finessed. If West pitches the K, pitch the J from North, then the A squeezes East.

4.	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	Q		1. S	K	4	9!	5
	K 9 2		2. S	A	?
	—			West is guard-squeezed
A		—
K		A
Q J 4		10 7 6 5
—		—
	—
	—
	A 8 3
NT win 5	A K

On the K West must pitch a diamond to avert a double squeeze, as North pitches the 9 to prevent blockage. On the A, if West pitches another diamond, the K takes his last, and East is finessed. If West pitches the K, North lets go the K, and East is squeezed on the same trick.

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

East captures the Q with the ace and returns a heart to the king. Best technique is to lead four rounds of trumps immediately discarding a spade and the 8 from dummy, as West must pitch a diamond to avert a double squeeze. Next try to establish spades to discover West has a stopper. Finally, lead your last trump. If West pitches his last heart, East will be squeezed. If West pitches another diamond, the A will drop his last, and East is finessed.

Study 6D93 Main

Top Non-Pure Squeezes

Clash Squeezes

A clash squeeze is similar to a guard squeeze in that it relies on stopper dependence between the opponents. One player must retain a particular card to prevent the promotion of a lower card that would normally just follow suit to declarer’s winner. As with the guard squeeze, the clash squeeze has no practical application except when a pure squeeze would fail.

Clash Type 1

The ambiguous threats are divided but only South’s threat is accompanied by an entry in its own suit. North has a
non-winner in South’s threat suit that is higher than East’s stopper. South has an entry in one of North’s threat suits.

Cash the free suit. If West releases his clash card, North has a separate winner in that suit.
Else the ending becomes a double squeeze.

6.	A 9 8		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	Q		1. S	K	3	2	8
	Q		2. S	A	?
	2			West is clash-squeezed
Q J 10		3
K		A
K 3		J 10 9 8
—		—
	K 2
	—
	A 2
NT win 6	A K

On the K West must pitch a diamond to avert a double squeeze. On the A, if West pitches the K, North’s queen is good. If West pitches the K, North sheds a spade, then K-A squeeze East.

7.	J 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	Q		1. S	K	4	5	3
	K 10 5		2. S	A	?
	—			West is clash-squeezed
K Q		3
K		A
Q J 4		9 8 7 6
—		—
	A
	—
	A 3 2
NT win 6	A K

On the K West must pitch a diamond to avert a double squeeze, and sheds the 5. On the A, if West pitches another diamond, the K fells his last, and the 10 is good. If West pitches the K, North sheds a spade, then the A squeezes East in the red suits.

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

You cash three clubs, A-K (in case jack drops) and the K. On the fourth club West pitches the 10 (aided by East’s 8 at Trick 1) but has no answer on the last. If he pitches the J, North’s 9 scores separately. If he pitches a heart, North sheds a spade; South wins the A, then the Q squeezes East in the red suits.

Clash Type 2

Ambiguous threats are divided but only North’s is accompanied by an entry in its own suit. South holds a non-winner
in North’s ambiguous threat suit that is higher than East’s stopper. North has an additional entry in any threat suit.

Cash the free suit. If West releases his clash card, South has a separate winner in that suit.
Else the ending becomes a double squeeze.

9.	A 9 8		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	K	2	4	3
	A 3		2. S	A	?
	4			West is clash-squeezed
Q J 10		3
K		A
K 2		J 10 9 8
—		—
	K 2
	Q
	Q
NT win 6	A K

On the K West must pitch a diamond to avert a double squeeze. On the A, if West pitches the K, South’s queen is good. If West pitches the K, North pitches a spade, then the A-K squeeze East in the red suits.

10.	A J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	K	10	2	2
	A 4 3 2		2. S	A	?
	—			West is clash-squeezed
K Q		—
K		A
Q J 10		8 7 6 5
—		2
	2
	Q
	K 9
NT win 6	A K

On the K West must pitch a diamond to avert a double squeeze. On the A, if West pitches another diamond, South’s nine is good (after cashing K). If West pitches the K, North sheds the J, then the A squeezes East in the red suits.

11.	K 5 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	10 9		1. W	8	2	9	3
	7 4 2		2. E	J	A	3	2
	A K Q J 3		3. S	2	6	A	7
8		Q J 10 9 6	4. N	9	J	Q	2
8 7 4 2		K J 6 5	5. S	4	9	K	6
Q 8 6 5 3		J 10 9	6. N	Q	5	5	10
10 9 6		7	7. N	J	6	8	5
	A 7 4 3		8. N	3	9	7	6
	A Q 3		9. N	5	10	A	8
	A K		10. S	A	4	10	K
6 NT South	8 5 4 2		11. S	K	Q	7	10
			12. S	4	7	K	J
				Win the last trick

East overtakes the spade lead and you duck; East shifts to the J. Win three clubs (East throws a spade and a heart) then lead the 10; jack, queen. On the next club East throws a heart. On the last club if East discards a diamond, throw a spade from your hand; then win the top diamond, A and K to squeeze West. If East instead discards his last heart, the 9 scores a separate trick.

Study 6D93 Main

Top Non-Pure Squeezes

Ruffout Squeezes

For most pure squeezes it makes no difference if the free suit is the trump suit or a solid suit at notrump. Sometimes, however, declarer lacks the high-card entries for a pure squeeze, but the ability to ruff provides the link.

12.	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	A 4 3		1. S	A	7	2	J
	A 4 3		2. S	2	8	A	Q
	2		3. N	3	K	J	9
—		—	4. S	K	8	3	J
10 9 8 7		K Q J	5. S	Q	?
10 9 8		K Q J		West then East squeezed
—		A
	A K Q J
	2
	2
win 7	K

This ending is related to pure squeeze Type 1-B (rotated 180 degrees) but will fail in notrump because South has no reentry after cashing the red ace in the suit East abandons. With spades trump, however, the ability to ruff provides the necessary reentry.

13.	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	A 5 4 3		1. S	A	8	3	7
	K 2		2. S	2!	9	A	J
	K		3. N	4	Q	Q	10
—		—	4. S	K	?
10 9 8		K Q J 7		West then East squeezed
Q J 10		9 8 7
A		—
	A K Q
	2
	A 4 3
win 7	—

This ending is related to pure squeeze Type 2-B but fails in notrump because South lacks an entry in one of North’s threat suits. On the A West lets go a heart (best) as does North; then win the A, ruff a heart and lead the last trump for a simultaneous double squeeze.

14.	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	A 4 3		1. S	A	9	2	7
	3 2		2. S	2!	10	A	8
	A J		3. N	3	Q	Q	J
—		—	4. S	K	Q	J!	9
J 10 9		K Q 8 7	5. S	2	Q	A	?
K Q		J 10 9		East is squeezed
K Q		—
	A K Q
	2
	A 4
win 7	2

This ending is related to pure squeeze Type 2-D but fails in notrump because South lacks a crucial reentry. On the A West lets go a heart, and North a diamond. Next comes the A, heart ruff, and the last trump, which squeezes West out of his diamond stopper, after which North sheds the J. Finally, a club to the ace squeezes East in the red suits.

That’s not all, folks!

This study is hardly complete but offers insight into the realm of non-pure squeezes. Many peculiarities exist when the opponents’ stoppers are dependent, but a lengthy study would offer little practical benefit because the cases are rare and usually unrecognizable at the table.

Study 6D93 Main

Top Non-Pure Squeezes

© 1990 Richard Pavlicek