Study 9J01   Main

Two-Suit Squeeze

by Richard Pavlicek

A two-suit squeeze is a squeeze that involves two threat suits. A third suit provides a squeeze card that forces an opponent, usually a defender but not necessarily, to unguard one of the threats allowing the remaining tricks to be won. A squeeze that does not win all the remaining tricks is called a “strip” squeeze, covered as a separate category. About the Techniques

1. Positional squeeze

NT win 3	A J K — —			Trick 1 S	Lead A!	2nd	3rd	4th
K Q A — —			3 3 2 — —
South leads	4 2 — — A

2. Split positional squeeze

NT win 3	A 5 K — —			Trick 1 S	Lead A!	2nd	3rd	4th
K Q A — —			10 9 2 — —
South leads	J 4 — — A

3. Automatic squeeze

NT win 3 auto bi	A J — — 2			Trick 1 S	Lead A!	2nd 2	3rd 2	4th
3 2 2 — —			K Q A — —
South leads	4 K — A

4. Twin-entry squeeze

NT win 4 auto re	A 4 K — 2			Trick 1 S	Lead A!	2nd 2	3rd 2	4th
3 2 3 2 — —			Q J 10 A — —
South leads	K 9 5 — — A

5. Threat unblock squeeze

NT win 5 auto bi	A J A 5 — 4			Trick 1 S 2 N 3 S	Lead 4! 4 A!	2nd 2 2 3	3rd A K 5	4th Q 2
3 2 10 9 2 — —			K Q K Q — 2
South leads	4 J 4 — A K

Commonly called a Vienna coup.

6. Crisscross squeeze

NT win 4 auto re	J 4 A — 2			Trick 1 S	Lead A!	2nd 2	3rd 2	4th
3 2 3 2 — —			K Q K Q — —
South leads	A J 4 — A

7. Show-up squeeze

NT win 3	A Q K — —			Trick 1 S 2 S	Lead A! 2	2nd 5 K	3rd K	4th 2
K 5 A — —			J 10 2 — —
South leads	4 2 — — A

8. Count squeeze

NT win 3 auto	A Q K — —			Trick 1 S 2 S	Lead A! 2	2nd 5 J	3rd K A!	4th 2
J 5 A — —			K 3 2 — —
South leads	4 2 — — A

Same as show-up except South knows K offside.

9. Count rectification before squeeze

NT win 4 auto bi	A J 4 — 5 4			Trick 1 S 2 E 3 S	Lead 6! 3 A!	2nd 2 A	3rd 4 Q	4th J 4
K Q 2 K Q — —			— 3 2 — K Q J
South leads	4 A J — A 6

General tactic that may precede many squeezes.

10. Threat isolation before squeeze

NT win 6 auto bi	A 4 A K 9 — 3 2			Trick 1 S 2 N 3 W 4 N	Lead 5! 4 Q 2	2nd 8 3 K Q	3rd A 6! 2 A	4th 2 9 4
J 10 9 8 Q J 10 — —			Q 3 2 3 2 — K Q
South leads	K 7 6 5 5 4 — A

General tactic that may precede many squeezes.

Study 9J01   Main

Top   Two-Suit Squeeze

11. Transfer squeeze

NT win 4 bi	A 4 4 — A			Trick 1 S 2 N	Lead Q! A!	2nd K	3rd A	4th 5
K 9 3 2 — — —			J 5 K Q — —
South leads	Q 10 A J — —

12. Squash squeeze

NT win 4 bi	Q 10 A J — —			Trick 1 S 2 S 3 N	Lead A! 4 Q!	2nd 5 Q	3rd J A	4th 2 3
J 5 K Q — —			K 9 3 2 — — —
South leads	A 4 4 — A

Same as transfer squeeze but other hand on lead.

13. Twin-entry transfer squeeze

NT win 4 auto? bi	A 9 4 — — A			Trick 1 S 2 N	Lead J! A!	2nd Q	3rd A	4th 6
Q 8 3 2 — — —			10 7 6 A — —
South leads	K J 5 K — —

14. Twin-entry squash squeeze

NT win 4 auto? bi	K J 5 K — —			Trick 1 S 2 S 3 N	Lead A! 4 J!	2nd 6 7	3rd K K	4th 2 3
10 7 6 A — —			Q 8 3 2 — — —
South leads	A 9 4 — — A

Same as transfer squeeze but other hand on lead.

15. Overtake squeeze

NT win 3 auto re	A 10 — — 2			Trick 1 S 2 S	Lead A! K	2nd 2 2	3rd 2 A!	4th J
3 2 2 — —			Q J A — —
South leads	K K — A

16. Jettison squeeze

NT win 3	A K 4 — —			Trick 1 S	Lead A!	2nd J	3rd A!	4th
Q J A — —			2 3 2 — —
South leads	K 10 — — A

Variations possible but grossly unrealistic.

17. Entry squeeze

NT win 5	A Q J 6 Q — —			Trick 1 S 2 S 3 N	Lead A! 4 Q	2nd A 7 3	3rd 6 J K	4th 2 2
K 9 8 7 A — —			3 2 4 3 2 — —
South leads	10 5 4 K — A

Squeeze fails if K and Q are switched.

18. Pseudo squeeze (one of many)

NT win 5 not	A 9 A 4 — 2			Trick 1 S	Lead A!	2nd 6?	3rd	4th
K J 10 7 6 — —			10 4 2 Q J — —
South leads	Q K 9 5 — A

Success booster: Exclaim “The rest are mine!”

19. Unknown card pseudo squeeze

NT win 2 not	2 — — 2			Trick 1 S	Lead A	2nd	3rd	4th
A A — —			K — — 3
South leads	— K — A

South hand must be hidden (not dummy).

20. Memory pseudo squeeze

NT win 5 not	K — — A K 4 2			Trick 1 S 2 N 3 S 4 N	Lead 5! 2 6! 4	2nd 9 8 2 A?	3rd K Q A 3	4th 7 10 J
2 3 2 — 10 9			A A — J 8 7
South leads	— K — Q 6 5 3

Play assumes South hand is hidden (not dummy).

Study 9J01   Main

Top   Two-Suit Squeeze

21. Dual transfer squeeze

NT win 6 auto?	A 9 7 4 — A K			Trick 1 S 2 N 3 S 4 N	Lead J! 9! 4 K!	2nd Q 10 4 6	3rd A K A 5	4th 3 2 2
Q 8 4 2 K Q — —			10 6 3 3 2 — 2
South leads	K J 5 A J — 4

22. Two-suit squash double squeeze

NT win 5 auto? bi	K 4 9 4 — 2			Trick 1 S 2 S	Lead A! J!	2nd 10	3rd 2	4th 5
Q 7 6 J 10 — —			10 9 5 K Q — —
South leads	A J 8 A — A

23. Extended threat crisscross squeeze

NT win 5 auto re	K 9 4 A — 2			Trick 1 S	Lead A!	2nd 3	3rd 2	4th
3 2 3 2 — 3			Q J 10 K Q — —
South leads	A J 10 4 — A

24. Overtake gambit entry squeeze

NT win 6 bi	10 5 4 A J — A			Trick 1 S 2 N 3 N 4 S	Lead K A! 4 4	2nd 2 Q 7 3	3rd A! 6 J J	4th 5 2 2 8
3 2 3 2 — 3 2			K 9 8 7 Q 5 — —
South leads	A Q J 6 K 4 — —

25. Doubly extended threat crisscross

NT win 6 auto re	K 9 6 5 A — 4			Trick 1 S	Lead A!	2nd 2	3rd 4	4th
4 3 2 4 3 2 — —			Q J 10 Q J 10 — —
South leads	A K 9 6 5 — A

26. Inseparable winners crisscross squeeze

NT win 6 auto	K 9 4 A 5 4 —			Trick 1 S	Lead A!	2nd 2	3rd 4	4th 10
3 2 3 2 A K —			Q J 10 Q J 10 — —
South leads	A K 9 4 — A K

Variations are possible but grossly unrealistic.

Study 9J01   Main

Top   Two-Suit Squeeze

Anti two-suit squeeze

27. Entry removal anti squeeze

NT win 1 auto bi	3 2 3 2 — —			Trick 1 S	Lead K!	2nd	3rd	4th
4 A J — 4			A J 4 — A
South leads	K Q K Q — —

If A and 4 switched, must lead K.

28. Tempo duck anti squeeze

NT win 2 auto bi	K Q A — 3			Trick 1 W	Lead K	2nd 3	3rd 2	4th 9!
4 K — K Q			A J 10 — — 2
West leads	— — — A J 10 9

29. Tempo double duck anti squeeze

NT win 2 auto bi	Q J 10 A — 3 2			Trick 1 W 2 E	Lead 8 K	2nd 2 6!	3rd J 9	4th 5! 3
A 9 5 — — 10 9 8			K 4 K — K Q J
West leads	3 2 — — A 7 6 5

30. Tempo denial anti squeeze

NT win 2 auto bi	K Q A — 2			Trick 1 S	Lead 9!	2nd	3rd	4th
4 K — A 4			A J 10 — — 10
South leads	— — — K Q J 9

31. Holdup anti threat unblock squeeze

NT win 2 bi	3 2 3 2 — 4 3 2			Trick 1 W 2 E 3 S	Lead 6 5 Q!	2nd 2 A	3rd K J	4th 7! 3
K 4 J 4 — Q J 6			A 10 5 A 5 — K 5
West leads	Q J 6 K Q — A 7

32. Cover refusal anti threat unblock squeeze

NT win 2 bi	K Q K J — K J 5			Trick 1 W 2 W 3 N	Lead Q 7 K!	2nd 5! J	3rd 8 9	4th 2 3
A 4 A Q — Q 7 6			J 5 4 — A 10 9 8
West leads	3 2 3 2 — 4 3 2

33. Winner retention anti fraticide squeeze

NT win 2 auto bi	K Q A — —			Trick 1 S	Lead 5!	2nd	3rd	4th
6 3 2 — — —			A J K — —
South leads	5 4 — — A

34. Winner retention anti suicide squeeze

NT win 2 auto bi	3 2 3 2 — 3 2			Trick 1 S 2 W	Lead K! A	2nd A 2	3rd 2 4	4th 4 A!
A J 10 6 5 — A			5 4 A K 9 — 4
South leads	K Q Q J 10 A —

Note Q lead fails.

35. Stopper retention anti squeeze

NT win 1	K 5 2 K J 2 — —			Trick 1 S 2 W 3 W 4 E	Lead 5! A 4 K	2nd A 2 J 9	3rd 2 Q A Q	4th 4 2 8 K
A J A Q A 4			Q 4 9 4 — A K
South leads	10 9 8 10 5 2 —

South must lead heart but retain 10.

Study 9J01   Main

Top   Two-Suit Squeeze

© 2014 Richard Pavlicek