Study 9Q01 Main

Trump Squeeze

by Richard Pavlicek

A trump squeeze (as used here) is a generic description for any squeeze in which the trump suit plays a significant role. In fact almost every notrump-feasible squeeze has a counterpart with ruffing involved. Note that techniques described here win all the remaining tricks, else they would be a trump strip squeeze, covered in the final category.

1.  Ruff-delivered squeeze

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

2.  Threat isolation ruff before squeeze

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

3.  Ruff-or-establishment squeeze

win all	A 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	K		1. S	4!
	—
	—
K		—
A		—
2		A
—		A K
	2
	—
	—
South leads	5 4

Bi case trivial.

4.  Ruff-triggered reciprocal squeeze

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

Best sequence shown, but A could be led first.

5.  Ruff reentry triple squeeze

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

Study 9Q01 Main

Top Trump Squeeze

6.  Ruffout squeeze

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

7.  Dual ruffout squeeze

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

8.  Ruffout squeeze (or threat isolation before)

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

Note alternative to ruff heart first.

9.  Ruff-delivered ruffout squeeze

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

10.  Trump-length adjusted ruffout squeeze

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

Study 9Q01 Main

Top Trump Squeeze

11.  Establishment ruffout squeeze

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

Guess-free since A-K-Q will reveal break.

12.  Double ruffout squeeze

win all	A		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	—		1. S	A!
	9 4
	2
—		—
K 9		J 8
J 10		K Q
—		—
	—
	Q 10
	A
South leads	A

13.  Clash ruffout squeeze

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

14.  Double clash ruffout squeeze

win all	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto?	A 4		1. S	A!	10	Q	2
	A		2. S	4!	J	A	Q
	K Q		3. N	K!
—		—
K		J 10 2
J 10		K Q
A J		—
	A K
	Q
	9 4
South leads	—

15.  Ruff-assisted pure squeeze

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

Ruff provides reentry unavailable in notrump.

Study 9Q01 Main

Top Trump Squeeze

16.  Compound ruffout squeeze

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

17.  Twin-entry compound ruffout squeeze

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

18.  Compound dual ruffout squeeze

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

19.  Alternate threat compound ruffout squeeze

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

20.  Knockout squeeze

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

Study 9Q01 Main

Top Trump Squeeze

21.  Backwash squeeze

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

Compare to previous.

22.  Bare backwash squeeze

win all	A		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	K		1. S	4!	5	A
	K
	—
—		Q
—		A
—		A
7 6 5		—
	K
	—
	—
South leads	A 4

Same play is necessary if South has A-K.

23.  Backwash squeeze trump coup

win all	A		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	K 2		1. S	4!	5	A
	K
	—
—		Q 10
3		A
—		A
7 6 5		—
	K J
	—
	—
South leads	A 4

24.  Trump coup or squeeze

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

25.  Seesaw ruffout squeeze

win all	A 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	K!	K	A!	Q
	Q 4		2. N	4
	—
—		Q
A K		—
A K		2
—		3 2
	K 2
	Q 4
	—
South leads	—

Study 9Q01 Main

Top Trump Squeeze

26.  Extended threat seesaw ruffout squeeze

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

27.  Trump extended seesaw ruffout squeeze

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

28.  Guard seesaw ruffout squeeze

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

29.  Ruffout triple squeeze

win all	Q J 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	A!
	J 4
	—
—		K
A K		—
K Q		9 8 3 2
A		—
	A
	Q 4
	A
South leads	K

Rare; usually K ruff A = plain ruffout squeeze.

30.  Trump triple squeeze

win all	3 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	A!
	—
	K
—		K
A		2
A		2
A		—
	A
	K
	K
South leads	—

Pick an ace, any ace!

Study 9Q01 Main

Top Trump Squeeze

31.  Crossruff or trump triple squeeze

win all	A 9		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	K		1. S	Q	8	9	2
	K		2. S	10	K	A
	—
K 8		2
—		A
—		A
3 2		A
	Q J 10
	—
	—
South leads	K

Anti trump squeeze

32.  Threat erasure anti squeeze

win 2/6	4 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	2		1. S	A!	J	2	10
	4 3 2		2. E	K	A	8	3
	—		3. S	Q	K	4	J
9 8		K Q J 10
K J		—
A 10		Q 9
—		—
	A 2
	A Q
	K J
South leads	—

33.  Trump holdup anti threat unblock squeeze

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

34.  Anti threat isolation anti squeeze

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

Auto case trivial (just don’t lead diamond).

35.  Underruff anti squeeze

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

Auto/bi cases trivial (N-S win 2 tricks).

Study 9Q01 Main

Top Trump Squeeze

36.  Entry attack anti ruffout squeeze

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

37.  Tempo duck anti squeeze

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

38.  Non-ruff stopper retention anti squeeze

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

Bi case less demanding.

39.  Lone stopper release anti seesaw squeeze

win 1/6	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	K Q 10		1. W	K	A!
	A
	A 5
K 2		A 3
A J 5 4		—
—		K
—		K Q 6
	Q
	—
	3 2
West leads	4 3 2

Bi case trivial.

40.  Overruff delay anti seesaw squeeze

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

Study 9Q01 Main

Top Trump Squeeze

© 2014 Richard Pavlicek