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. About the Techniques

1. Ruff-delivered squeeze

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

2. Threat isolation ruff before squeeze

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

3. Ruff-or-establishment squeeze

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

Bi case trivial.

4. Ruff-triggered reciprocal squeeze

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

Best sequence shown, but A could be led first.

5. Ruff reentry triple squeeze

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

6. Ruffout squeeze

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

7. Dual ruffout squeeze

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

8. Ruffout squeeze (or threat isolation before)

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

Note alternative to ruff heart first.

9. Ruff-delivered ruffout squeeze

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

10. Trump-length adjusted ruffout squeeze

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

11. Establishment ruffout squeeze

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

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

Study 9Q01   Main

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12. Double ruffout squeeze

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

13. Clash ruffout squeeze

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

14. Double clash ruffout squeeze

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

15. Ruff-assisted pure squeeze

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

Ruff provides reentry unavailable in notrump.

16. Compound ruffout squeeze

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

17. Twin-entry compound ruffout squeeze

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

18. Compound dual ruffout squeeze

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

19. Alternate threat compound ruffout squeeze

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

20. Knockout squeeze

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

21. Backwash squeeze

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

Compare to previous.

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22. Bare backwash squeeze

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

Same play is necessary if South has A-K.

23. Backwash squeeze trump coup

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

24. Trump coup or squeeze

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

25. Seesaw ruffout squeeze

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

26. Extended threat seesaw ruffout squeeze

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

27. Trump extended seesaw ruffout squeeze

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

28. Guard seesaw ruffout squeeze

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

29. Ruffout triple squeeze

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

Rare; usually K ruff A = plain ruffout squeeze.

30. Trump triple squeeze

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

Pick an ace, any ace!

31. Crossruff or trump triple squeeze

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

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Anti trump squeeze

32. Threat erasure anti squeeze

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

33. Trump holdup anti threat unblock squeeze

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

34. Anti threat isolation anti squeeze

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

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

35. Underruff anti squeeze

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

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

36. Entry attack anti ruffout squeeze

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

37. Tempo duck anti squeeze

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

38. Non-ruff stopper retention anti squeeze

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

Bi case less demanding.

39. Lone stopper release anti seesaw squeeze

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

Bi case trivial.

40. Overruff delay anti seesaw squeeze

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

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© 2014 Richard Pavlicek