What do you think about squeeze plays? Impossible? For experts only?
It is true that some squeezes are beyond the command of most players. However, the simple squeeze should not be viewed askance. You can usually recognize the need for a simple squeeze by remembering two key points: You are one trick short of your contract with (usually) no apparent chance for establishing the needed extra winner. And you must have the rest of the tricks except one.
In this example deal, you reach four spades after North makes a game-invitational limit raise. West leads the heart ace, under which East signals enthusiastically with his nine. West cashes the heart king and continues with a third round to East's queen. East then shifts to the club king, which you take with your ace.
You have only nine winners: five spades, three diamonds and one club. You have the rest of the tricks except one. The obvious chance is to find the missing diamonds splitting 3-3. As you can see, though, they are 4-2. You need a squeeze.
Take all five of your spade tricks, bringing everyone down to four cards. The dummy retains its diamonds. You have three diamonds and the club 10. But what does East keep? He cannot hold four diamonds and the club queen. If he pitches a diamond, you get four tricks from the suit after all. If he throws the club queen, you cash your club 10 and dummy's three top diamonds.
Note that if diamonds are 3-3, you still make the contract. There is no hurry to touch that suit.
When a trick shy, run your long suit and hope a defender "makes the wrong discard."
It is true that some squeezes are beyond the command of most players. However, the simple squeeze should not be viewed askance. You can usually recognize the need for a simple squeeze by remembering two key points: You are one trick short of your contract with (usually) no apparent chance for establishing the needed extra winner. And you must have the rest of the tricks except one.
In this example deal, you reach four spades after North makes a game-invitational limit raise. West leads the heart ace, under which East signals enthusiastically with his nine. West cashes the heart king and continues with a third round to East's queen. East then shifts to the club king, which you take with your ace.
You have only nine winners: five spades, three diamonds and one club. You have the rest of the tricks except one. The obvious chance is to find the missing diamonds splitting 3-3. As you can see, though, they are 4-2. You need a squeeze.
Take all five of your spade tricks, bringing everyone down to four cards. The dummy retains its diamonds. You have three diamonds and the club 10. But what does East keep? He cannot hold four diamonds and the club queen. If he pitches a diamond, you get four tricks from the suit after all. If he throws the club queen, you cash your club 10 and dummy's three top diamonds.
Note that if diamonds are 3-3, you still make the contract. There is no hurry to touch that suit.
When a trick shy, run your long suit and hope a defender "makes the wrong discard."