Count & squeeze. Squeeze
Simplest Blue Squeeze
What’s a squeeze?
It’s a certain way of making an extra trick, by forcing the enemy to discard one of their two “busy” cards.
A “busy” card is one that can either win a trick, or that protects a trick-winning card. It’s a “busy” card that you want to “squeeze” out, towards the end of the game.
Is there a squeeze in this deal? (Is the deal “BLUE”?)
Four conditions MUST be met, for a squeeze to be possible / and certain:
| 2B | Busy | Two suits have "Busy" cards, in the hand of the victim |
| 1L | Loser | Only one "Loser" will remain, from within all the unplayed tricks |
| UT | Upper | "Upper" hand contains at least one "threat" |
| LE | Entry | the Lower hand has an "Entry" to the Upper hand |
Immediately after the opening lead: if you can see that these 4 conditions are met, then a squeeze is the BEST way to go – superior to uncertain finesses. You’re certain to make the extra trick by turning this one Loser into a winner.
How to make that extra trick
Counting not needed !
All you need to do is “keep an eye” on the two busy suits that contain your threats. Or even simpler, just keep an eye on one of the suits (whichever suit you find easier).
How?
If and when your own threat card from that one suit becomes a master, you’ve won the squeeze.
But if the nasty higher card doesn’t emerge from the victim when you play the “squeeze card”, then the victim has abandoned their winner in the other suit – again, you’ve won the squeeze.
What's more, the victim can't see your cards, and very (very) often will have discarded the wrong card, earlier in the squeeze process, even before you apply the "squeeze card".
There are also techniques for disguising which two suits the squeeze will be applied to, making the victim's life even harder if he has 3 possible suits to protect.
Language
| Busy card | Can either win a trick, or protects a trick-winning card |
| Free suit | A suit that contains no threats or opportunities |
| Idle card | A card that neither guards, nor that can win |
| Squeeze card | The card you play that forces the victim to discard one busy card |
| Threat/menace | A card that could win if the enemy’s guard is removed |
| Threatened suit | A suit that contains a threat card |
| Upper hand | Follows the victim hand, (and contains a threat/menace?) |
| Victim hand | The defender hand that holds a busy card in two suits |
Defending a Squeeze
Sadly, if the 4 conditions are met, and if the declarer's brain is working, there is nothing you can do to stop being squeezed out of your trick winning card.
The good news is that declarer's brain is not always working. And even if it is Peter, one of the 4 squeeze conditions might not have been met. With a bit of luck, the two of the defenders can split the load, one of you guarding one suit, one the other. And you can make sure you keep all the cards in your 4-card suits - declarer might be hoping for a 3-3 split to make the contract, so the big 9 from the Q-J-9 suit might be a better discard that the precious little 3 in the 9-5-4-3 suit.
Time for a glass of red.
Now try the quiz
Can you put all this into action ? Try the quiz for this subject by clicking on the link at the top left of the page, just below the main menu.
(You can try quizzes for any other subjects too while you're there. Look out for the thin red line).
