Trump squeeze

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In contract bridge, the trump squeeze is a variant of the simple squeeze. (Squeezes are techniques in this game to gain extra tricks.)

In a trump squeeze, declarer has a suit that can be established by ruffing, but the defender being squeezed is guarding that suit. However, if he happens to also guard another suit, the squeeze card will force him to unguard one. This end position below shows a trump squeeze in action:

♠ A
♥ -
♦ A
♣ K 10 7

N

E  

S

 ♠ Q 9
♥ -
♦ -
♣ J 9 8
♠ 10 8 3
♥ 2
♦ -
♣ 3


Hearts are trumps, and the lead is in the North hand. Declarer plays the ♦A, discarding the ♠3 from hand, and East has no good discard. If East plays a spade, declarer cashes the ♠A to set up the spade suit. If East plays a club, declarer cashes the ♣K ruffs a club, and has the Ace of spades as an entry to dummy.

The key elements are:

  • A suit that declarer can ruff to set up extra tricks
  • An entry in another suit which can also yield extra tricks
  • One defender that guards both suits

A very rare example is the double trump squeeze, where both opponents suffer the same fate. Here is an example from the quarterfinals of the 2004 Olympiad, in the match between Italy and the USA. Declarer, Norberto Bocchi of Italy, declared 4♥ and achieved the following end position with the lead in dummy:

♠ 10 7 3
♥ A 10
♦ -
♣ -
♠ Q 4 2

N

W         E

S

 ♠ J 9 6
♥ - ♥ -
♦ K 7 ♦ J 9
♣ - ♣ -
♠ A K 8
♥ -
♦ Q 10
♣ -


Declarer led the Ace of Hearts from dummy, discarding the ♠8, and the defence had no answer. If both pitched spades, declarer could play the Ace and King of spades, establishing the ten. If both pitched diamonds, a spade to the Ace and a diamond ruff would establish the Queen. Declarer's play depended on who released the diamond guard. If it were West, a spade to the Ace and the Ten of diamonds would set up the Queen. If it was East, a spade to the Ace and the Queen of diamonds would smother the Jack and create a ruffing finesse position.

Note that the squeeze was not automatic, but Bocchi read the situation accurately when West discarded the seven of diamonds.

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