Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Hand Evaluation – Declarer play ( Rectifying the Count )

PITBULLS:

        "Rectifying the count" is a term associated with all squeezes. Squeeze victims are "busy' in two or more suits. Busy means he has threat cards in each suit when discarded will cost the defenders a trick to declarer. When a defender is busy in two suits,  the count is rectified at one. This lingo means that all tricks must be lost up to one trick of making the contract before a squeeze will work. Making the contract is the obvious reference point for rectifying the count. The count is the number of tricks to make your contract less one or two. Rectifying the count is losing the required number of losers to come within 1 , 2 or 3 tricks of your contract depending on the type of squeeze you are going to execute.

        When a defender is busy in 3 suits , the count is rectified when within two tricks of making the contract. There are hands where the defender has to guard all 4 suits or 3 suits with a tenace position in the 4 suit so the count is rectified at 3 tricks. Therefore , a common squeeze technique is ducking tricks to lose your losers down to the correct count for your particular squeeze.

  Another way of looking at rectifying the count which I find particularly intriguing is the compound squeeze positions. In all compound squeezes , one defender is busy in 3 suits but the count is rectified at one. This means the squeeze works with declarer's 2nd last squeeze card. Whatever card the victim discards sets up the next squeeze which will then happen on declarers last squeeze card. See the relationship between the number of suits the victim must protect to the rectifying of the count concept ?

The trump squeeze is rectified at one but occurs on the 2^nd last squeeze card although just a simple squeeze. This is due to the victim must hold an additional card in the suit that may be ruffed out to establish a winner. This gives the effect of being busy in another suit. Strip squeezes have the count rectified at two although there are only two squeeze suits. This is due to a tenace position in the 3rd suit which would result  in the victim being end played. Strip squeezes exit cards in the 3rd suit which will allow establishing a suit ( delayed duck is the terminology ) . The count is rectified at two because of this 3rd suit exit or endplay element. Surplus winner strip squeezes have the count rectified at one , followed by an endplay.

            Triple squeezes have the count rectified at two because the victim is busy in 3 suits ! . The last squeeze card executes the squeeze & with the right condition the squeeze can repeat to obtain another trick for declarer ! Declarer executes two squeezes as the victim is squeezed again with the winner which he just established for declarer. The guard squeeze is a triple squeeze with the count rectified at one ! The guard squeeze is a simple squeeze gone bad because of no entry in one of the suits. The squeeze works because of a 3rd suit needed to protect partner from a finesse. The squeeze works on the last card because the honour or spot in the 3rd suit is completely removed exposing partner to a finesse.

Understanding rectifying the count is the essence of squeeze play. The opponent's lead 4th best from a 5 card suit so declarer wins his Ace & fires the suit right back at you. When you cash your 4 tricks , the count is rectified for a squeeze. Good squeeze defense is not to cash your last winner. The squeeze now fails. Good squeeze defense against slam slams is ducking an Ace . The count is not rectified because declarer has not lost a trick so the squeeze fails. A suicide squeeze is when declarer throws in a defender to cash all his tricks thereby rectifying the count & squeezing partner. Again the best defense is not to rectify the count for declarer by not cashing your last trick.

A pseudo squeeze also needs the count rectified. Duck down to the requisite number of losers for the defenders to go wrong when running a long suit. A pseudo squeeze is a squeeze so operate it as such.

            Clyde Love explains all this in his book but it is covered in every book ever written on squeeze play. I just think this particular author really did a good job explaining the concept . Squeezes need to be studied not just read to be learned . All Alberta experts have an advanced knowledge of squeeze play.