Monday, January 02, 2006 1:08 AM

Hand Evaluation – Declarer Play ( Strip Squeezes )

PITBULLS:

Love contends that “strip squeezes” are legitimate simple squeezes with the count rectified at two. The reason for the count is rectified at two is the necessity of having “exit cards” to get off the end play. The fact that the victim has surplus winners or needs exit cards to avoid giving up a trick by being on lead makes it a squeeze form. Love classifies these squeeze strips into 3 types. The first type is the simple “end play” as we know it but we squeeze the victim out of surplus winners. The victim is thrown in stripped of her exit cards as must give up a trick by virtue of her being on lead. The count is rectified at one for this type.

Case I - Surplus winners

Q	A	x	A
10	K	x	Q
x	J	x	x
x

LHO opens 1♦ , we get to 3NT . LHO leads a small diamond and we win the trick. We have 8 top tricks but LHO is marked with long diamonds and the spade King.

A	Q	Q	K
x	x	J	x
x	x	10	x
			x

We start the strip by cashing winners. 3 hearts are cashed , 3 clubs with LHO following twice to both suits. LHO has to protect the spade king so is forced to discard surplus winners in the diamond suit. You lead a diamond so LHO is forced to give you a 9^th trick

Case II – Exit Card

x	K	A	A
x	x	x	K
x	x		x
x			x

In this squeeze , the victim is squeezed out of an exit card in a 3^rd suit. LHO opened 1♠ , you reached 4♥. Lead of the spade Ace followed by the King and queen which you ruff with RHO discarding a diamond. You have 10 tricks when the clubs break so it does not hurt to run all your trump. On your 4^th trump you discard a diamond from the board and a club on the last trump. You try the clubs now by playing the Ace and King but RHO shows out ! . The spade threat means LHO has been squeezed out of her diamond exit card. Cash diamond Ace leading the last spade and discard a diamond loser. Voila.

x	A	x	Q
x	Q	x	10
	J		x
	10		x
	9

Case III – Delayed Duck

A	9	10	A
K	x	x	J
x	x		x
			x
			x

This is a neat one in that you cannot duck to rectify the count or they will destroy your entry for a simple squeeze. Suit establishment comes into play so you can get the victim later via a delayed duck. We are in 6NTX by LHO who overcalled 2♥. We cannot duck the heart lead to rectify the count , as the club shift will kill our squeeze. However we have suit establishment with the 3^rd heart as another threat for LHO so we will run all our winners imposing a suit establishment squeeze. After 10 winners LHO must come down to 3 cards ♥K and ♣KQ . We now just duck a heart so we establish a 12 th trick in his own suit . The ignominy of it all !!

Q	A	A	x
J	10	K	x
10		Q
x		J
		x