Sunday, January 01, 2006 11:47 PM

Hand Evaluation – Declarer Play ( Triple Squeezes )

 

PITBULLS:

 

            A triple squeeze is a simple squeeze in that it only involves one victim. This one victim must be a good card holder as she is responsible for protecting 3 suits. With the 3rd suit involved , the count is rectified at two with the squeeze culminating on the last squeeze card in the only free suit.

 

            To identify all triple squeezes,  we let South be the hand that contains the squeeze suit so there are only 3 possible triple squeezes. North holds one threat , two threats and all 3 threats respectively.

 

In the first case with North just holding one threat , the triple squeeze always works against either defender.

 

K

A

K

10

x

x

Q

x

x

x

x

x

 

 

x

 

       The contract is 5♦ with a 2♣ overcall by LHO who leads the Ace & king of clubs so you ruff the 2nd ♣. Weird hand as you cannot rectify the count without destroying your ♣ threat card .Therefore,  with the count rectified at two  you need a triple squeeze so west must have all the picture cards.

 

 

 

A

K

A

Q

10

10

J

 

x

x

10

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

  Run all your trump and LHO with QJx in both majors with the club jack buckles so you make 6 as you have entries to repeat the squeeze.

 

  

 

 

 

 

The 2nd case where North has two threats always works against West and always works against East with one rare exception. A 2♣ opener and a triple squeeze quite often are a good mix. Here is an example where North has two threats.

 

A

x

v

9

J

x

o

x

9

x

i

x

x

x

d

x

 

x

 

 

 

       RHO opened 2♣ after which we arrive in 5♦X with the club 8 led. RHO wins the jack , leads the Ace which you ruff. You have 10 tricks so the count is rectified at two. Two threats on the board is the club 9 , the spade jack and the threat in the south hand is the heart King. The 2♣ opener is doomed so you make your contract.

 

 

x

K

A

10

x

 

K

 

 

 

Q

 

 

 

J

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

6

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 3rd case is North holding all 3 threats . The triple always succeeds against West and always fails against East.

 

Some triple squeezes repeat if entry conditions are present so they in turn are called “progressive” squeezes. Love analyzes which of the 3 triple squeezes repeat to gain the 2nd trick. In case I,  it will never repeat against West as west will allow the North threat to be established first ( squeeze defense) and he  is now behind the other two threats. For case two the squeeze will always repeat against West if there are entries in both the squeeze suits.  Case III  triple squeezes can never repeat as one threat will have been discarded.