Strip squeeze
Encyclopedia
A strip squeeze is a declarer technique at contract bridge
combining elements of squeeze
and endplay
.
This squeeze occurs when declarer has two or more losers remaining. By cashing winners, declarer forces the defender to discard winners and/or exit cards so that when they are put on lead they cannot defeat the contract. Eventually, the defender will be forced to lead a suit that will cost their side a trick.
South is in a 6 contract with 11 top tricks on the K lead. To perform a simple squeeze
, South would have to lose a trick at some point to rectify the count. This will not work on this hand because the only menaces South has are in clubs and spades. Ducking a trick in clubs would allow East to guard the suit.
South must rely on a strip squeeze to make the hand. The first club trick is won, and the hearts then the diamonds are cashed. South has remaining Q 6 J. North keeps A3 and another card. West must choose between baring the K or Q. If West keeps K x, South puts West on lead with a club to lead away from the spade. Otherwise, South plays a spade to the Ace to drop West's King.
An experienced West will try to make things as difficult as possible for South so that the correct route to 12 tricks is not certain. Making the key discard before the final winner is cashed will introduce as much ambiguity as possible. Although double-dummy it is impossible to go wrong, occasionally South will make the wrong decision in real life.
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
combining elements of squeeze
Squeeze play (bridge)
A squeeze play is a type of play late in the hand of contract bridge and other trick-taking game in which the play of a card forces an opponent to discard a card that gives up one or more tricks. The discarded card may be either a winner or a card needed to protect a winner...
and endplay
Endplay
An endplay , in bridge and similar games, is a tactical play where a defender is put on lead at a strategic moment, and then has to make a play that loses one or more tricks. Most commonly the losing play either constitutes a free finesse, or else it gives declarer a ruff and discard...
.
This squeeze occurs when declarer has two or more losers remaining. By cashing winners, declarer forces the defender to discard winners and/or exit cards so that when they are put on lead they cannot defeat the contract. Eventually, the defender will be forced to lead a suit that will cost their side a trick.
South is in a 6 contract with 11 top tricks on the K lead. To perform a simple squeeze
Simple squeeze
The simple squeeze is the most basic form of a squeeze as frequently applied in the game of contract bridge.By playing a winner in one suit, an opponent is squeezed out of a winner in a different suit. .The simple squeeze is a squeeze against one opponent and gains one trick...
, South would have to lose a trick at some point to rectify the count. This will not work on this hand because the only menaces South has are in clubs and spades. Ducking a trick in clubs would allow East to guard the suit.
South must rely on a strip squeeze to make the hand. The first club trick is won, and the hearts then the diamonds are cashed. South has remaining Q 6 J. North keeps A3 and another card. West must choose between baring the K or Q. If West keeps K x, South puts West on lead with a club to lead away from the spade. Otherwise, South plays a spade to the Ace to drop West's King.
An experienced West will try to make things as difficult as possible for South so that the correct route to 12 tricks is not certain. Making the key discard before the final winner is cashed will introduce as much ambiguity as possible. Although double-dummy it is impossible to go wrong, occasionally South will make the wrong decision in real life.