The Suicide Squeeze.
When I started the ‘Raising the bar’ articles, it was a case of getting as many example hands out there as quickly as possible so that any reader might find something of use in trying to improve their performance. I, perhaps, did not do the best job as regards the squeeze. This was partly due to the fact people are afraid of squeezes and think that they are beyond them. This is not true of the simpler squeezes if you are prepared to put a little effort in and are prepared to have a go and then ask someone like me when you get it wrong. However, I really should have included a suicide squeeze because opportunities for its use occur quite frequently and they are relatively easy to perform.
North
ª Q653
© 1065
¨ A108
§ K53
West East
ª J1042 ª 98
© QJ74 © K92
¨ J94 ¨ Q532
§ Q9 § J1076
South
ª AK7
© A83
¨ K76
§ A842
The contract was 3NT by South and, as is so often the case, there are only 8 tricks immediately available on the lead of the 4 of hearts. So many declarers would duck in hearts twice only taking the ace on the 3rd round. This is technically wrong because, if the hearts split 4-3, the opponents only have 3 heart tricks available anyway. But, if West began with 5 hearts and the lead can be lost to East, it is better to hold up just once. You may be able to throw East in at a time when he cannot lead a heart but has to lead into one of your tenaces.
However, in this example there are no tenaces for East to lead into, but it is still best to hold up only once. Declarer should then return a 3rd heart and, if West had started with 5 hearts and decided to cash them all, East would be in great difficulty trying to decide what to discard, to declarer’s advantage. However, on this example, West started with only 4 hearts but, when he led the 4th round of hearts, East discarded a diamond and declarer discarded a cub from dummy and a diamond from his own hand. West followed with a low spade, declarer won and, as he could afford to lose a trick, he ducked a club. A spade was then led and the position was :-
North
ª Q6
©
¨ A108
§ K
West East
ª J10 ª
© ©
¨ J94 ¨ Q53
§ Q § J107
South
ª 7
©
¨ K7
§ A84
Declarer played off the club king and the spade queen. This card continues the squeeze that had begun when West led the 4th heart. East had to discard a diamond and so, 2 tricks later the ace of clubs squeezed West.
This is quite a difficult example because it is quite difficult to foresee the end game. However, the play is correct in principle and is how such deals should be dealt with. Just let the opponents cash their 4 tricks and keep a close eye on the discards. But the suicide squeeze does occur quite often and is usually easier than this one. When you get the usual 4th best lead from a 5-card suit at 3NT and you hold 3 cards in the suit in both hands but only have 8 tricks on top, consider holding up only once and then throw the opening leader back in and see if he will cash his remaining winners in the lead suit. You will be surprised at the results.
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