The Spokesman-Review – 7 Oct 1936 by Sam Gordon
Five Letters Key to Squeeze Play in Contract Bridge.
Centuries of squeeze plays in whist, bridge, auction and contract; centuries of experts in the whist family of games; but today for the first time in print appears the Kibitzer’s Press guide for squeeze plays. Among the files left by my son I find the Press guide as one of his contributions to bridge players of the future. It is a fit running mate for the numerous bridge guides invented by him and me for beginners and experts.
Press is an appropriate word as a guide for squeeze. No word could be more appropriate. It makes the guide word easy to remember. But its great quality lies in its accuracy and simplicity as a guide of the squeeze symptoms. There are five letters in press. There are five symptoms of a squeeze to look for in a hand to determine if such a play exists in that hand. Each letter in the word press reminds you of one of the five symptoms to look for.
Concentrated Rules.
P-R-E-S-S. Letter P is for promotion cards; R for reduction winners; E for enemy holdings; S for sure entries; S for squeeze card.
If those letters don’t put the finger on the squeeze needs, I’ll eat them.
I have again put the drill hands at the head of this column so you can apply it in practice. Lay the cards on the table and apply the Press guide to the cards you see. A little patience is necessary with such a difficult subject. The contract is four hearts. South is declarer. West takes two rounds of diamonds. The third round of diamonds is ruffed by south. You can easily make your contract by simple plays. But is there a squeeze present whereby you may make an extra trick?
Look for P, promotion cards in the hand opposite the squeeze’ card; R, enough reduction cards; E, enemy holdings in the desired opponent; S, sure entries where, and when you need them; S, squeeze card in the hand that plays before the enemy holdings. If you don’t save this guide, you have only yourself to blame if you are unable to learn the squeeze play.