The Spokesman-Review – 1 Oct 1936 by SAM GORDON.
Squeeze Not Yet Through. Bridge Drama on Today Is Being Acted Backward to Its Climax.
The show of the squeeze play is still being presented in this column. Contrary to custom in the manner of presenting shows and plays, this drama is being acted backward. The climax appeared in act 1, just finished. Subsequent acts to be presented here will consist of scenes leading up to the climax. The climax disclosed the squeezer holding a squeeze card; the squeezer’s partner holding two idle cards, only one of which is promoted to a winner and the enemy threat holdings in the hand which plays immediately after the squeeze card.
Scene 1, act 2: Just before the squeeze card is led, it is necessary to put the holder of the squeeze card into the lead; and after the squeeze card is led it is necessary that the squeezer’s partner have a sure entry.
Sure Entry is explained.
The sure entry in the hand of the squeezer’s partner is merely sonic winner which that partner holds. A description of such a winner was a part of act 1 and needs no reentrance in this scene. The method of getting the squeezer in the lead so that he can lead the squeeze card is a simple lone to picture. The squeeze card is played at the beginning of the 11th trick. So the squeezer must be put in the lead or remain in the lead at the end of the 10th trick.
If the squeezer is not in the lead at the beginning of the 10th trick, he must have an entry with a high card or a trump. If the squeezer is already in the lead at the beginning of the 10th trick, he must retain that lead with a high trump or some other winner.
Shows Last Four Leads.
And so I now show you the last four cards in each hand of the above deal. Hearts are trumps. North is in the lead at the beginning of the 10th trick. North merely plays his last trump and South takes it with the nine of trumps. South is thus in the lead at the end of the 10th trick, prepared to lead the 10 of hearts squeeze card at the beginning of the 11th trick. Having read the climax on previous days, you know the rest of the plot. As a reminder, however, the North ace of clubs is the sure entry in the hand of the squeezer’s partner, which is North. And that sure entry is there after South has led the squeeze card. That much, I know, is clear.