The Spokesman-Review – 2 Oct 1936
Plot Now Is Clearer. This Part of Squeeze Play has to do With Using all Cards. By SAM GORDON
Take another scene from the squeeze play. It is a part of the plot. It has to do with the early action in the play which leads up to the squeeze. It has to do with the using up of all the cards except those actually involved in performing the squeeze. When the play of any hand begins, each player holds 13 cards, of course. By the time the squeeze, actually starts each player is down to three remaining cards. That means 10 tricks must be consumed before the actual squeeze is employed. So a player who plans a squeeze must provide for the reduction of the first 10 tricks. Of those 10, the cards which will take tricks, for the squeezer’s side may be called reduction winners; the rest of the 10, reduction losers.
Get the idea? With a squeeze play, if declarer contracts for a grand slam, he needs 10 reduction winners; small slam, nine; contract of five needs eight; contract of four needs seven; contract of three needs six; etc.
Look what it gets you. With a squeeze play, if the contract is four, with eight reduction winners, an extra trick will be made; with nine reduction winners, two extra tricks. Other contracts work on the same kind of spinach. But remember. Those reduction winners and losers are no part or parcel of the three remaining cards set aside for the exclusive use of the squeeze. If that much is clear, take a look at the above hand and do some checking.
The contract is four hearts. South is declarer. The last three cards reserved for the squeeze are: South: heart 10 and clubs 3 2; West, diamond J and clubs K Q; North, diamond 5 and clubs A 8; East is immaterial.
Opponent takes the first two tricks with the ace and king of diamonds for two reduction losers, Declarer can ruff the third round of diamonds, take three rounds of spades, four rounds of trumps for a total of eight reduction winners. With the three tricks involved in the squeeze, declarer can take 11 tricks, which is the contract and an extra trick. Whereas, without the squeeze there are only 10 winners by ruffing. The extra trick is not the point. The point is, do you get it?