Double Squeeze

A double squeeze occurs when both defenders are subjected to a simple squeeze.

		Dummy
		Q
		A5
West		—		East
A		—		—
K6				T8
—		South		—
—		—		J
		2
		9
		5

Playing in no-trumps, South leads the 9, the squeeze card. West must keep the A or else dummy's Q will score. West therefore discards a heart. South then tosses the Q from dummy. East is now squeezed in hearts and clubs.

The heart suit in this layout is the "pivot" suit. West must guard spades, East clubs, so neither can protect hearts. This scenario is called a "simultaneous" squeeze because both defenders are squeezed on the same trick.

This layout is also called a "positional" squeeze because it relies on dummy's menace card (the Q) being positioned behind West. If the defender's holdings were reversed, then the squeeze would not work:

		Dummy
		Q
		A5
West		—		East
—		—		A
K6				T8
—		South		—
J		—		—
		2
		9
		5

When declarer leads the 9, West parts with a heart. Dummy is now in trouble. East simply discards whatever suit dummy discards, and the squeeze fails.

An example of a non-positional double squeeze:

		Dummy
		AK43
		—
West		—		East
JT9		—		Q86
K				—
—		South		—
—		2		T
		J
		9
		7

Unlike the previous example, both one-card menaces (the J and 7) are in declarer's hand. The pivot suit is spades. When the 9 is led, West is squeezed in spades and hearts while East is squeezed in spades and clubs.

It does not matter if the defender's hands are exchanged. Hence this squeeze is "non-positional." But like the previous example, this is a simultaneous squeeze because both defenders are squeezed on the same trick.

An example of a non-simultaneous squeeze:

		Dummy
		3
		AJ
West		3		East
JT9		7		Q86
3				KQ
—		South		—
Q		AK4		—
		2
		9
		—

Declarer leads the 9 (the squeeze card). West safely discards an idle heart, but East is caught in a major-suit squeeze. In practice East discards a spade. This leaves West in charge of guarding spades (the pivot suit). When South proceeds to lead a heart to the A, West is squeezed in the black suits.

The following is a hand from the 2000 IOC Grand Prix Generali Trophy in Switzerland. It features a non-simultaneous double squeeze by France's Jean-Christophe Quantin, declaring 7 against the Chinese team. As retold by writer Patrick Jourdain (hands rotated for convenience):

		Cronier
		K973
		K74
Yang		AK54		Cao
QJ8642		A6		T
—				Q985
Q2		Quantin		T9763
QT854		A5		J92
		AJT632
		J8
		K73

"Nine trumps missing the queen is just acceptable for a Grand Slam, but there was also the problem of taking care of the third club, dummy having such poor trumps. The state of France's position in the table justified the gamble.

"West found the best lead of a small spade, won in the South hand. Quantin led a low trump, getting the good news when West showed out. I say good because at least he now knew what to do in the trump suit. However, as two finesses would be needed to pick up East's queen, it was no longer possible to ruff the club. Quantin won the K, finessed through East, returned to dummy with a diamond, repeated the trump finesse, and drew East's last trump. West had been forced to discard two spades and two clubs, so South guessed the spades were 6-1. On the last trump he threw a spade from dummy.

		Cronier
		K9
		—
Yang		K54		Cao
QJ8		A6		—
—				—
Q		Quantin		T976
QT8		5		J92
		63
		J
		K73

"South crossed to dummy's other diamond, and ruffed a diamond. As dummy's fourth spade had gone, West was able to throw another spade, but when the last trump arrived he had to unguard clubs. Quantin released dummy's small spade, and crossed to the K, squeezing East in the minors.

"On the last trump declarer could also have discarded a diamond from dummy, cashed the top diamond, and then tested the spades with a ruff. The last trump then operates a normal double squeeze."