Triple Squeeze

Last night I was playing on line and my opponent claimed 3NT making to speed up the game, but dummy commented on his failure to try for any overtricks and I soon realized that he would surely make more than 3 – if he just cashes his winners in a reasonable way, I could be squeezed. Claim was rejected and he went ahead and executed the triple squeeze, now double-dummy.

Dealer: West Vul: none		Gideon
		♠	A863
		♥	AQ632
		♦	T6
		♣	93
Andre				Shaz
♠	97			♠	542
♥	JT87			♥	954
♦	K32			♦	Q954
♣	AK62			♣	J85
		Howard
		♠	KQJT
		♥	K
		♦	AJ87
		♣	QT74

1♦ was either a 10-15 canape opening or a balanced 11-14 or 18-19. My opening lead was the ♠9. Declarer has 8 top tricks and after winning the opening lead in hand, played a diamond to the T and Q. A diamond back would have prevented any overtricks. If he finesses either the 8 or the J, I win and can cash out, but even if I don’t cash out, I can’t be squeezed because I no longer have to guard diamonds. And if he goes up with the ace, I also can’t be squeezed because when the squeeze card is played (the 4th spade), he won’t have an entry to both the heart threat and the diamond threat cards.

In reality, Shaz played the ♣J, which I agree with, covered and won by me. And I returned a low club, sadly not finding partner with the 10. So the ♣9 was Howard’s 9th trick, but now with this ending and me being marked with all the remaining high cards from the bidding, it’s a fairly easy squeeze to execute to make 4. Declarer cashes the ♥K and the rest of the spades, ending in dummy. Before the play of the last spade, here’s the situation.

Dealer: Vul:		Gideon
		♠	A
		♥	AQ63
		♦	6
		♣
Andre				Shaz
♠				♠
♥	JT8			♥	95
♦	K2			♦	954
♣	A			♣	8
		Howard
		♠	T
		♥
		♦	AJ8
		♣	T7

I clearly cannot discard a heart for that gives dummy 2 extra heart tricks. I can’t discard a club because that would make declarer’s 10 and 7 good and he surely has the ♦A to get back to his hand. So I part with the deuce of diamonds and hope that partner happens to have the suit stopped. On the AQ of hearts, declarer discards 2 clubs, and then the ace of diamonds. Partner holds on to the 954 of diamonds and takes the last trick, our 3rd defensive trick. I suppose this is what you call a triple squeeze.