The Squeeze Play in Bridge: A Complete Guide

The bridge squeeze play is one of the most elegant and powerful techniques in advanced bridge. While the name might sound intimidating, squeezes are simply a way to force your opponents into impossible choices. When executed correctly, a squeeze transforms hopeless-looking contracts into surprising successes.

What Is a Squeeze?

A squeeze is an endplay where you force an opponent to discard a card that protects one of their suits. Picture this: declarer runs off their long suit, and the defender sitting behind them has to keep guards in two different suits. Eventually, they run out of safe discards and must give up protection in one suit—handing declarer an extra trick they couldn’t have taken by force.

The beauty of a squeeze is that the defender never makes a “mistake” in the traditional sense. They’re simply put in an impossible position where any discard costs a trick. It’s like being asked to choose which arm to keep—there’s no good answer.

Squeezes happen more often than most players realize. That “lucky” contract that made when the defense seemed to have it beaten? Often, it wasn’t luck—it was a squeeze operating behind the scenes.

The BLUE Requirements

Every successful squeeze needs four essential elements, conveniently remembered by the acronym BLUE:

B - Busy Defender

At least one opponent must be “busy”—meaning they’re solely responsible for guarding two or more suits. If both defenders can share guard duty, they’ll just throw cards from different suits and your squeeze won’t work.

The busy defender is typically the one sitting over (after) declarer’s threat cards. They see what declarer plays before making their own discard, but that visibility doesn’t help when they’re caught in a genuine squeeze.

L - Loser Count

You must be down to exactly one loser when the squeeze operates. This is crucial. Too many losers and you can’t apply enough pressure. No losers? Well, you’ve already made your contract—no squeeze needed!

This is why squeeze preparation often involves deliberately conceding tricks early. You’re counting down your losers, tightening the position until the squeeze can operate.

U - Upper Entry

You need an entry to the hand with the established threat (the suit where you’ll eventually cash your winner after the squeeze). This entry must be in a different suit from your squeeze card.

Without this entry, you might squeeze the defender successfully but then be unable to reach the winner you’ve established. That’s frustrating—like finding treasure but leaving the map behind.

E - Entry Coordination

Your entries must be coordinated so you can cash winners in the correct order. You need to be able to reach both hands at the right time, and your squeeze card (the card that applies pressure) must be in a hand with at least one threat card.

Getting the entries right separates successful squeezes from near-misses. This is where declarer earns their points.

Simple Squeezes: The Foundation

The simple squeeze is the most basic type—and the foundation for understanding all other squeezes. In a simple squeeze, one defender guards two suits while declarer has threats in both.

Here’s a classic position:

        North
        ♠ A
        ♥ —
        ♦ 3
        ♣ —

West            East
♠ K             ♠ —
♥ J             ♥ —
♦ —             ♦ Q
♣ —             ♣ A

        South
        ♠ —
        ♥ A
        ♦ 2
        ♣ —

South leads the ♥A (the squeeze card). West is caught. Discard the ♠K? North’s ♠A becomes a winner. Discard the ♣? East’s holding becomes irrelevant. Throw a diamond? You’re already throwing one. There’s no escape.

This position demonstrates all four BLUE elements. West is Busy (guarding both black suits). Declarer has exactly one Loser left. The Upper entry exists (♠A in North is the threat, and you can reach it via the diamond). Entries are coordinated—the ♥A is with South’s diamond, allowing North’s ♠A to be cashed after.

Simple squeezes come in two flavors, which leads us to…

Automatic vs. Positional Squeezes

This distinction confuses many players, but it’s simpler than it seems.

Automatic Squeezes

An automatic squeeze works against either opponent. It doesn’t matter who holds the guards—East or West—the squeeze will operate regardless.

Automatic squeezes have a special signature: both threat cards are in the same hand (the hand opposite your squeeze card). When you lead your squeeze card, the busy defender must discard before they see which threat becomes good.

These are called “automatic” because they’re self-executing. You don’t need to guess which defender is busy. Play your winners and the squeeze happens automatically.

Positional Squeezes

A positional squeeze only works against one specific opponent—typically the defender sitting after (over) declarer’s threats. If the wrong defender holds the guards, the squeeze fails.

In positional squeezes, the threats are divided between declarer’s two hands. The defender must discard before seeing what declarer keeps in the hand after them, creating the squeeze.

Here’s the practical difference: If you’re playing an automatic squeeze, you can be certain it’s there. With positional squeezes, you might be playing for a specific lie of the cards. Both are valuable—you just need to know which type you’re working with.

Recognizing Squeeze Possibilities

The hardest part of executing a bridge squeeze play isn’t the technique—it’s recognizing when one exists. Here’s what to look for:

Count Your Sure Tricks

Start by counting your certain winners. If you’re one trick short of your contract, you’re in squeeze territory. Two tricks short? You might need a double squeeze (more advanced) or might be out of luck.

Look for Two-Suit Holdings

Scan the opponents’ cards (based on their bidding and the opening lead). Could one defender be guarding both hearts and clubs? Both spades and diamonds? If you can visualize someone protecting two suits, you’ve got squeeze potential.

Check Your BLUE Elements

Run through the checklist:

  • Can you identify a likely busy defender?
  • Can you lose tricks now to get down to exactly one loser?
  • Do you have the entries you need?
  • Are your threats positioned correctly?

If you can answer yes to all four, you likely have a squeeze.

Watch for Restricted Choice

When a defender shows out of a suit early, that’s valuable information. They can’t guard what they don’t have. Their partner might now be solely responsible for that suit—creating the “busy” defender you need.

Setting Up Squeezes

Squeezes rarely appear gift-wrapped. Usually, you need to prepare the position through careful play:

Rectify the Count

This is squeeze jargon for “get down to the right number of losers.” If you’re down two but need to be down one, you must deliberately lose a trick.

The art is choosing which trick to lose and when. Lose it too early, and defenders might discard freely, destroying your threats. Lose it at the right moment, and you tighten the screws perfectly.

Preserve Entries

Guard your entries jealously. Every entry is precious in squeeze positions. Sometimes you must play a suit in an unusual order just to preserve the entry you’ll need three tricks later.

Keep Threats Intact

Don’t cash threat cards prematurely. That ♠Q might look tempting to lead, but if it’s serving as a threat against East’s ♠K, it’s worth more as a threat than as a winner. The squeeze will establish it without risking the finesse.

Run Your Long Suit

This applies the pressure. When you start running off hearts and spades, defenders start squirming. Every card they throw gives you information. When they start pitching from their stopper suits, you know you’ve got them.

Example Squeeze Hands

Let’s walk through a complete deal:

North

♠ A Q 3
♥ K 5
♦ A 7 6 4
♣ Q J 10 9

South

♠ K 5 2
♥ A Q J 10 9 8
♦ K 3
♣ A 2

You’re in 6♥. West leads the ♣K. You count eleven top tricks: six hearts, two spades, two diamonds, and one club. You need one more.

The finesse in spades is a 50% chance. But there’s a better option: play for a squeeze.

Win the ♣A and immediately concede a club (rectifying the count). Win the return, draw trumps, and cash your winners. Watch East’s discards carefully.

If East holds both the ♠J and the ♦Q, they’re busy. As you run hearts, they’ll be squeezed. They must keep the ♠J (or your ♠Q becomes good) and the ♦Q (or you have three diamond tricks). Eventually, they can’t keep both.

Here’s another example:

You’re in 3NT and you have eight top tricks. The opponents have wrapped up one suit, so you’re racing against time. You have stoppers barely holding in two other suits.

Count down. If you can see that one opponent must guard both suits where you’re vulnerable, cash your long suit and watch them squirm. They’ll eventually have to give up one stopper, and you’ll sneak through your ninth trick.

Common Squeeze Misconceptions

Several myths about squeezes persist in bridge clubs everywhere:

“Squeezes Are Too Advanced for Me”

Not true. Simple squeezes are well within reach of intermediate players. You don’t need to calculate every variation—just recognize the pattern, check your BLUE requirements, and execute. The squeeze happens naturally once you’ve set it up correctly.

”Squeezes Require Perfect Timing”

While timing matters, squeezes are forgiving. As long as you rectify the count and preserve entries, the squeeze usually works. You’re not defusing a bomb—you’re following a checklist.

”Squeezes Only Work Against Weak Defenders”

Actually, squeezes work best against good defenders. Weak defenders might discard carelessly and destroy the squeeze—or accidentally give you tricks anyway. Strong defenders protect the right cards, which means when you squeeze them, they have no escape.

”You Need to Announce the Squeeze”

Some players think you must dramatically announce “I’m executing a squeeze!” This is both unnecessary and tactically foolish. Just play your cards. If a defender asks why you’re taking so long in an apparently easy position, smile and say you’re considering your options. The squeeze will reveal itself soon enough.

”Squeezes Are About Luck”

When a squeeze works, it might look lucky. The cards “just happened” to sit right for you. But experienced declarers know: squeezes aren’t luck. They’re about recognizing opportunity, setting up the position correctly, and giving yourself every chance to succeed.

That “lucky” make at the club game? The one where the player shrugged and said the defense just gave it to them? Watch the hand again. Count the entries. Watch the discards. Often, you’ll see a squeeze operating—whether declarer knew it or not.

Putting It All Together

The bridge squeeze play transforms seemingly impossible contracts into makeable ones. Start with simple squeezes. Learn to recognize the BLUE requirements. Practice counting your losers and identifying busy defenders.

Most importantly, don’t be intimidated. Every expert was once confused by squeezes. The difference is they kept trying, kept looking for patterns, and eventually, the lightbulb went on.

Your first successful squeeze—the one where you see the position, set it up consciously, and watch the defender’s face as they realize they’re caught—that’s a moment you’ll remember. It’s when bridge transcends simple trick-taking and becomes a game of elegant pressure and impossible choices.

Start looking for squeezes in your games. Count down your losers. Watch the discards. Check your entries. The positions are there, waiting for you to find them. And when you do? You’ll understand why squeeze plays are considered bridge’s most beautiful technique.

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