Complex Vise Squeeze

The Complex Vise Squeeze

Terrence Reese noted this squeeze, which he termed the vise squeeze (and which is now usually called the vice squeeze).

	K10
	x
	--
	--

QJ           Axx
K
--
--

	x
	Q
	--
	A

On the ace of clubs, Lefty is squeezed.

More complex positions are possible. In fact, it is somewhat trivial to turn this into a triple vise squeeze:

	K10
	xx
	--
	--

QJ           Axxx
K            --
K            --
--           --

	x
	Q
	Q
	A

However, I think the very interesting -- and perhaps relatively common -- position is this:

	K10
	Ax
	xx
	--

QJ           Axxx
KQ           --
Kx           Qx
--           --

	xx
	x
	Ax
	A

Here, we have the classic vise squeeze position in spades and hearts, with the heart threat on the board. Additionally, there is a diamond threat which both opponents can stop. On the last club, of course Lefty gives up a trick to discard a heart or spade. But if Lefty discards a diamond, Righty is now set up for a major-tenace throw-in.

The interesting point, IMO, is that the vice squeeze already contains the position for a major tenace throw-in. If Lefty could not guard diamonds, the vise squeeze would be unnecessary. So this is a fairly natural "complication" of the vise squeeze. For want of a better name, I will call it the "complex" vise squeeze.

Depending on Lefty's hand, it may be necessary to cash the winner in the suit with a single threat against Lefty. This occurs when Righty has a card in that suit:

	K10
	Ax
	xx
	--

QJ           Axx
KQ           x
Kx           Qx
--           --

	xx
	x
	Ax
	A

And in that case, there must be a way to then do the endplay against Righty. So, there are some restrictions on the distribution that dummy and declarer must have. But in the course of discarding on a long suit, it is easy to come down to this distribution. Another interesting feature of this squeeze is that there are no restrictions on the opponent's distributions. The simple vice squeeze often mandates that Righty not have any outside winners. Here, the only mandate is that Righty not have any winners in the squeeze suit, which is clubs in the above examples.

The loser count for the simple vise squeeze is two. The loser count for the complex vise squeeze is three. (This is the same loser count as for the major tenace throw-in.)

From actual play, October 31, 2007. I was declarer.

3NT. The opening lead was a small spade. Righty played the queen and I won with the K. I played a club to the queen and led towards my queen of diamonds. It won, placing the diamond ace with Righty. I then ran clubs. Lefty showed out on the second round and pitched 3 spades (but not the 10 or Jack), a heart, and the 10 of diamonds. (Not in that order.) Righty pitched a diamond and two hearts.

Like many complex squeezes, the position is complicated enough that defenders might release the key card a trick early, not to confuse you, but because they don't realize its importance. So it is not easy to read the position. On this hand, Lefty started with the J10 of diamonds and the complex vise squeeze has already worked. The full hand:

       A975 
       1083 
       K94 
       Q82 

J108642            Q 
K62                Q9754 
J107               A842 
6                  1094 

        K3 
        AJ 
        Q63 
        AKJ753

"Broken Vise" Squeeze

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