The Double Squeeze — 5-card ending, and why rectifying the count matters

A double squeeze is one of those theatrical plays in bridge where both defenders feel the pinch at once. To pull it off you must be in the x−1 state — and this example shows exactly how to get and use that state in a five-card ending.

Situation: notrump contract, 5 tricks remaining (x = 5). Declarer must win x−1 = 4 of them before cashing the final squeeze card; the squeeze will create the 5th trick.

North (Dummy)

K♠

K♥

K♦

5♣

3♣

North: three prime threats (Ks) — they will be promoted if defenders unguard the suits.

West (Defender)

A♠

9♥

A♦

8♣

6♣

West is the key guard for spades and also holds a diamond stopper.

East (Defender)

7♠

A♥

Q♦

9♣

2♣

East is the key guard for hearts and also holds a diamond stopper.

South (Declarer)

Q♠

2♥

2♦

A♣

4♣

South holds the squeeze card (A♣) and an entry (Q♠ / clubs) to cash promoted threats.

Short summary: North holds the three threats (K♠, K♥, K♦). West mainly guards spades; East mainly guards hearts; diamonds are the shared suit because both defenders hold stoppers in it. South has the final winner to cash (A♣).

Step-by-step — rectifying the count and executing the double squeeze

Rectify the count (before the 5-card ending): earlier in the play, declarer deliberately lost the one trick they could afford. That leaves South requiring 4 of the last 5 tricks — the precise x−1 state (x = 5, x−1 = 4).
Visualise who's guarding what: West is the primary guard for spades; East is the primary guard for hearts; and diamonds are the shared suit (both defenders have a stopper). That shared holding is what makes this a classic double squeeze pattern.
Cash the squeeze card: South plays the A♣ (the established winner that forces discards). At this moment each defender must discard one card from their five-card holding.
Defenders' dilemma (the squeeze):
- If West discards the A♠ (or unguards spades), North's K♠ (or South's Q♠ after entry) becomes a winner.
- If East discards the A♥ (or unguards hearts), North's K♥ becomes a winner.
- If either defender tosses a diamond stopper, the shared diamond menace (K♦) or South's diamond becomes effective — the other defender then also runs short of safe discards.
Cash the promoted trick(s): after the A♣ forces the discards, declarer uses remaining entries (clubs or the Q♠) to reach the hand (North or South) and cash the newly established winners. Because we were in the x−1 state, you now take 4 safe tricks plus the promoted fifth trick the squeeze created — mission accomplished.

Practical teaching points & pitfalls

Rectify the count early: you must lose your allowable loser(s) before the squeeze moment. If you haven't, defenders will have an idle card to dump and the squeeze fails.
Find the target pair: double squeezes usually involve a shared suit plus one unique suit for each defender. Identify who protects which suit — that's your squeeze map.
Entry management: have entries to the hand that holds the threats (here, North). The squeeze only promotes threats if you can reach them afterwards.
Timing: cash the squeeze card when both defenders are down to the same small number of cards (here, five) and cannot afford to discard their guards.

Walkthrough recap — the arithmetic behind the magic

With 5 tricks remaining we wanted to be in the x−1 state — that is, able to take 4 of the last 5 without help. The squeeze card (A♣) then forces both defenders to reveal which stopper they can’t live without; one of them will be forced to unguard a suit and a menace becomes good. It is rectifying the count (losing the right trick earlier) that removes defenders' idle discards and makes the squeeze possible.

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