Double Squeezes

by David Stevenson

A Summary of how to play Double squeezes
based on the classification of Clyde E Love

Love classified the suits in a double squeeze by using letters:

• B: The suit held by both opponents
• L: The suit held by LHO of the hand containing one threat
• R: The suit held by RHO of the hand containing one threat
• F: The free suit held by neither opponent

The B threat must be accompanied by an entry in its own suit, which must still be there after the squeeze. It is not possible to have a double squeeze with all three threats in the same hand. So Love classified them by what type of threat was on its own: Type L was a single L threat opposite an R and a B threat, and so on.

Thus we have potentially three types of double squeeze. However, Love proves that Type L squeeze always fails. He also split the Type B squeezes. So eventually he finished with three types of double squeeze, Type R, Type B1 and Type B2. Type B: if the B threat was accompanied by one winner only [no winners is impossible: remember that it must be accompanied by an entry] then it is a Type B1 squeeze: if it is accompanied by two or more, then it is a Type B2 squeeze.

So what? You see a double squeeze, you work out which is the one threat hand, the B/R/L/F suits: you decide on its classification: how do you play it? Remember to leave the B entry alone. You do the following:

• Type R: There must be an R/F winner in the one threat hand. You lead the last R/F/L winner from the one threat hand.
• Type B2: You cash all the R/F/L winners in any order: if there is no B winner in the two threat hand then the last R/F/L winner must be.
• Type B1: The last R winner must precede the last F winner, which must be led from the one threat hand. After this, there must be a B/L entry to the two threat hand.

With apologies to Love, and after thirty years experience and re-reading, these rules are both simpler and more accurate than Love's. If you think they are complicated, you go and read any writer who gives a classification for all double squeezes: this is far simpler.

Which is the squeeze card? Don't know, don't care. Which of these squeezes are simultaneous, which non-simultaneous? Don't know, don't care. Do I really mean any order for Type B2? Yes, try it. If you get the right Type B2, it can be simultaneous, or LHO can be squeezed first, or RHO, at the whim of the squeezer: how does that fit into others' classifications? Love makes it irrelevant.

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