Another Compound Squeeze?

by David Stevenson

Within a month after playing my first ever Compound Squeeze I was South on this hand in no-trumps with no opposition bidding. Fortunately the opening lead was kind.

64 K653 AJ9 Q942

AKJ5 AQ4 QT82 AT

First trick, playing 4th highest leads from an honour, 2nd from small cards (standard British):

3 4 K A

You might as well sort the s out so you lead another, T 5 2 6. You have to take the finesse so you do. 2 7 J K.

Now, how do take twelve tricks on the return of

• T?
• 6?

After the last hand I was looking for Compound Squeezes. The basic requirements are two B menaces, ie a menace against both opponents accompanied by an entry. These are North's 6 and the J. Of course they are only actually a menace against one opponent but when it is not known which opponent you can sometimes play a Simple Squeeze as a Double Squeeze or Compound Squeeze, and a Double Squeeze as a Compound Squeeze. I learnt this from Clyde E Love's book, Bridge Squeezes Complete. A further requirement is a single menace sitting over the opponent and this seems to be the 9. So how about a Compound?

I could not see it, and finally decided regretfully that after the T return there was no Compound. I played A, A, Q, T, Q, not really quite sure who I was squeezing in what! When West discarded a on Q the 9 was of no further interest so I discarded it. After 3 rounds of s I found West had the guard. His last 2 cards were J and J so I took the finesse since he had no s.

Afterwards I checked my notes to see why the Compound did not work. With only one honour with the B threat in the hand containing one threat (K) this is what is called a Type L restricted Compound. According to my notes:

That means that:

• the last must be South (ok) and
• South must have an entry in or (ok, A) and
• North must have an entry in or (oh, dear!). No wonder it failed!

Suppose E returns a instead of a . Now we have two honours with the B threat in the hand containing one threat (K and A) and this is what is called a Type L unrestricted Compound. According to my notes there is no other requirement!

Cash Q discarding a , cash the s discarding a from dummy, decide which suit West has abandoned. If West does not have length now cash A then K, discarding 9 if it is not good. Either the Q falls or the s run. If West appears to have abandoned s play 3 rounds of s. If the 9 and 4th are not good the Q will fall. One of the advantages of the Compound is that if the Q is doubleton offside you get 12 tricks while a finesse would lose.

So the T return spoilt my second Compound in a month!

The classification of Compound Squeezes (slightly amended and improved from Love) is here.

Editor's note:

• If you want to comment on this article, why not write direct to me, David Stevenson? I shall be pleased to hear from you!

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