Progressive squeeze
The progressive squeeze is a contract bridge squeeze that gains two tricks by squeezing one and the same player twice, hence the name. It is also called triple squeeze for the simple reason that the opponent is squeezed in three suits.
The first diagram shows a basic example:
♠ | AJ10 | ||
♥ | - | ||
♦ | - | ||
♣ | 6 | ||
N E S |
♠ | KQ | |
♥ | A | ||
♦ | A | ||
♣ | - | ||
♠ | 3 | ||
♥ | K | ||
♦ | K | ||
♣ | A |
When the ace of clubs is cashed East is squeezed and has to discard one
of his red aces, the established king is cashed (this is the progressive squeeze
card) and East is squeezed for another trick. In the above example an extended
menace, threatening the immediate loss of two tricks was present. That is not
always necessary, a progressive squeeze still works if we have an additional
entry as compensation.
♠ | AJ | ||
♥ | 32 | ||
♦ | - | ||
♣ | 6 | ||
N E S |
♠ | KQ | |
♥ | KQ | ||
♦ | A | ||
♣ | - | ||
♠ | 2 | ||
♥ | AJ | ||
♦ | K | ||
♣ | A |
When the ace of clubs is cashed East can either discard the diamond ace,
after which the diamond king will seal his fate, or bare one of his major
suit holdings in which case the jack in that suit will be the progressive
squeeze card. Had West East's cards the best defense to discard a spade will
break the second squeeze.