Planning a Double or a Reciprocal Squeeze

1. The first thing to do is to determine your threats class and number. The two hands must share three one card threats : one bilateral threat and two unilateral threats.
   The bilateral threat is the b threat. The unilateral threat are either u,v p,q right or left. The u and v threats are beside the squeeze card. The p and q threats are facing the squeeze card. The right threat is guarded by the right hand opponent of the bilateral threat hand and the left threat is guarded by the left hand opponent of the bilateral threat hand. When the unilateral threats are not in the same hand, each one is guarded by its own right hand opponent so the right threat is the one beside the bilateral threat.
2. The second thing to do is to count the loosers.
   If You have exactly one looser you may be able to catch the opponents in a double or a reciprocal squeeze.
   If you have two loosers exactly you may eventually think of another squeeze. If you can't find another squeeze or if you have more loosers and want to go on for a double or reciprocal squeeze, you must loose as many tricks as necessary to reduce your looser count to exactly only one.
   Each threat in a hand is a looser. So, a hand with two threats have two loosers. This looser count is reduced to one when there is in front of these two threats, a squeeze card or a high card in the third threat suit :
   • When the unilateral threats and the squeeze card are in the same hand, the high card must be in the bilateral threat suit which should be like AKb/x
   • When the unilateral threats are splitted and the squeeze card is in the hand with the two threats, , the high card must be in the suit of the threat facing the bilateral threat . It must be enhanced.
   If your threats and squeeze card arrangement in place and number require such a high card, the double or reciprocal squeeze will not be possible if you don't have this card. That is an easy way to find out that no double nor reciprocal squeeze could be possible with your cards.
3. The third thing to check is the Total. The Total is the number of cards one defender must keep in order to
   1. guard all of your threats
   2. and follow on your high cards
   . Calculated with the three threats for one defender, the total must be N+2 where N is the number of cards in each hand.
4. A fourth thing to do is to count the number of high cards in front of the bilateral threat :
   1. If the unilateral threats are in the same hand you need only one high card with a small card of the same suit in the hand of the bilateral threat.
   2. If the unilateral threats are not in the same hand you need two high cards in front of the bilateral threat. One of this high card is of the left threat, the other one may be of any suit and be accompanied by a small cards of the same suit beside the bilateral threat.

Depending upon the arrangement of the threats and the squeeze cards between the two hands, there are two differents ways of playing either a double or a reciprocal squeeze

1. The two unilateral threats are in the same hand facing the bilateral threat and the bilateral threat is not AKb/x

This is a three steps process
1. First Step : Stripping the right threat suit.
   The declarer must eliminate all the high cards of the right threat suit in both hands.
   Any suit may be used to transfer the lead during this step.
   At the end of this step, the lead must be in the bilateral threat hand with a lead tansferring line to the other hand in either the bilateral threat suit or the left threat suit still at his disposal.
2. Second Step : Stripping the bilateral threat hand.
   All the other high cards of the hand besides those of the bilateral suit must be played. They may be played in any order. The last high card of the squeeze card suit must be played when the bilateral threat have the lead (and because the first step had already been completed, when there is no more high card of the right threat suit in any hand}.
3. Third Step : Stripping the other hand.
   At the end of the second step, the hand facing the bilateral threat may have high cards in only two suits : either the bilateral threat suit or the left threat suit.
   Only one high card is needed if there is one samll card of the same suit in the bilateral threat hand. If there is more than one high card, any of those two suits may be used to transfer the lead. After the lead had been transferred, the high cards of this hand may be played in any order.

2. All the other cases

We have a two step process :
1. First Step : Stripping the bilateral threat hand.
   Any suit may be used to give the lead to this hand.
   The declarer must then play all the high cards of this hand besides those of the bilateral threat suit.
2. Second Step : Stripping the other hand.
   Any suit may be used to transfer the lead. The high cards in front of the bilateral threat may then be played in any order.

We may consider two slightly different cases :

• The two unilateral threats are in front of a bilateral AKb/x

• The squeeze needs only one high card of any suit (besides the bilateral suit) in front of the bilateral threat and a small card of this high card suit beside the bilateral threat.
• The last high card in front of the bilateral threat nay be successfully played even when the lead is in the other hand.

• The two unilateral threats are shared between the two hands

• The squeeze needs two high cards in front of the bilateral threat. One of these high cards must be of the left threat(the one who is guarded by the left opponent of the bilateral threat owner). The other one may be of any suit and is used to transfer the lead.
• The last high card played in front of the bilateral threat must be played when its owner have the lead.