Some players think that a squeeze is just as incomprehensible as, say, Einstein's theory of relativity.
Actually, most squeezes are relatively simple to execute and require only three elements to succeed:
• Declarer has all the remaining tricks but one.
• Declarer must be able to get from his own hand to dummy, or vice versa, when he leads the squeeze card late in the play.
• One defender (occasionally both) must have at least two suits to guard.
Thus, in the present case, the first element is met after West cashes the K-A of spades. Declarer has a club loser, but his other 10 cards are all winners.
The second element is fully satisfied, since there are plentiful entries in the North and South hands.
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The final element is met because East must guard the queen of clubs as well as keep his heart length.
So let's see how the squeeze actually works. Assume West shifts to a club at trick three, taken by dummy's king. Declarer draws trumps and then cashes the ace of clubs.
Three more trumps are cashed, declarer discarding a club from dummy on the last diamond. As a result, dummy has only the K-Q-8-7 of hearts remaining, while South's last four cards are the A-3 of hearts and the J-9 of clubs.
But observe East's dilemma, as he must also come down to four cards. On the last trump lead (called the squeeze card), he has to discard from his J-9-6-5 of hearts and queen of clubs.
There is no escape for East. A heart discard gives dummy a fourth heart trick, while a club discard makes South's jack a trick. The squeeze card — declarer's last trump — demolishes East.
