The Schnapsen Log
Putting On Pressure (solution)
Martin Tompa
“What do you mean, Hans?” you ask, a little irritated. “I explained my reasoning about having only two trump tricks and no more. And once Emmi gets the lead, cashing her ♠A and ♥A will give her enough points.”
“That’s true,” replies Uncle Hans. “But look at the two hands. They are still lying face-up on the table where you and your sister threw them down. Think through what will happen when you lead.”
Emmi: (33 points)
♠ AT
♥ A
♣ K
♦ QYou: (40 points)
♠ K
♥ T
♣ TJ
♦ J
“It’s simple and boring,” you say. “All I can possibly do is cash my two trump tricks, on which Emmi will discard ♣K and ♦Q. She can’t discard an ace or ten on my ♣J, because that would give me 66 or 67 trick points. With those two small cards, I’ll only have 59.”
“And then?” prompts Uncle Hans.
You look at the two hands once again. “And then I might as well …”
Emmi: (33 points)
♠ AT
♥ A
♣ —
♦ —You: (59 points)
♠ K
♥ T
♣ —
♦ J
“Oh. I didn’t notice that my ♦J became a winner. If I cash that, Emmi has to discard something big. How did that happen?”
“It’s a very interesting hand,” replies Hans. “The type that doesn’t seem to come up too often. You have what bridge players would call a squeeze play. When you play your last club, Emmi would be squeezed. She cannot discard an ace or ten, as you said. And so she is forced to discard her ♦Q, setting up ♦J as a new winner in your hand. That is the essence of a squeeze play: when you run your long suit, your opponent is forced to discard a winner that establishes a brand new winner in your hand.”
“I understand it now,” you acknowledge. “And if I had been a bit more patient and just played the hand out, I would have been forced into discovering it by accident. Each of ♣T, ♣J, and ♦J, in that order, was the only lead I could have made without giving up the lead and the deal.”
“Exactly,” confirms your wise Uncle Hans.
© 2012 Martin Tompa. All rights reserved.
