This class is for Intermediate players who wish to move into the Advanced level, as well as Advanced players who either never learned about squeezes or need a review.  Disclaimer- I am by no means an Expert bridge player but this is a topic I know something about. 

Basically, a squeeze is when one (or both) of your opponents is/are forced to part with a winner such that you make an extra trick, sometimes more.  Although there are many kinds of squeezes, including squeezes by a defender against the declarer, we will focus on so called simple squeezes (which are unfortunately not that simple, which is why this is an advanced technique).

If squeezes are difficult to execute, why would we want to learn them?  If you think about it, any time you can make one more trick than your same direction opponents is very valuable at matchpoints, and making an extra trick at imps is often the difference between making your contract and going down.

The typical bridge player will execute a squeeze on occasion and both they and their opponents won’t even realize it.  Declarer thinks their opponent(s) made a mistake and  threw away the wrong card, and the opponents think that as well.  Of course, sometimes the opponent will throw away the wrong card when they weren’t actually forced to, called a “pseudo squeeze”, but what we would like to do is cause this to happen because we made it happen.  Anyone who recognizes and deliberately executes a successful squeeze feels a joy that is almost unsurpassed by any other feeling at the bridge table (except maybe intelligently bidding a grand slam no one else is getting to – I certainly like that!).  Many of us have recognized and successfully pulled off throw-ins at the end of the hand, so you know that feeling.  This is even better, trust me.

Anyway, this class will consist of a lecture with example hands and a session on the learning tool Sharkbridge to practice some hands yourself.  You do not need any software to attend this class, but familiarity with Zoom would help.  Unfortunately Sharkbridge doesn’t work on Android phones, but works on iphones, ipads, and of course Windows and Mac computers.  The class will last about two hours, and I am thinking Wednesday evening at 6:15pm.  The cost of the class is $5.  

If you are interested please reply to Bob, rbmcbroom@gmail.com