The Squeeze Play

One of the most exciting moves in poker, not to mention one of the most profitable, is the squeeze play. In a multi-table tournament, this strategy, executed at the proper time, can give a much-needed boost to your chip stack, as well as letting your opponents know that you are a dangerous player capable of making a move at any time.

The basics of the play are fairly simple: First, a player at your table in early position comes in with a raise. Ideally, this is a player who has been very aggressive with his raises, and has a very wide range that he could be playing. Next, another player calls the raise, representing that he likely doesn’t have an absolute premium hand (he would usually re-raise if he did). Now you come over the top of both players with a BIG re-raise, representing a huge hand (whether you have one or not). When you do this, the original raiser is “squeezed,” as YOU have stated that you have a monster, PLUS there is still one other player to act after him, who might be slow playing. Unless he has a premium hand himself, he will be forced to lay it down, and now the caller, who presumably didn’t have a top hand either, will follow suit, allowing you to pick up all the dead money in the middle.

This play is best executed when you have developed a very solid table image, where you have consistently shown down big, winning hands, and the other players “know” that you are only playing premium cards. If you have appeared to be the table maniac during the tournament, top players will sniff out the squeeze play and call you, or even play back at you with yet another raise. Also, if you have already used the play during the tournament, the other players at the table will remember that, and will not be as likely to lay their hands down.

In considering whether or not to make this play, there are a few important things to remember:

1) Don’t try this play against a “rock,” someone who would never make the original raise from early position without a big hand himself (this type of player is ONLY raising in that position with A-A,K-K,Q-Q and A-K suited).
2) Don’t try a squeeze play in a situation where one or both of the other players is already pot committed from the first bet, i.e. they have already put so much of their stack into the pot that they will be forced to call your re-raise, even if they are almost certain they are beaten.
3) Don’t use this in a situation where the caller is someone who might make the first call with a bigger hand than the original raiser, looking to trap an aggressive player. This will cause you to lose most, if not all of your chips.

One of the best times to look for an opportunity to execute the squeeze play is near the bubble, when some players at the table move into ultra-aggressive mode, trying to take advantage of players who are just trying to survive into the money. When you have identified a couple of these players at your table, and they have entered the pot in the manner described above, don’t be afraid to make a move on them. What they are looking for are opportunities to chip up without confrontation, not situations that could decimate their stacks.

Adding the squeeze play to your arsenal will make you a more confident and dangerous player. The first time you successfully pull this move off will give you an immense sense of satisfaction, and strengthen not only your image with the other players, but also your own ability to go deep and win big tournaments.