Making a Squeeze Play
The ‘Squeeze Play’ is a highly effective but risky move that all good no limit Texas Hold'em players have in their repertoire. It is often a good play to use mid way through a long tournament and when approaching the bubble against players with average sized stacks.
Essentially the squeeze play is a bluff from late position used when there are already two other people in the pot involving a bettor, and a caller. The play is made with any two cards, with the most important considerations centred on the two players already in the pot.
The player opening the betting should be a loose aggressive player (LAG), who likes to raise and bet out more than his fair share of pots. Crucially the LAG player must be capable of laying a hand down when there is good resistance presented and has clearly raised with a very wide range of cards.
The second player who calls the bettor should be a tight player. The significance of them calling is that they have an average hand and is hoping to outplay the initial raiser. Rather than re-raising with high pockets, they have decided it is best to just call to see the flop.
Now the squeeze play. After seeing the bet and the call, you make a very sizeable re-raise with any two cards. The beauty in this move is that it sandwiches the tight caller and puts him to a very difficult decision. The tight player has called the LAG’s bet since he or she does not believe the LAG has a premium holding, but by only calling he or she is signifying that their holding is not a premium hand either.
Our ‘squeeze play’ raise signals to the original bettor that we have a serious hand and want to play a big pot. Not knowing whether the pot will be heads up or not, the original better makes the sensible decision and folds. This leaves the tight player facing the big raise out of position with a less than premium hand. Being a tight player by nature the player conservatively folds! Giving you the large pot without much action.
The squeeze play needs to be practiced and well timed. Be cautious to only use it when the initial raiser looks like an average holding to avoid losing a lot of chips. This play is also good when you have a lot of chips so that you can withstand a trap play by either of the other two players. Practice it and make it part of your poker arsenal.
