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PKR How to pull off the successful squeeze

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How to pull off the successful

squee e
An introduction to the squeeze play and why it is still an effective move,
despite having become so overused
By Aaron Hendrix on Friday 4 Sep 2009 09:00
Part of the following series: Make the right moves
4Recommend

Squee e pla s might be overused, but the can still be an effective wa

of picking up chips for free
In the past five years, the squeeze play has become one of the most common
plays in no-limit hold em tournament poker. It was first brought into the
limelight by Dan Harrington in his excellent Harrington on Hold em series of
books, in addition to the squeeze play he pulled off at the final table of the
WSOP Main Event in 2004. In that hand, Josh Arieh opened the pot for a raise
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PKR How to pull off the successful squeeze

with K-9 offsuit and was called by eventual champion Greg Raymer who held
A-2 of clubs. Harrington was on the button with 6-2 offsuit and made a large
reraise. Harrington had been playing conservatively up to that point and his
raise was given a lot of credit. So much so that David Williams folded A-Q in
the big blind. Arieh and Raymer followed suit and Harrington picked up a large
pot.
The squeeze play can be incredibly effective for several reasons. First, it
shows extreme strength. A prerequisite of the squeeze play is that there are
already two (or more) people in a raised pot, and to make a reraise in this
situation a player is usually going to need a very good hand. Second, it is
effective because the initial raiser has to worry about the player who called his
initial raise. If they have a marginal hand like A-J or K-Q, they are usually going
to toss their hand thinking they are well behind. The raise in effect squeezes
the other players out of the pot, hence the name.

Squee e saturation
However, due to the proliferation of the squeeze play it is given less respect
than it might have had in the past. It is almost at the point that most players
automatically assume a player is making a move in a squeeze situation. This
doesn t mean that it is a useless play though far from it. If you have shown
the ability to make a squeeze play with a legitimate hand and your opponents
have seen it, the opportunity is likely there for you to do it on a bluff. This is
why it s important that if you are going to squeeze with a marginal hand you
should also do so with a monster. Without any information on your play, most
opponents will base their belief on what they perceive the average player to do
and give you credibility for having a big hand.

Stack considerations
Stack size often comes into play when deciding whether or not to make a
squeeze play in an MTT. As a small stack it can be a perfect opportunity to
accumulate a significant amount of chips with minimal risk. As a big stack, you
can utilise your chips to force the weaker stacks to fold.
For a small to medium stack, moving all-in over the top of a raise and a call
can give you enough chips to survive several more orbits. For example, let s
say you have 15,000 in chips with the blinds at 500/1,000 and a 100 ante at a
ten-handed table. A player in middle position raises to 3,000 and is called by
the cutoff. You move all-in for 15,000 from the small blind and both players
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PKR How to pull off the successful squeeze

fold. You add 8,000 to your stack, an increase of over 50% to your stack size.
When pulling off a squeeze play as a short or medium stack it is important to
note whether or not you have any fold equity. If the initial raiser or caller has a
small to medium stack like yours to begin with, you might not be able to induce
a fold. If you have ten big blinds or less your opponents may be priced in to
call with a wide range of hands. So what hands should you be squeezing with
as a short stack? If your opponents will fold, it doesn t matter. If they won t fold
or there is a good probability they will call, your range needs to avoid easily
dominated hands like small Aces, K-9 and Q-T.

Table bull
For a big stack, the squeeze play can be a thing of beauty because the
players left in the hand know they will be risking their tournament life if they
take you on. Let s say the initial raiser starts the hand with 25,000 with the
blinds at 500/1,000. He makes it 3,000 and is called by a player who has
30,000. You have 100,000 and make it 10,000 to go. Both of these players
know they can t just call. They will either have to move all-in and risk their
tournament life or fold. This is why the squeeze play is a great source of
additional chips for a big stack.
Be sure to know which players won t fold hands like medium pairs, A-J and KQ. As with most things in poker, paying close attention to the tendencies of
your opponents is crucial.

Winning conditions
When considering a squeeze play in an MTT there are several factors you
need to evaluate before you pull the trigger.

Factor 1: The original raiser

Knowing the tendencies of the player who opened the action is important.
Pulling a squeeze against a conservative player may or may not be a good
move depending on their image of you. It is their tight nature that might make
them fold a hand as strong as Jacks or a big Ace, so don t discount making a
squeeze play if the original raise comes from a rock. On the same level, if the
initial raiser is a maniac or a savvy internet player who doesn t ever give a
squeeze credit then you should only make this play with a legitimate hand.
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PKR How to pull off the successful squeeze

Also note that if any player raises from early position you should give them
more credit for having a legitimate hand.

Factor 2: The caller(s)

Most players who call a raise do so because they want to see a flop and
therefore will usually toss their hand quickly into the muck if you squeeze.
However, you must be aware of tricky players who like to flat-call raises with
big hands with the sole intent of inducing a squeeze play.

Factor 3: The number of callers

There are two schools of thought on this one. First, the more callers there are,
the more profitable the squeeze play is because of all the extra money in the
pot. Second, the more callers there are, the more likely that one of the players
will have a legitimate hand and one of them will look you up. This is where your
observations of the players involved in the hand will be crucial. If the players in
the hand are weak, passive, or tight and will fold to adverse pressure, then
raise it up. If you know there is no way they will fold, then don t squeeze unless
you have a legitimate hand. If you do have a legitimate hand, this can be a
great opportunity to win a huge pot.

Factor 4: The strength of our hand

You don t always need a hand in order to pull off a squeeze play, but fastplaying a monster can be a great way to get paid off by a worse hand. Weaker
hands can be squeezed if the situation is favourable.
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PKR How to pull off the successful squeeze

Commen
ep, online ever thing gets called... the few times i tried just for fun creating a
good stor for a bluff since pre-flop pla ... i get called down for their all stack
with even K high... even if m stor telled i had big pocket pair on a board like
j-7-2 rainbow...
Comment b HugoGoldFish - 09/02/10 (Report)
Onl works against pla ers who don't like to gamble and who are not short
stacked etc. And live it will work better too, online the call ou with K4 suited
or 78o.
Comment b macrobod - 04/09/09 (Report)
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The basics of reading a poker hand

Aces rock
A simple blueprint for MTT success
The new Sit & Go landscape
Folding our wa to (some of) the mone
The big pa off

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PKR How to pull off the successful squeeze

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