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Which Finesse?

The wrong one. Well, it seems to work out that way, doesn’t it? Given a choice of two, the odds of success are nowhere near 50-50, or so it seems. Or, is all not what it seems? Has that “sadistic hand setter” to whom we referred a few days ago been at work again?

 

North judged just to bid straight to game, no 4 splinter…not that you South would have gone higher than 4 anyway.

West leads the K and it is over to you to play. East follows suit with the J, reverse count.

There are various ways to play this board and unlike some boards, the correct way will be rewarded with success while those who tried other ways might be writing down a negative score.

The Wrong Way

Certainly, those who tried an immediate trump finesse will fail, even if they played what might seem like a successful trump to the 10 losing to the king. Any declarer who played like that deserves to be defeated as they were guilty of the sin of not counting their possible losers, two hearts, A and a losing trump finesse.. one too many.

Any declarer who thought about ruffing clubs in dummy before touching trumps would have the same result. Certainly, you may wish to do that but only after the immediate danger has been averted….and that immediate problem is those two heart losers. You have to do something about them before playing trumps (perhaps). So, the obvious thing to do is to start on the diamond suit playing three rounds discarding a heart… and West ruffs with a small trump. Bad news. You now have to play trumps for no more losers…plenty of opportunity for a wrong guess now.

Salvation

Hopefully, you did not get to that position because there is a better way. The better way is to play one round of trumps before you touch diamonds, but do not take a finesse. That’s right. Play a spade to the ace. Now, if West started with Kx, they will have to ruff with the king (giving away the position of the J...a kind of "loser on loser" play) enabling you to take the right finesse. You may still have to make an awkward trump guess if West ruffs with a second small spade, or even with J…but that may not happen.

There may also be some really good news. You do want to make your cold slam, don’t you?

 

West will not feel very good when they have to play their K under your ace. You will  suddenly feel much happier! Now, set to work on those diamonds and East has to follow to four rounds of the suit as you can safely throw those losing hearts.

Keep going, the fifth diamond. If East ruffs, overruff, draw trump and exit a club. You can ruff two clubs in dummy, making 12 tricks.

If East discards on the 5^th diamond, so do you and now take the marked spade finesse, draw trump…and you still have a trump in dummy to take care of your remaining club. Slam made. Not one that you want to bid, though!

This is a very pleasant outcome from taking the best line. You may still have to guess how the spade honours lie, though if you can determine that East holds the A, then surely West has the K to justify their overcall.

No finesses taken, at least not until you are certain of which to take. No finesse, no chance of failure… and maybe 100% chance of success. 

 

So, if your chances of a successful finesse are minimal, then are you any better on opening leads?

 

Your 1 promised at least 3 clubs, normally 4 (playing 5 card spade and 4 card heart opening). 2 showed at least 5-5 in the majors and while could be weak would not be that weak at this vulnerability.

The rest is what it seems. Your lead? See you on Wednesday.

Richard Solomon

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