Article Collection 7A42 by Richard Pavlicek
Article Collection 7A42 by Richard Pavlicek
Which Way To FinesseIt is generally correct to finesse for a queen when you have a combined holding of eight cards or fewer in the suit. Sometimes you will have a two-way finesse, where you can finesse against either opponent, and there are some useful rules and myths about which way to go. It takes a knowledgeable player to separate the facts from the fiction.
One thing is certain: You can’t play correctly looking only at a single suit; you must consider the deal as a whole and choose the play that offers the best chance to make the contract.
4 
by South
 |  7 6 4 3 A 7 5 9 6 4 K 4 3 | |
| K Q 8 2 Q 8 4 J 8 7 5 J 8 | ![[W - E]](t.gif) | A 10 9 5 6 3 Q 10 2 10 9 7 6 |
| Lead: K | J K J 10 9 2 A K 3 A Q 5 2 |
| West Pass All Pass | North 2 | East Pass | South 1 4 |
The opening lead was the spade king, followed by a second spade which South ruffed. One player now led the jack of hearts and let it ride. Success! This allowed West’s heart queen to be captured, and the rest was easy. Declarer won five heart tricks, two diamonds and three clubs. At best this could be described as a lucky guess. Declarer’s play was like a coin toss; half the time he would win and half the time he would lose.
At another table, South, a slightly stronger player, realized that with a two-way finesse it is better to win the top honor in the shorter hand first. Therefore, a trump was led to dummy’s ace followed by a finesse against East. Disaster! West won the queen of hearts and simply returned his last trump. The end result was only nine tricks for declarer — down one.
Which way would you have finessed in the trump suit? The correct answer is neither way. Experienced players at the Club saw the danger of losing a trump finesse: the contract would then depend on a 3-3 club break, which was well against the odds. Instead, all that was required to succeed was a 3-2 trump break, which was a heavy favorite. If the queen of hearts did not fall, declarer could benefit by ruffing with the remaining trump in dummy.
The correct technique is to cash both top trumps, ending in dummy. When both opponents follow your contract is assured. Ruff a spade; cross to the club king; ruff the last spade, and cash the top clubs. West ruffs the third club, but dummy still has a trump, and the only remaining trick you will lose is a diamond. Well played! No finesses!
Note that the proper play would also gain if the missing clubs divided 3-3. In that event, South could discard a diamond on the fourth club, then a diamond could be ruffed in dummy for an overtrick.
[Richard Pavlicek of Fort Lauderdale is a bridge teacher, writer and 10-time North American champion.]
A Matter of Time, 6 , or 6 NT had no chance as the cards lay. The only slam with a prayer was 6 , and it was reached at my table (I was West) on the auction shown. The first five bids were natural, 4 showed the ace, 5 NT said “pick a slam” and South accurately chose hearts.
6 by South
| None Vul | 2 A K 4 A K Q 7 6 A 8 4 3 | |
| Q 10 8 4 9 7 6 2 8 4 K J 9 | | J 9 7 6 5 5 3 J 10 9 5 10 7 |
| Lead: 2 | A K 3 Q J 10 8 3 2 Q 6 5 2 |
| West Pass Pass Pass All Pass | North 1 3 4 5 NT | East Pass Pass Pass Pass | South 1 4 4 6 |
With dummy marked for short spades I led a trump. Declarer won the A, led a spade to the ace, and ruffed a spade with the K. The remaining trumps were drawn, as North threw two clubs and East threw a spade and a club. Alas, there was no way to succeed. If declarer took the K, East could cash a spade when he won a diamond trick. Instead, declarer just cleared the diamonds, and East returned a club, locking declarer in dummy — down one.
Declarer’s general plan was to win four hearts, four diamonds, one club and three spades (with the ruff). This was sound, but the timing was flawed. The first three tricks were correct, but instead of drawing trumps right away the key maneuver is to duck a diamond. The diamond must be conceded while declarer has communication to either hand. No matter what the defense does now, declarer is able to draw trumps, cash the K and run the diamonds. Try it.
Where’s the Queen?
4 by South
| N-S Vul | A J 8 3 K 9 5 2 K 8 2 10 2 | |
| K 5 Q 8 7 7 6 5 Q J 9 7 4 | | 10 9 7 6 2 — J 10 9 3 A K 8 6 |
| Lead: Q | Q 4 A J 10 6 4 3 A Q 4 5 3 |
| West Pass All Pass | North 3 | East Pass | South 1 4 |
North’s jump to 3 was a limit raise showing 10-12 points and invitational to game. South held minimum high-card strength, but the possession of a six-card suit was ample incentive to bid game.
Assume West leads the Q, and the defenders cash two club tricks then shift to a diamond. The problem is which top heart to cash first; either play could be right depending on which opponent, if any, held Q-x-x.
There are many reasonings one might use: (1) Cash the king because it is in the shorter hand; (2) cash the ace since the queen lies over the jack; (3) lead the jack and, if West does not cover, play the king; (4) cash the ace since West has shown more high cards.
None of these are valid. The only slight indication is that West had an opportunity to bid at a low level; with a heart void at favorable vulnerability, he might have done so. Therefore, cash the A in case East is void.
The astute reader may notice another advantage in cashing the A first. It guarantees the contract. If East instead held Q-x-x, declarer would cash the K and all his diamond winners, then exit with a heart. East would be endplayed!
Dummy Reversal contract (one pair bid 7 — oops!) but only two were successful. The auction is shown as it occurred at one table.
6 by South
| None Vul | J 8 2 J 9 8 7 A 7 4 3 9 2 | |
| K 10 4 3 6 5 4 K Q 10 8 7 6 | | Q 9 6 2 J 9 6 5 J 10 8 5 4 |
| Lead: K | A 7 5 A K Q 10 3 2 A K Q 3 |
| West Pass Pass Pass All Pass | North 2 3 4 | East Pass Pass Pass | South 2 2 4 6 |
After the obvious lead of the K, the ace was won in dummy. The unsuccessful declarers sooner or later tried to cash three top clubs, intending to discard a spade so that a spade could be ruffed in dummy. When the third club was ruffed, it was all over. Dummy could overruff, of course, but there was nothing declarer could do to avoid losing two spade tricks.
The successful declarers were made of sterner stuff. They recognized the potential of a “dummy reversal” — establishing the dummy’s hand by ruffing losers in declarer’s hand.
After winning the A, a diamond was ruffed high in the South hand. Two top clubs were cashed (this could have been postponed as the cards lie, but was technically correct), followed by a low trump to dummy and another diamond ruff high. The 10 was overtaken by dummy’s jack and the last diamond was ruffed by South. Dummy was entered by ruffing South’s small club and the last enemy trump was drawn. Finally, one of dummy’s spade losers could be parked on South’s high club. And that’s 12 cold tricks!
Trump Control as my partner and I displayed great skill in passing. Note opener’s third-round heart raise to show three-card support, an important concept in sound bidding.
4 by South
| J 10 5 2 A Q 5 K Q 10 2 4 2 | |
| Q 6 4 K J 9 8 7 K Q 9 8 5 | | 9 8 7 J 9 6 4 6 A J 10 7 6 |
| Lead: K | A K 3 10 8 7 3 2 A 5 4 3 3 |
| West Pass Pass All Pass | North 1 1 3 | East Pass Pass Pass | South 1 3 4 |
My partner led the K and continued the suit. South ruffed and led a low heart intending to finesse, but the appearance of the king changed that. After winning the A, declarer paused to consider: If he won the Q and continued hearts, I would be able to tap him out with club leads. Eventually he decided to leave hearts alone and lead diamonds, letting me ruff the second round. I exited with a spade, and declarer eventually had to rely on the spade finesse — down one.
Declarer had a blind spot here, and missed an almost surefire way to succeed. After winning the A he should lead a low heart toward his hand (keeping the queen in dummy) and I would take the jack. A spade or a diamond return allows him to draw trumps and claim, so I would lead another club. Now declarer can retain trump control by discarding a spade and ruffing with the Q. I still get another trump trick, but South makes the contract.
Ruff Day At Work was bid at only one table. The 3 NT bid was a “forcing spade raise” denying a singleton or void; 4 and 4 were control-bids, then South used Blackwood to reach the excellent slam.
6 by South
| J 10 8 3 A 7 6 K 5 A 7 6 5 | |
| 5 K Q J 2 J 10 9 7 3 Q 9 2 | | 7 6 4 10 9 3 8 4 K J 10 8 3 |
| Lead: K | A K Q 9 2 8 5 4 A Q 6 2 4 |
| West Pass Pass Pass All Pass | North 3 NT 4 5 | East Pass Pass Pass | South 1 4 4 NT 6 |
West led the K. There were 10 top tricks, and two more would have to come from ruffing. South’s plan was to discard one of dummy’s hearts on the third diamond, then ruff a heart and a diamond in dummy. On a good day this would work, but diamonds did not lie friendly. East ruffed the third round and returned a heart to take the setting trick. Too bad. It would not have helped to draw East’s trumps either, as this limits dummy to one ruff.
Declarer went about his ruffs in the wrong way. It is awkward to ruff in the dummy, yet very convenient to ruff clubs in hand. It is important to understand that the first club ruff does not gain a trick because it comes in the longer hand, but the second and third ruffs do.
The correct play is to win the A; cash the A; ruff a club (high); spade to the eight; club ruff (high); diamond to king; club ruff (high); spade to dummy and run the trumps. You might even be given an overtrick if West lets go of his diamond stopper.
Moysian Mission, the textbook response with my hand is 1 NT; but I did not like bidding notrump with two small hearts. My hand was too weak for 2 , so I decided to improvise with 1 . Bang, zoom, 4 by Rich — a splinter bid showing a singleton or void in hearts and a strong spade raise — so I was obliged to play it in 4 .
4 by South
| A K 5 2 A A 8 7 4 2 A 9 8 | |
| 9 8 4 3 Q J 10 9 5 4 Q 10 5 — | | 10 6 K 8 7 2 9 6 3 K Q 6 3 |
| Lead: Q | Q J 7 6 3 K J J 10 7 5 4 2 |
| West Pass Pass All Pass | North 1 4 | East Pass Pass | South 1 4 |
West began with the Q and I concentrated on setting up my club suit. I cashed the A — or so I hoped — and West ruffed. Ouch! Everyone at the table thought I had lost my mind not to draw trumps, but it was necessary to postpone that. The heart return was ruffed in dummy, and I persisted with clubs. When the smoke cleared I made 10 tricks, losing just three club tricks. The club ruff didn’t really cost because West’s fourth trump would come into a trick anyway once dummy is forced to ruff a heart.
The Moysian trump fit (named as a tribute to the late Alphonse Moyse Jr., who wrote extensively in favor of 4-3 trump fits as editor of The Bridge World magazine) turned out to be a great result. Observe that 3 NT is doomed with the obvious heart lead — probably down two when declarer tries the diamond finesse as his only chance. My premonition about those two baby hearts certainly proved right. Or I suppose one could equally well claim we got lucky this time.
Elope! Don’t Finesse
4 by South
| Both Vul | A 7 2 7 4 2 A 9 3 K Q 8 2 | |
| J Q J 10 5 Q 10 7 2 A 10 9 5 | | Q 10 9 4 9 8 6 8 6 5 J 7 4 |
| Lead: Q | K 8 6 5 3 A K 3 K J 4 6 3 |
| West Pass Pass | North 2 4 | East Pass All Pass | South 1 2 NT |
Mabel, South, opened 1 and her partner (Stanley Friedberg) responded 2 . Mabel next rebid 2 NT to show a balanced hand with stoppers in the unbid suits. North considered raising to 3 NT with his flat hand, but the partnership played “five-card majors” so with such a weak heart holding he opted for the spade game.
West led the Q to South’s ace, and a low club was led to dummy’s king as West ducked. Mabel returned to her hand with the K to lead a second club, taken by West who returned a heart to South’s king. A spade was led to the ace, revealing bad news as West threw a diamond, and the Q provided a heart discard.
At this point it was certain that two trump tricks had to be lost, so the contract appeared to depend on the diamond finesse. Not really. In fact, the location of the Q is totally irrelevant. Ten tricks are almost assured with an elopement play.
Mabel ruffed dummy’s last heart, then cashed two diamonds ending in dummy. Mabel was left with two trumps and a diamond (all losers), but by leading the losing club she was able to elope with one more trick. If East ruffed, South would throw her losing diamond; if East discarded, South would ruff.
Those Pesky Queens
4 by South
| E-W Vul | A J 8 K 3 2 J 6 4 7 6 4 2 | |
| Q 5 4 9 8 Q 9 5 K Q 10 5 3 | | 3 2 10 7 6 4 K 10 8 3 A 9 8 |
| Lead: K | K 10 9 7 6 A Q J 5 A 7 2 J |
| West Pass Pass | North 2 4 | East Pass All Pass | South 1 3 |
The bidding was straightforward to reach the sound game in spades. Especially note South’s simple game invitation with 3 , rather than tipping off the opponents by bidding hearts — over 90 percent of the time you will end up in spades anyway, and you might get a friendly heart lead if you keep it quiet.
West led the K and continued the suit, South ruffing. Declarer was faced with a two-way finesse for the queen of trumps and took the percentage play by crossing to the A and running the jack. Alas, it lost to the pesky queen and the contract failed. Too bad.
Finessing East for the queen was the percentage play in spades alone, but a single suit does not dictate the best play for an entire deal. It is only a piece of the picture, or a tree in the forest. Rather than rely on the 50-50 finesse, an expert would see that the contract is cold on a 3-2 trump break (a 68-percent chance).
After ruffing the second club, the proper technique is to win the K and A (no finesses!) then ruff another club. Cross to the K and ruff the last club with your last trump. Now just run the hearts until West ruffs, and the A provides an entry to enjoy the last heart — a neat dummy reversal for 10 tricks.
Trump Handling. My partner’s jump to 3 was weak and I considered bidding 5 , more as a sacrifice than expecting to make, but I decided to sell out in the hopes of beating them.
4 by South
| None Vul | A K Q 6 J 8 J Q 9 5 4 3 2 | |
| 7 10 7 5 2 Q 10 9 4 K 10 8 6 | | 5 4 3 A Q 9 6 4 3 K 7 A J |
| Lead: 2 | J 10 9 8 2 K A 8 6 5 3 2 7 |
| West 3 All Pass | North 1 3 | East 1 4 | South 1 4 |
West led a heart to my ace and I returned the Q, which was ruffed. Declarer won the A, ruffed a diamond (high) and led a club to my jack. I shifted to a trump and declarer just couldn’t get home. He won in hand and ruffed a diamond; next came a club ruff and another diamond ruff to set up his two long diamonds. Alas, he was unable to use them because he couldn’t draw my trumps; down one. (It may help to lay out a deck of cards to follow the play.)
Declarer missed a clever maneuver that would allow him to prevail. Instead of ruffing the second heart, he should discard a club. I would then have to lead a trump to stop a complete crossruff, and he can now succeed since his trumps have not been shortened. Win the trump in dummy; A; diamond ruff (high); club ruff; diamond ruff (high); trump to hand; draw trumps and give West a diamond. Declarer still has a trump to gain the lead and win his last two diamonds.
The technique of postponing a ruff (discarding a sure loser instead) is often overlooked and rarely costs a trick. In most cases it doesn’t matter, but occasionally, as on this deal, it gives declarer a timing advantage that makes a difference.
Copyright © 2002 Richard Pavlicek. All rights reserved.