Study 9P01 Main |
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A ruffing finesse is the lead of a significant side-suit card when the opposite hand is void, then ruffing or not depending on the whether LHO covers or plays low. When the ruffing finesse loses, it may still provide material gain with a loser-on-loser play, also covered here.
1. Ruffing finesse
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
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South leads | ![]() |
2. Ruffing squash finesse
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South leads | ![]() |
3. Finesse or ruffing finesse
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auto | ![]() | 1. S | ![]() | 7 | |||
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South leads | ![]() |
Option to play either opponent for K.
4. Desperation finesse
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
![]() | 1. S | ![]() | 3 | Q! | 10 | ||
![]() | 2. N | ![]() | J | ![]() | K | ||
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South leads | ![]() |
If East has K, South wins only 1 trick.
5. Loser-on-loser
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auto | ![]() | 1. S | ![]() | 2 | ![]() | A | |
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South leads | ![]() |
Study 9P01 Main | ![]() | Top Ruffing Finesse |
6. Repeat ruffing finesse
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
![]() | 1. S | ![]() | A | ![]() | 2 | ||
![]() | 2. N | ![]() | 10 | A | 5 | ||
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South leads | ![]() |
7. Repeat ruffing squash finesse
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
![]() | 1. S | ![]() | A | ![]() | 9 | ||
![]() | 2. N | ![]() | 10 | A | 5 | ||
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South leads | ![]() |
8. Loser-on-loser ruffing finesse
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
auto | ![]() | 1. S | ![]() | 2 | ![]() | A | |
![]() | 2. E | ![]() | K | 6 | 3 | ||
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South leads | ![]() |
9. Finesse and ruffing squash finesse
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
auto? | ![]() | 1. S | ![]() | 7 | 9! | Q | |
![]() | 2. E | ![]() | 2 | 10 | K | ||
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South leads | ![]() |
Appropriate if confident East has A (third).
10. Overtake ruffing finesse
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
bi | ![]() | 1. S | ![]() | 2 | A! | 6 | |
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South leads | ![]() |
With North on lead would be undertake instead.
Study 9P01 Main | ![]() | Top Ruffing Finesse |
11. Jettison ruffing finesse
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
![]() | 1. S | ![]() | 7 | ![]() | K | ||
![]() | 2. E | ![]() | K | ![]() | ![]() | ||
![]() | 3. S | ![]() | A | ||||
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South leads | ![]() |
12. Jettison loser-on-loser trump control
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
![]() | 1. S | ![]() | 2 | ![]() | A | ||
![]() | 2. E | ![]() | K | ![]() | ![]() | ||
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South leads | ![]() |
13. Cover refusal anti ruffing finesse
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
auto bi | ![]() | 1. W | ![]() | 8! | ![]() | 2 | |
![]() | 2. W | ![]() | 9! | ![]() | ![]() | ||
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West leads | ![]() |
14. Immediate cover anti ruffing finesse
![]() | ![]() | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
auto bi | ![]() | 1. W | ![]() | A! | ![]() | 2 | |
![]() | 2. E | ![]() | K | 7 | 3 | ||
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West leads | ![]() |
Auto/bi cases trivial.
Study 9P01 Main | ![]() | Top Ruffing Finesse |
© 2014 Richard Pavlicek