Page 108 - Learn Bridge Ver2_Neat

This play works when West holds the King or the Jack.
Here is a similar case.
If you have plenty of entries and can afford to lose a trick Í A Q 9 3
here is a play worth consideration.
Here you could try a small card from South and play the Í 8 7 4
9 from dummy. We aim to finesse the
Queen, if necessary, next time. This works Í A Q 9 3
well on this layout- Í J 10 2 Í K 6 5
The described play make 3 tricks in the Í 8 7 4
suit.

The next case is a brother of that discussed here, it is -
The double finesse. Í A J 10 3

Now we have this arrangement. Í 7 4 2
Again the first rule here is that we lead up to honours
and so we need to have the lead in the South hand. We now lead small
and play the 10. If this loses we get the lead back to South and play small
to the Jack.
There are many more positions that include “finesse” in its name but
we have nearly done enough to give you the general idea.
However, there is one more that we need to cover.
The two-way finesse.

There are times when you have a holding like this -
Now you have a choice of finessing East or West
Ë A10 6 Ë K J 5
for the Queen. If you can guess correctly you can
make 3 tricks here. If you simply guess you
West East
will be right 50% of the time. However, there
Í A K Q 7 6 Í J 9 3 2
are times that you can do much better. We Ì Q 5 4 Ì J 7 6
need a complete hand -
Ë A 10 6 Ë K J 5
When North leads the ÌK you wish that
Ê A 7 Ê K 6 3
you had bid 3NT because you have 9 top
tricks. You sigh when North continues with
W N E S
the ÌA on which South discards a club and 1Í 2Ì 2Í P
then gives South a ruff. You must not lose
4Í All pass

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