THE FINESSE

By Larry Matheny

 

 

One of the most frequently used and abused plays in bridge is the simple finesse.  As soon as it is explained to the new player, he or she is eager to try a finesse with every hand.  Unfortunately, the second lesson, “when not to finesse” is rarely learned.  However, the finesse is a valuable tool and since we need it, let’s make sure we recognize how and when to use it.  Take a look at this suit combination:

AJ96

 

Q108754

 

Your left hand opponent’s original holding must be one of these:

 

K32, K3, K2, 32, K, 3, 2, or void.

 

With no other information, it is correct to lead from the South hand and finesse after West follows with one of the two low cards in the suit.  If West holds a small singleton or a void we are always going to lose to the king and since West followed with a small card, we can eliminate the singleton king in his hand.  That leaves four other cases and finessing wins in three of those, losing only to a singleton king in East’s hand.  (After a small card is played there are actually only three holdings left, but the finesse is still correct.)  This is straightforward and a good example of why the finesse is often the correct way to play a suit.  I will address other information later.

 

Now let’s look at some suit combinations.  But, before we do, let’s agree that a competent defender will cover an honor when it’s led.  (With some exceptions of course.)  Also, it is assumed you have sufficient entries to both hands.

 

 

 1                 2                   3                 4                  5                 6          

 

AQ               A32              A32              AQ10            AK32            AK32 

 

 

32                Q75              QJ65            543               J65               J105

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  7                  8                  9                10                11               12

 

A1098           AJ104           AK1065        KQ3             K32              VOID

 

Q764            Q732            J32               654              Q54              KJ1098432

 

 

 

 

 13               14               15               16                 17              18

 

 A65             A65              AJ8542         AK873          Q109632      J105432

 

 

KJ102          KJ109           Q973            Q942            A                  A

 

 

ANSWERS:

 

1.               Low to the queen.

2.               Low to the queen.

3.               Either low to the Q or play the ace and lead low.

4.               Low to the ten and then low to the queen.  The odds are 75% that one of the missing honors is on your left.

5.               Ace and then low toward the jack.

6.               Cash the ace (or king) and then lead the jack.

7.               Lead the queen and play for one of the two missing honors to be on your left.

8.               Leading low toward dummy will guard against a singleton king on your left.

9.               Play the ace and then low to the ten.

10.           Lead toward the king/queen twice.

11.           You must play one opponent for a doubleton ace.  Lead through him and then duck on the way back.

12.           Lead the king.  This picks up a singleton queen.  There is no other winning play.

13.           Low to the ace and finesse on the way back.

14.           You may finesse either way.

15.           Lead the queen to pick up K10X on your left.

16.           Lead the queen.  You can pick up J1065 on your left but not your right.

17.           Play the ace and then the queen.  This picks up JX and is your only play.

18.           Lead the ace followed by a low card from dummy.  This play allows for KX or QX.  If the opponents’ cards are 3-3 it doesn’t matter.

 

 

 

Obviously these are just a few of the many different suit combinations.  But, besides knowing HOW to finesse, you need to know WHEN so let’s take a look at other information.   In the following hand our trump suit is the one I used in the first example.  I said finessing for the king was the percentage play, but let’s take a look at the bidding and play to see if that changes our decision.

 

 

                                                      SAJ96

                                                            H75

                                                  DJ42

W       N        E        S                   CJ10987

 P       P        P        1S               

 P       2S      P        P                

3H      3S      P        P                 SQ108754

 P                                               H82

                                                  DQ5

CAKQ

                                                 

 

West leads the ace and king of hearts and shifts to a low diamond to East’s ace.  East returns a diamond to West’s king.  West then leads a third diamond which you win in dummy.   What next?

 

West is a passed hand and has turned up with a heart suit headed by the ace and king along with the diamond king.  I think we can agree the finesse is no longer a good idea.  This is where so many new players go wrong.  In this case, it’s a simple matter of REMEMBERING THE BIDDING and noting the opponents’ cards.  So now we know that while there is a correct way to play certain card combinations, this must be tempered with information from the bidding and the play of the hand. 

 

 

Let’s look at some more examples of how to finesse.

 

                                                      SKJ106

                                                  HAQ

                                                  DAJ1076

                                                  C94

 

                                                  SAQ7542

                                                  H8

                                                  DK943

                                                  CA7

 

 

 

 

You bid aggressively to 6S and West leads a low club.  You draw trumps (2-1) and with finessing positions in both red suits, what do you do next? 

 

The answer is to combine your chances.  First play the ace and king of diamonds in case the queen is singleton or doubleton.  If unsuccessful, take the heart finesse in an attempt to discard your club loser

 

 

Here’s another instructive hand:

 

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH      SAQJ3

  P        1NT        P        2S          HKJ

  P        3S*      All Pass              DA932

                                                  C654

*Optimistic

                                                  S109876

                                                  H1063         

                                                  DKQ

                                                  C1087

 

West leads the king, queen, and jack of clubs with East signaling high-low and then following to the third club.  West now puts you to the test by switching to a low heart.  Which card do you play from dummy?

 

For you to make this optimistic contract, West must hold the spade king.  Since he has already shown up with the KQJ of clubs, if he holds the spade king he would not have passed also holding the heart ace.  Therefore, the jack is the proper play.  If East holds the spade king or the heart queen, the contract will be defeated. 

 

This may seem difficult but it really only involves remembering the bidding and making a logical assumption.  An important part of the simple finesse is to learn as much as you can before you make your decision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s another one:                                                                      

                                                  SA432

                                                  HK75           

                               S5               DAKQ                       S6

                               HAQJ1098   C643               H6432

                               D976                                  D8532

           CKJ9           SKQJ10987    C10752

                                                  H

                                                      DJ104

                                                  CAQ8

 

Sitting South, you and your partner reach 6S after West overcalled in hearts.  West leads a low diamond won in dummy.  You can see two potential club losers unless the king is in the East hand.  Since the bidding strongly suggests His Highness is with West, the club finesse will surely fail.  Instead, try to avoid the finesse.  Since West must hold the heart ace you can End Play him by eliminating the side suits.  Trump a low heart at trick two, then lead a spade to dummy and ruff another low heart in your hand.  Now lead your last two diamonds and exit with the heart king, discarding a low club from your hand.  West wins the heart ace but must deliver the twelfth trick.  Note you would have gone down if you had relied on the club finesse.

 

 

Here’s another opportunity to AVOID THE FINESSE:

 

                    SAQ873  

HKJ2  

D76  

CK65

 

                                                  SKJ1094 

HA104 

DAQ 

CAQ3

 

You reach the excellent contract of 6S and receive the jack of clubs opening lead.  To make the hand the diamond king must be on your right or you must find the heart queen.  The smart declarer can claim after winning the opening lead.  He will pull trumps, play off the remaining two clubs, and then exit with the ace and queen of diamonds.  The defender who wins this trick must return a heart or give you a sluff/ruff.  Either way, you avoid guessing the heart queen.

 

By now you get the idea.  Take a finesse only when you must and take the best one.