“I heard you’re writing about choosing from more than one finesse,” Unlucky Louie said to me.
I nodded.
“Well, it doesn’t matter when I’m declarer,” Louie growled. “None of my finesses work, so which one I try first is moot.”
Louie was declarer at today’s four spades in a penny game, and West led the queen of clubs and then the jack. Louie ruffed the third club, took the ace of trumps, led a heart to the ace — dummy’s only entry — and returned a trump to finesse with his jack.
DOWN THREE
“Of course, West had the queen,” Louie said. “I ruffed his heart return and drew trumps, spending all my trumps. I next took the A-K of diamonds. When the queen didn’t fall, I went down three.”
Declarer has options. Maybe his best chance is to let the ten of diamonds ride at Trick Six. If that finesse wins, he is a favorite however he continues. If West has the queen of diamonds, South ruffs the heart return and gets to dummy with the nine of diamonds to finesse in trumps.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A K J 10 7 H 4 D A K J 8 4 C 6 3. The dealer, at your right, opens one heart. What do you say?
ANSWER: Your hand has great potential; if partner has a fit for one of your long suits, you may win a bundle of tricks. Still, to double for takeout would be wrong. Overcall one spade. With a two-suited hand, start to bid your suits. Otherwise, competition by the opponents might prevent you from showing both suits at a comfortable level.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 6 4 2
H A J 8
D 10 9 2
C K 8 7 4
WEST
S Q 8 3
H Q 7 6 5 2
D 6 3
C Q J 10
EAST
S 9 5
H K 10 9 3
D Q 7 5
C A 9 5 2
SOUTH
S A K J 10 7
H 4
D A K J 8 4
C 6 3
South West North East
1 S Pass 2 S Pass
4 S All Pass
Opening lead — C Q
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Originally published at Frank Stewart