Unlucky Louie asked me if a defender’s signal can affect the odds on whether a finesse will win.
In a penny game, Louie had played at today’s slam. West led the queen of trumps, and Louie took the K-A. East threw the ten of clubs.
“I led the king and a second diamond next,” Louie said, “and West discarded. When I took dummy’s queen, I could finesse in either hearts or clubs for my 12th trick. East’s ten of clubs seemed to say he had the king, so I led a heart to my jack — and went down. West had the king of clubs all along. Didn’t East’s signal change the odds?”
RESERVE
Not in theory. Louie could have cashed the K-A of hearts with the club finesse in reserve if the queen didn’t fall. But his best play is to continue with dummy’s ace of diamonds, pitching his jack of clubs. He then exits with a trump.
If West leads a heart, Louie gets a free finesse. If West leads a club, Louie can play dummy’s queen, and if East has the king, Louie can ruff and finesse in hearts.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S K 6 3 H K 5 4 D A Q 10 6 3 C A Q. You open one diamond, your partner bids one heart, you jump to 2NT and he tries three spades. What do you say?
ANSWER: If partner held AQ42,Q1082,J5,987, he would have no reason to bid spades; he could comfortably raise your 2NT to 3NT. His second bid warns against notrump and asks if you can support his first suit. Bid four hearts. Partner may have slam aspirations.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S K 6 3
H K 5 4
D A Q 10 6 3
C A Q
WEST
S Q J 10
H Q 10 8
D 7
C K 8 6 5 3 2
EAST
S 5
H 6 3 2
D J 9 8 5 2
C 10 9 7 4
SOUTH
S A 9 8 7 4 2
H A J 9 7
D K 4
C J
South West North East
1 S Pass 3 D Pass
3 S Pass 3 NT Pass
4 H Pass 4 S Pass
6 S All Pass
Opening lead — S Q
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Originally published at Frank Stewart