What a difference a finesse makes!
This is a deal Paul Thurston (thurston) West and Keith Balcombe (kbalcombe) East, two World Class Canadians, defended Friday, April 17, 2020 on BBO against two Belgium players sitting North-South.
Auction: The auction is pretty simple. South deals and with 15 hcp, 6 losers and a semi-balanced hand (5-4-2-2) could open the bidding 1 NT, but with a 5-card major opens the bidding 1 ♠. West (Paul) and East (Keith) are silent throughout. North makes a 2/1 Game Forcing bid of 2 ♦. South bids 2 ♥ as natural and North bids 4 ♠.
How do you play this hand?
South might still have had a change to make the contract on this deal if South had played two rounds of hearts before leading the ♠ J and then ducking the ♠ J to East's ♠ Q. Kieth would be under some pressure whether to win the ♠ Q or not without an exit card (if the ♥ 98 had been removed). If Keith wins the ♠ Q he will have to lead a club. In any event on the actual play Keith wins the ♦ A, ♣ A and two spade tricks for, down 1.
Play (alternative): Let's look at an alternative line of play. The opening two tricks are the same, but in this line of play South decides to finesse against East for the ♠ Q as a safer finesse. South on trick 3 cashes the ♥ A - T3 and leads up to the ♥ K in dummy (North) - T4. Declarer leads the ♠ 3 from dummy and puts in the ♠ 9 from hand which holds - T5. South plays the winning ♥ Q and pitches the ♣ J from dummy only to have East ruff the ♥ Q - T6. With all exit cards gone, East is forced to lead a club for a ruff and a sluff or lead away from the ♠ Q, neither are good options.
East chooses to lead the ♣ 5 which South ruffs pitching a diamond from dummy - T7. South now leads the ♦ J to East's ♦ A - T8 and East is back in the hot seat. East leads the ♣ 7 which declarer wins in dummy with the ♠ 4 - T9. South now has East in a ruffing finesse situation. South leads the ♦ K from dummy if East trumps South over trumps. East chooses to discard a club - T10.
In the home stretch, South leads the ♠ K from dummy - T11 and then goes back to the ♦ Q which East must now trump with the ♠ 8 and South over trumps with the ♠ J - T12 an cashes the ♠ A dropping the ♠ Q - T13, making 4.
East chooses to lead the ♣ 5 which South ruffs pitching a diamond from dummy - T7. South now leads the ♦ J to East's ♦ A - T8 and East is back in the hot seat. East leads the ♣ 7 which declarer wins in dummy with the ♠ 4 - T9. South now has East in a ruffing finesse situation. South leads the ♦ K from dummy if East trumps South over trumps. East chooses to discard a club - T10.
In the home stretch, South leads the ♠ K from dummy - T11 and then goes back to the ♦ Q which East must now trump with the ♠ 8 and South over trumps with the ♠ J - T12 an cashes the ♠ A dropping the ♠ Q - T13, making 4.
The HHI Bridge blog is dedicated to a better understanding of the game of bridge. There is not just one way to bid or play a hand of bridge, there will be differences of opinion and that is OK ... feel free to make a comment on a post.
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