The maybe-finesses keep on coming

Durwood Fincher, a comedian, wrote, “Experience is what allows us to repeat our mistakes, only with more finesse!” Bridge players sometimes repeat a mistake by taking a finesse that should have been avoided, or — much less often — by not taking a finesse that should have been attempted.

What is the case in this deal? South is in six hearts, and West leads a trump. The auction followed Standard American, with North’s three-heart jumprebid showing three-card support and at least game-forcing values. When South signed off in game, North bid what he hoped his partner could make. (If you switch the spades and diamonds, giving South 4=5=2=2 distribution, what would he rebid over two clubs? Two hearts as the default, not promising a sixth heart, or two spades, a reverse but not requiring extra strength? Discuss with your partner.)

South starts with one potential loser in each side suit. He has only 10 winners: one spade, five hearts, three diamonds and one club. The best line is to establish dummy’s club suit.

Declarer draws trumps ending in hand and runs the club nine, losing the first finesse to East’s queen. East shifts to a spade, taken by dummy’s ace. Back to hand with a diamond, South plays a club to dummy’s eight, taking a second finesse that is a heavy favorite to win. When it does, declarer discards the spade eight on the club ace, ruffs a club (bringing down West’s king), crosses to the diamond ace and pitches his diamond 10 on the club jack. Contract made, thanks to a double finesse.