FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

HONORABLE TECHNIQUE

Another letter arrived from the Society of Finessers, complaining that finesses never win in my columns.

“Dear Sir: We must again condemn your disdain for the finesse, an honorable technique that succeeds fully half the time — except in your deals.”

I have nothing against finesses, but I am opposed to over-finessing. At today’s 3NT, South took the ace of hearts and led a spade to dummy’s queen. The finesse won. He led a diamond to his queen, and that finesse won also. Down Three South then led a second spade to the jack. This time East won and returned a heart, and South could only try the ace and a third diamond. Down three.

South must lead a spade to the ace at Trick Four to repeat the diamond finesse. He takes four diamond tricks and nine tricks in all. The point is that the spade finesse is not sure to work twice; East will routinely duck the first spade. But West can’t know what South has in diamonds. Hence if a diamond finesse wins, East likely has the king. Daily Question

You hold: ♠ 10 6 ♥ AK ♦ AQ J 9 7 ♣ A 10 8 7. Your partner opens one heart, you bid two diamonds, he rebids two hearts and you try three clubs. Partner then rebids three hearts. What do you say?

Answer: You should have a play for six hearts — and it may be cold — unless the opponents can take two spade tricks. Bid five hearts, focusing on the unbid suit. If partner has A 4, Q J 10 8 7 6 3, K 4, Q 2, he can cue-bid five spades next to show firstround control. South dealer Both sides vulnerable