Bridge Play

One aspiring player at my club told me proudly that she had “brought off a couple of tough finesses” to make a game. An expert might regard that comment with a smile, but some finesses are indeed harder than others.

At today’s 3NT, South was favored with a diamond opening lead. She won with the queen and led a spade, finessing with dummy’s queen. East won and returned a diamond. South took the ace, went to the ace of spades and led a third spade. She hoped East had started with K-J-9, but West took two spades and three diamonds. Could South have played differently? EIGHT TRICKS South starts with eight tricks and should try a finesse in spades for one more. But South need not do so directly. She can lead a heart to dummy at Trick Two and return the deuce of spades.

If East is sharp enough to play low without thought, South may still go down by finessing with the queen later. But many Easts will put up the king of spades to return a diamond, and then South will be home.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ 64 ♥ Q74 ♦ AQ32 ♣ A K 5 2. 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: Partner has long hearts and minimum values. Though he didn’t jump to four hearts at his third turn, you can invite slam. Bid five hearts, asking him to go on unless he has two losers in spades, the unbid suit. He will bid six hearts with K3, AK108653, K5, 87.