April 2024 - 62

Intermediate Players
Build Better Bridge
Just don't do it! Finesse, that is - part 7
Y
ou've heard the expression
" beware of Greeks bearing
gifts " from Virgil's " Aeneid. "
You should also watch out for " free "
finesses that the opponents give us:
Dlr: South s 6 5
Vul: None h Q J 10
d K J 5 4 3 2
c 6 5
s Q J 10 9
h K 9 8 7 6
d 6
c Q J 10
s A 4 3 2
h A 3 2
d A Q
c A 4 3 2
West North East
Pass
1d
Pass 3NT
Pass
All Pass
West leads the h7 against South's
3NT. How would you play this?
When East plays low at trick one
after you play an honor from dummy,
it seems natural to play low from
your hand as well. But if you play too
quickly and let that free finesse win,
you will have trouble.
You have two heart tricks whether
you win or duck, as well as one club
and one spade. You really need those
diamond tricks in dummy. And, of
course, an entry to cash them. You
can assure yourself of an entry if you
overtake the heart honor from the
dummy with the ace and unblock the
dA Q. Then you can lead up to the
remaining heart honors and create an
entry to the diamonds. And because
diamonds break 4-1, you can't overtake
the queen and get the necessary
62 | Bridge Bulletin | April 2024
Pass 2s
All Pass
Pass
South
1c
2NT
s K 8 7
h 5 4
d 10 9 8 7
c K 9 8 7
number of diamond tricks.
If you play quickly at trick one and
let dummy's heart honor hold the
trick, West can keep you from getting
to the dummy later. The free finesse
proves costly. Just don't do it.
Here's another example:
Dlr: South s A 5 3 2
Vul: Both h Q J 10 3
d 9 6 4
c 4 2
s 9
h 9 8 7
d K J 5 2
c A Q 8 7 5
s 7 4
h K 6 5 2
d Q 10 7
c J 10 9 3
s K Q J 10 8 6
h A 4
d A 8 3
c K 6
West North East
South
1s
4s
West leads the h9.
Again, declarer must refuse the
free finesse. If the cA is offside, you,
as declarer, will need to win three
tricks with hearts. If you finesse the
hQ on the first trick, East will not
cover, and you will play the 4. After
you draw trump, you will need two
entries to the board: one to force out
the hK and a second entry to get to
the good hearts remaining in dummy.
But the trump suit provides only one
entry. Now you will wish you still had
a low heart to lead and provide the
critical second entry to the dummy.
Correct is to play the h3 on the
opening lead and win the ace in
your hand: We only need three heart
tricks, and this is the way to do it.
BY MARYANN BOARDMAN
Play two high trumps from hand (or
three if the suit is 3-0) and now lead
a low heart. East can win the hK and
switch to a club to get two club tricks.
If the defenders lead a diamond next,
declarer can get to dummy with the
ace of trumps and discard two diamond
on the hJ 10.
Consider the consequence of winning
a cheap trick, and plan out the
whole hand before you accept that
gift. 2
CLUB DIRECTOR
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April 2024

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