HOMEPAGE > QUIZ > MOVIES > WEEK 8
 
Finesses Can Wait
starring Gene Tearnie
written by Matthew Granovetter


Dealer : East

Vulnerable: North-South

 North
   -
   -
   -
   -

BRIDGE MOVIE #8

West
-
-
-
-
East
-
-
-
-
You are in the final of the Spingold Teams. As South, do you
open the bidding or not?
 

 South You
   A Q
   J 9
   J 6 2
   K 10 7 6 5 4

 

South
-
?
West
-

North
-

East
pass


Dealer : East

Vulnerable: North-South

 North
   -
   -
   -
   -
West
-
-
-
-
East
-
-
-
-

You passed, because though you might open some 11-point
hands, this isn't one of them. More than half your highcards
are in your doubleton spade.

What is your call over 2?

 

 South You
   A Q
   J 9
   J 6 2
   K 10 7 6 5 4

 

South
-
pass
?
West
-
1
 
North
-
double
 

East
pass
2
 


Dealer : East

Vulnerable: North-South

 North
   K 8 5 2
   5 4 2
   A K 3
   A 9 2
West
-
-
-
-
East
-
-
-
-

You bid 3 over 2, because you were a bit too strong for
a 3
bid, which would have been merely competitive. When
partner could not bid 3NT, you bid 4
and got raised to game.

You win the spade lead with the ace and lead a club to the
ace, West following with the queen. How do you continue?

 

 South You
   A Q
   J 9
   J 6 2
   K 10 7 6 5 4

 

South
-
pass
3
4
West
-
1
pass
pass
North
-
double
3
5

East
pass
2
pass
all pass 

Opening lead: 6

Dealer : East

Vulnerable: North-South

 North
   K 8 5 2
   5 4 2
   A K 3
   A 9 2
West
J 9 6 4
A 10 7 6 3
Q 5
Q J
East
10 7 3
K Q 8
10 9 8 7 4
8 3

Clearly the club finesse is the percentage play (restricted
choice and the light opening suggests this). But wait. If
West has a singleton queen of clubs, there is no rush to
finesse. Instead it will be safe to cash another spade
trick, return to dummy with a diamond lead and play the
king of spades, to discard a heart. Then take the club
finesse.

You lose the battle in trumps but win the war of the
contract when the queen of diamonds comes down
doubleton. You lose one heart trick and one club trick
to score 600.

When this hand was played two weeks ago in the final of
the Spingold Teams, declarer had a blind spot, playing a
second round of clubs for a finesse before taking the heart
discard on the king of spades. West won the jack of clubs
and led the ace of hearts and a heart to set the hand.

At the other table, North was declarer in 3NT after South
opened 2
, showing a club suit, 11-15 points. East led a
diamond and declarer won and guessed to attack clubs by
first leading the 2 to the king, so he couldn't go wrong.

THE END

 

 South You
   A Q
   J 9
   J 6 2
   K 10 7 6 5 4

 

South
-
pass
3
4
West
-
1
pass
pass
North
-
double
3
5

East
pass
2
pass
all pass 

Opening lead: 6

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