This week’s deals have treated finesses — and avoiding the pain of losing one you need to win. Cover today’s East-West cards. Plan your play at four spades when West leads the queen of hearts. (Needless to say, don’t rely on any finesses.)
The actual declarer was a finesser: He won the first heart and led a trump to his queen. West took the king, cashed a heart and led a diamond.
South won and led a second trump to his ace. He next took the A-K of clubs. When no queen appeared, South desperately finessed with dummy’s jack of diamonds. He went down two, losing a diamond, a club, a heart and two trumps.
SURE THING
South had an almost sure thing. He takes the ace of trumps at Trick Two, cashes the A-K of diamonds and ruffs dummy’s jack. South then exits with a heart.
The defender who wins is stuck. If he leads a club, he guesses the queen for South; if a diamond, South gets a helpful ruff-sluff; if a trump, declarer loses only one trump no matter how the suit lies.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 6 4 3 H A 4 D A K J C A J 5 4 2. Neither side vulnerable. The dealer, at your left, opens three hearts. Two passes follow. What do you say?
ANSWER: Your opponent’s preempt has taken away your bidding room and forces you to guess. To avoid being stolen from, you must assume your partner has a decent share of the missing strength. Bid 3NT and hope he won’t disappoint you. He must assume that you are relying on him for some points.
North dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 6 4 3
H A 4
D A K J
C A J 5 4 2
WEST
S K J 9
H Q J 10 5
D 9 6 5 2
C 8 7
EAST
S 10
H K 9 7 3 2
D Q 10 8 4
C Q 9 6
SOUTH
S A Q 8 7 5 2
H 8 6
D 7 3
C K 10 3
North East South West
1 NT Pass 4 S All Pass
Opening lead — H Q
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