A finesse can take many forms and the successful declarer will know how
to play each suit combination for the most tricks. Take a look
at this hand.
Scoring: Matchpoints
Hand #4
Dlr
E
Vul
N-S
A932
K8762
A854
K1087
109
103
AQ983
Q65
J
K976
107654
J4
AQ543
QJ2
KJ2
West
North
East
South
Pass
1
Pass
4*
All Pass
4
All Pass
*Splinter
BIDDING: North's splinter bid showed values for
game, heart support, and club shortness. South had wasted values
in clubs so he signed off in game.
PLAY: West with no attractive lead, started with the heart
ten. Declarer saw he had only a spade and a diamond to lose, but
this was a pairs game so overtricks were important. His plan was
to discard his spade loser on dummy's last diamond. South drew
trumps ending in dummy and led a low diamond toward his hand.
East ducked and South won. Next declarer ruffed a club in dummy
and led another low diamond. This time East won the king and
shifted to a spade. It was now easy for South to win, unblock the
diamond jack, ruff another club in dummy, and ditch his spade on the
ace of diamonds. Making six resulted in a good matchpoint score.
Note that this play in the diamond suit works when the king is in the
East hand, or approximately 50% of the time. The alternate play
of leading the diamond queen from hand works only 36% of the time when
the opponents' diamonds divide 3-3. An opening spade lead
will hold declarer to eleven tricks.
*