Declarer dodges temptation by Jay & Steve Becker

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Steve Becker

Ludington Daily News – Aug 6, 1963

Declarer dodges temptation

The temptation to finesse is often irresistible, but the fact is that some finesses declarer takes do more harm than good.

North dealer, N/S vulnerable

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Here is an unusual case where South is in 3NT and he has an opportunity to finesse against all four missing  kings. Oddly enough declarer’s proper method of play is to reject all for finesses. If he takes any one of them he fails in his mission assuming the opponents defend correctly.

All four suits having been bid, West elected to lead a diamond through one of dummy’s suits.

Lead: diamond suit8

Had declarer finessed the jack, he would have gone down after East took the king and made the normal ten of hearts return. This would have prevented South from ever making use of his long club suit, as he would have had no entry to his hand to cash his club.

But declarer wisely went up with the ace. He then played the ace and another club, bypassing the club finesse, in order to establish his clubs while he still had the one of hearts as an entry to his hand. East won the club with the king and returned a heart. Again South rejected an opportunity to finesse. He went up with the ace and cashed four club tricks, discarding four spades from dummy.

He then played a diamond to the Jack, establishing his ninth trick, and so made the contract. In general, where there are limited communications between his own hand and dummy’s, declarer must be especially careful in planning his play. In misfit hands, such as this one he must often deny himself the luxury to finesse.