Guessing and Finessing by Terence Reese

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Terence Reese
Terence Reese

These experts are so lucky, they always seen to guess right, said the old lady attending her first bridge tournament. And what she said was true.

No one can make a King sit on the right side of a Queen, but when there is a choice of plays a good player will almost always find some indication, however slight.

Dealer South All Vul.

 7 6 4 2
 A 10 4
 A 7 5
 10 8 4

 

 


 A K Q J 9
 J 6 5
 9
 K J 9 7

The Auction:

West North East South
1
Pass 2 Pass 4
Pass Pass Pass

Lead: K

West opens K and dummy wins. Noting that he has only one other entry to dummy, declarer may take this opportunity to run the 10, for if East has the Q twice guarded one lead through him will not be enough.

In the event, East begins a peter with 3 and West noticing that the 2 is missing, continues with A and a third club, which East will ruff.

One of dummy’s heart losers will go away on the fourth club but there will still he a heart loser and South will be one down.

So long as the trumps are not 4-0 the contract can be made with complete safety. South should draw trumps and lead clubs from hand.

He can afford to lose two clubs, for the opponents cannot possibly win two heart tricks before a long club has been established. Say that West wins with the first round of clubs with the Q and leads a heart; East wins with the Q but cannot profitably return a heart.

When he comes in with the next club West leads a second heart, but now South goes up with A, crosses to hand with a diamond ruff, and discards the heart lose on the fourth round of clubs.

The Complete Hand.

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