Home | Puzzles | declarer play | Puzzles *** | Avoidable finesse? ***
Avoidable finesse? ***
Tuesday, 09 February 2010 07:00
S/AllK Q 4 3 
 K 6
7 6 4 3
K 5 4
  windroos  
    
 6 2 
A Q J 10 9 7 5
A Q
10 2

WestNorthEastSouth
---1
pass1pass31
pass4passpass
pass   

1 A direct 4 rebid is an option

West leads the Q.
How should South play?

Solution

South counts four (possible) losers: the A, two clubs (in view of the lead the A is certainly with East) and a diamond (if the K is with West).
If West has the A, South can pitch the Q on North's second high spade.
South can 'combine' his chances: he can make the contract if either the A or the K is favourably placed, provided he can investigate the position of the A first. Only after the A should turn out to be with East, would he risk the diamond finesse - as his second and last chance. He must therefore prevent - if possible - EW from forcing the diamond finesse upon him prematurely.
This is the lay-out he has to concentrate on (if the K is with East, declarer will always make his contract; if both the K and the A are wrong, he will always go down):

S/AllK Q 4 3 
 K 6
7 6 4 3
K 5 4
A 8 7 5
windroosJ 10 9
4 38 2
K 8 2J 10 9 5
Q J 9 8A 7 6 3
 6 2 
A Q J 10 9 7 5
A Q
10 2

It is imperative declarer ducks the lead in dummy to prevent East from gaining the lead in clubs.
- If West continues with a small club the problems are over: South again ducks in dummy, East has to win with the A (to prevent South making the 10) and declarer later discards the Q on dummy's K.
- If West continues with the J (better defence), declarer again ducks in dummy. He ruffs the next club (West has no choice) and at once plays a spade. If the K wins the trick, he crosses to the A and plays another spade. West will probably win with the A and later declarer enters dummy with the K and pitches the Q on the Q.

Why is it imperative for declarer not to cover the lead of the Q with the K? Because if he does cover, East wins with the A and switches to a diamond, forcing declarer to finesse. This way declarer cannot profit from the favourable position of the A.
Why does declarer have to play a spade at once? Because if he draws trumps first and plays spades later, he will be locked in dummy since West will duck the first spade trick.

 

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