BridgeHands

Google BridgeHands

 HOME  Encyclopedia  Newsletter  Laws  Products  Services  Reviews  Tournaments  Blog  Training  Practice   HELP
 You are at:

 

More Declarer Play The Bergen Way

 
 
   
 

Order More Declarer Play here                   Order other Bergen books
Bergenisms - Index to More Declarer Play the Bergen Way


Chapter 6: To Finesse, or Not to Finesse? .......................... 67

 

Chapter 7

The Right Time to Finesse

© 2006 - Marty Bergen


Page 79
The Right Time to Finesse

Appreciating the Nine

Contract: 4
Lead:
J
   North
K Q J 2
K 9 3 2
K 7 4
7 2
     
 
 
       South
A 9 6
A J 5 4
8 3 2

A K 5
   

West   North   East     South

   --        --       Pass     1NT

Pass     2      Pass      2

Pass     4     All Pass

You duck West’s J lead, hoping that East started with AQ doubleton – but he follows with the 5.  West continues with the 6, and East wins his A Q. East then leads the J, which you win with your ace.

Through no fault of your own, you need the rest. Your black suits are solid, so the suit that will “make you or break you” is hearts.

Question 1: If trumps don’t divide 3-2, is there any chance to make the contract?

 

© 2006- Marty Bergen


Page 80
The Right Time to Finesse

Question 1: If trumps don’t divide 3-2, is there any chance to make the contract?

Answer: The only intermediate trump in the N–S hands is dummy’s 9. Therefore, the only 4-1 split you can handle for no loser is a singleton queen with East. Because of the E-W intermediates, in all other cases, you cannot pick up the suit for no losers even if you can see the E-W cards. This is even true if West has a singleton queen. If you are still in doubt, I suggest that you take one suit from a deck of cards and try it out for yourself.

Question 2: Exactly how would you play the trumps?

Once again, I suggest thinking about your answer before reading on.

Answer: With 8 cards missing the queen, it is normal to finesse, as opposed to “playing for the drop.”  If the E-W trumps divide 3-2 and you are lucky enough to find East with the Q, all is well.

However, because of the potential of dummy’s 9, you should start the trumps from the North hand.  You’ll need to get to the board, so begin by leading a spade to dummy’s king.

© 2006- Marty Bergen


Page 81
The Right Time to Finesse

Then lead the 2, intending to finesse your jack, and hope for the best. However, when East plays the Q, you win the ace and cash the J. As expected, East shows out. It is then child’s play to lead through West’s 10 8 to dummy’s K 9.

Once all the trumps are drawn, you can easily win the last four tricks with three spade winners and the K.

Contract: 4
Lead:
J
   North
K Q J 2
K 9 3 2
K 7 4
7 2
     West
10 7
10 8 7 6
J 10 9 6
Q 8 6
     East
8 5 4 3
Q
A Q 5
J 10 9 4 3
 
       South
A 9 6
A J 5 4
8 3 2

A K 5
   

By the way: If you had foolishly played dummy’s K at trick 1, you’d go down! E-W could then play four rounds of diamonds. When East ruffed the fourth round with his Q, you couldn’t shut out West’s 10.
 

© 2006- Marty Bergen


Chapter 8: YOU Can Execute an Endplay ......................... 87


HOME  Encyclopedia  Newsletter  Laws  Products  Services  Reviews  Tournaments  Blog  Training Practice Links HELP
Contacts: Sales  Support  Reviews  Q&A    Disclaimer    Privacy    © 2005 BridgeHands   Updated 01/22/11