On many occasions when you are declarer the success of your contract would depend on a successful finesse. Sometimes declarer has a choice between
finesses. He has to decide which finesse to take (or whether to take a finesse at all...)
Test yourselves with the hands below, and see if you can choose the right finesse:
Start the test now!
1. You play 3NT, and West leads the ♠Q.
Which finesse do you take, if any?
You play 3NT, and West leads the ♠Q.
You have 7 tricks and you need to get another 2 from the red suits.
Take the heart finesse first! If it fails, you must get 4 Diamond tricks. Take the diamond finesse and hope for the ♦Q with West and diamonds splitting 3-3.
If the heart finesse works, you need only 3 Diamond tricks. In this case you must take the safety play, to avoid losing two Diamond tricks. Taking the diamond finesse here will make you lose two diamond tricks. Play ♦A, then a diamond to the ♦K.
As cards lay here, the ♦Q drops and 9 tricks are guarenteed. But even if the ♦Q doesn't drop, you can play a third diamond to the ♦J. You will make the ♦J if West has ♦Qxxx or if Diamonds are 3-3.
In other words, taking the heart finesse before touching diamonds will help you decide how to play the Diamond suit later on.
2. You play 4♠ on a Diamond lead.
Which finesse do you take, if any?
Win with the ♦AK (throw club) and play a heart to the ♥K.
If you try the spade finesse instead, you will need much more than 50%, because, even if it works, you need to hope for a 2-2 split, as you have no entry to repeat the finesse.
As cards lay here, both finesses succeed, but trying spade finesse – You will still lose to the ♠K and 2 heart tricks. While playing a heart to the ♥K (has 50% chance) limits your heart losers to one.
3. You play 4♠ and West leads the ♥4.
Which finesse do you take, if any?
You play 4♠. West leads the ♥4.
From the lead and bidding, everything is clear: Points are about 12-6 with your opponents.
West does not have ♣AK (nor ♣KQ, else he would have lead a club), and he has one heart honor (with ♥KQ, North would
lead the ♥K).
This means East has ♣K + a Heart honor, and West has the rest of the top honors. So the ♠Q is surely with West, and you need to finesse West instead of playing for the drop.
4. You play 3NT and West leads the ♥Q.
Which finesse do you take?
You are playing 3NT and West lead the ♥Q. West is the dangerous hand, as he holds long hearts, so it is important to knock out his entry as early as possible, in case both finesses fail.
Win the ♥K and finesse diamonds. West will win and play hearts, but you hold up, win the third heart and then finesse clubs. The finesse fails, but East has no more hearts and you have 9 tricks: 2♠, 2♥, 2♦ and 3♣.
If West tries to get smart and ducks the ♦K – switch to clubs – You have your 9 tricks even if the club finesse fails (as the ♦J won a trick).
5. You play 4♥ and West leads ♠AK and a third spade. You ruff, play club to dummy and try the heart finesse. West wins with the ♥K, and continues with the ♣J.
How do you plan to avoid a diamond loser?
You play 4♥ and West leads ♠AK and a third spade. You ruff, play club to dummy and try the heart finesse. West wins with the ♥K and continues with the ♣J.
Stop and count! West is a passed hand and you saw him already with 11 points: ♠AK, ♥K and ♣J. This means the ♦Q must be with East. So... Win the ♦K and finesse diamonds to your ♦
10.
6. You play 4♥ and West leads the ♦K.
Which finesse do you take, if any?
You play 4♥ and West lead the ♦K. You need to try to avoid giving the hand to East, as a spade from him might set the contract (and that will happen if you try club finesse).
The way to avoid East is to let the ♦K win the 1st trick! Win whatever West continues. Draw trumps, throw club on the ♦A, and continue with ♣A and another club, performing a ruffing finesse on East. Ruff East's ♣K, go back to dummy on hearts and throw 2 spades on dummy's clubs. Note that even if the ♣K is with West - you are still safe (as the ♠K protects you), losing ♣K + 1 more spade trick (you throw one spade before losing to the ♣K, and later 2 more spades on the promoted clubs).
7. You play 3♠ and West leads ♦AK, then switches to a low club. East wins the ♣J, cashes ♣A and continues with a spade.
Do you try the finesse, or play for the drop?
You play 3♠ and West leads ♦AK, then switches to a low club. East wins the ♣J, cashes ♣A and continues with a spade.
Do you try the finesse, or play for the drop?
NOTE! If East has ♠Qxx, all he has to do is play a third club, forcing you to ruff in dummy, and thus making sure you can no longer finesses spade...
So... East is tempting you to make a mistake. Just play ♠AK and drop West's ♠Qx.
8. You play 3NT and West leads the ♠10. How do you plan to play the Heart suit?
You play 3NT and West leads the ♠10. You ask East about the lead and he explains that a 10 lead can be either Top of nothing OR 2 higher cards than the 10. So realizing that the ♠Q is surely with East (if the 10 lead means the 9 + a higher honor – try to play the ♠J), you play a low spade from dummy (maybe East has Q or Qx).
Win in hand and play ♣KQ. When all follow, play the ♣J to the ♣A and continue with a heart to the ♥9. West wins the ♥K and continues with another spade.
Win and play the ♣6 to your ♣7 in dummy. Play another heart and finesse to the ♥J for your 9th trick. If you lose 2 heart tricks, you would need to hope to drop the ♠Q.
9. You play 6NT on a Diamond lead. Which finesse(s) you do you take?
You play 6NT on a diamond lead. You have 11 tricks. To maximize your chances, play a low heart to the ♥J.
If the ♥Q is with West, the ♥J will be your 12th trick.
If the ♥J loses to the ♥Q, you can still try to drop the ♥10 by playing ♥AK (as happens here).
Finally, if this doesn't work either, you can try the spade finesse (or a Heart-Spade squeeze) as your last option.
10. Against 4♥, West leads a trump. Which finesse do you take?
Against 4♥, West lead a trump.
If you run the ♠J for a finesse – you will lose to the ♠K, and then you lose 2 more diamonds after a ♦J switch. You will also lose 1 club trick later on.
So... Draw trumps and play a LOW spade from dummy to your ♠J. If East wins and plays a diamond – you will lose 2 diamonds and one spade, but you will be able to throw 2 clubs on your promoted spades. If East plays low – win the ♠J, which means you will not lose a spade trick. Also, if the ♠K is with West, your ♦K will protect you from losing 2 diamond tricks and you will be able to throw a diamond loser on one of the spades later on.
