INTERMEDIATE BRIDGE COURSE

PLAY OF THE HAND

LESSON 3‑B

THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRICKS: (Cont.)

C. THE FINESSE : The attempt to gain power for lower ranking cards by taking advantage of a presumed favorable position of higher ranking cards held by the opponents. The process is based upon the idea of leading toward the card(s) you hope will take a trick. It will be successful 50% of the time.

Exercise 1: To avoid losing a trick to an honor missing from a tenace holding.

DUMMY: AQX AKJ KJX AKJXX (8 Ever - 9 Never)

DECLARER: XXX XXX AX XXX

Exercise 2: To gain a trick with lower ranking cards.

DUMMY: XX QXX XXX

DECLARER: KX AXX QXX

Exercise 3: To prepare for a second finesse in the same suit.

DUMMY: AJ10 AK109 AJ9

DECLARER: XXX XXX XXXX

Exercise 4: Repeated finesses. If successful will yield more tricks than via a simple promotion.

DUMMY: KQX AQJ

DECLARER: XXX XXX

Exercise 5: The development of a long suit via a combined promotion of high cards and the

simple finesse. Combining these ideas, how many tricks might be developed in each

of the following combinations, assuming the location of the missing high card(s)

and the division of the missing cards are as favorable as possible.

DUMMY: QXX KQXX KXXXX AQJXX XXXX

DECLARER: AXXXX XXXX XXX XXX AKJXX

4 3 3 5 4

Conclusion: Extra tricks can be developed by combining the finesse with the development of long suits.

Just how many tricks capable of being taken is dependent upon the location of the high

cards and the division of the missing cards of the suit between the opponents.

- 6 -

Exercise 6: The choice of leading towards the high card or of leading the high card itself. In each of

the following combinations, how would you play each of the following card combinations

so as to achieve the maximum number of tricks?

DUMMY: AXX J109 QX QJXX JX

DECLARER: QJ10 AKXX AXX AXX AQ109

Conclusion: One should lead the high card itself instead of leading toward the high card only when you

have most of the high card strength and when you don't mind if the opponent COVERS your

high card with a higher card. To do so will have the effect of attempting to trap the missing

high card held by the opposition. Otherwise, lead toward the higher card.

Exercise 7: The deep finesse ‑ a finessing technique used when two or more high cards are missing

higher in rank than the card finessed.

DUMMY: AQ10 XXX AJ9

DECLARER: XXX KJ10 XXX

Finesse the 10 Finesse the 10 Finesse the 9

and presume the and presume the and presume the

K or K/J on the left Q or Q/A on the right K/10 or Q/10 on the left

Conclusion: When you are leading towards high cards, two of the honors are missing, and you have a

choice of cards to play, play the lower card first.

- 7 -