How to Play a Finesse

 

How to Play a Finesse

 

A finesse is a technique for taking an extra trick when you are missing an honor card. Consider this trump holding:

North

♠ 543

 

South

♠ AQJT9

 

If you just lead the ace, you will eventually lose a trick to the king unless an opponent holds a singleton king. That’s not too likely. You can increase your chances of taking all the trump tricks by playing a finesse. You start by leading a small spade from North. If East holds the king and plays it now, you take with the ace--mission accomplished. If East plays low, you play the queen. If East holds the king, your queen will win the trick. As long as you have enough entries to the North hand, you can repeat the finesse, playing the jack, ten, and nine if East continues to duck. If West holds the king, your finesse won’t work. Oh well, there are no guarantees, but you have increased your chances of winning all the trump tricks to 50%. That’s better than just leading the ace and hoping an opponent holds the singleton king.

Most finesses are not as neat and clean as this one. Even if you held a weaker holding like this one, you can win two tricks if East holds the king by playing a finesse.

North

♥ 83

 

South

♥ AQ5

 

As before, start by leading a small card from the North hand. If East plays the king, you cover with the ace and your queen is good. If East ducks, you play the queen and hope that West doesn’t hold the king. If he doesn’t, your queen wins the trick, and you will win a trick with the ace. You might still lose a trick to the king later, but you will make 2 tricks from this holding 50% of the time.

Sometimes, you don’t need to worry about entries. If we move the cards around a bit from the first example, we have this holding

North

♠ A43

 

South

♠ QJT95

 

Now, South can lead the queen. If West covers, she takes the ace and the rest of the spades are good. If West holds the king but ducks the queen lead, declarer plays small from the North hand and the queen takes the trick. South is still on lead, and can continue leading the jack to repeat the finesse.

Now, let’s look at a way NOT to finesse. Consider the heart holding from before, but put the ace in the North hand.

North

♥ A3

 

South

♥ Q85

 

Some beginners who have learned a little bit about finessing will lead the queen from South, hoping to trap the king if West holds it. OK, let’s give West the king. South leads the queen. West covers with the king. Declarer takes the ace. Success? Not really. You have only taken one trick with your queen and ace. You could have done that by just playing the ace. Now, you have set up the JT9 in the opponents’ hands. This play is sometimes referred to as the “nothing finesse,” because that is what is accomplished.

Instead, the way to try to get two tricks out of this holding is to lead a small card to the ace. You’ll pick up the singleton king in the rare cases that that happens. When it doesn’t, you have an additional 50% chance to take a second trick by leading a small card from North. If East holds the king, he can take it now, or duck. Either way, your queen will take a trick. If West holds the king, you are out of luck.

Here is another situation that comes up often. You hold these cards:

North

♦ AJT4

 

South

♦ 852

 

You are hoping to make 2 tricks. Here, you lead a small card from South. If West plays the king or queen, you take with the ace. You can force out the queen by playing the jack, and then take the ten. If West plays small, you play the jack. If the jack holds up, you can expect that West holds both the queen and king. If you can get back to the South hand, you can repeat the finesse. You will make 3 tricks from this holding.

It is more likely that the missing honors are split between the two opposing hands. Now, if West ducks the first lead, East will take the jack with his king or queen. When you get back on lead in the South hand, you repeat the finesse, leading toward the ten. If West holds the missing honor, you will cover if he plays it, and you will play the ten if he ducks. You will make at least 2 tricks except for when East holds both of the missing honors. That is better than a 50% chance.

Let’s look at one more example. You hold these cards:

North

♣ K962

 

South

♣ Q43

 

You would like to take a trick with the king and the queen. You start by guessing who holds the ace. Maybe you have a clue from the bidding. Let’s say that West opened the bidding and her partner passed. She is more likely to hold an ace. You lead a small card from South, West ducks, and you play the king from the North hand. It wins. So far, so good. Now, you lead a small card from North and East ducks. Many beginners would play the queen here, but you know that isn’t going to work. You’ve already figured out that West has the ace. Instead, you play another low card from South, hoping that West started with the doubleton ace. Maybe that isn’t too likely, but playing the queen surely isn’t going to get you a second trick. This play is known as the “obligatory finesse.” It is called that because you are obligated to play a small card from the South hand on the second trick.

If you can figure out a way to do it, it would be better to get West to lead the clubs for you. Then, she can either take her ace and set up your queen, or lead small, and you take your queen that way. It is more likely that you will not be able to get her to be so cooperative.