AUCTION BRIDGE

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1737, 14 May 1930, Page 6

AUCTION BRIDGE

. LESSON XIV. Written by S3. N. Lythgo. (Special to the Alexandra Herald.) [Copyright.] A finesse is an attempt by Declarer to win a trick with a card lower than a.card of the same suit held by one of the opponents. Nearly every deal necessitates a finesse in some form or other if the maximum number of tricks are to be won. Many ladies are afraid to finesse for fear they will lose something. Except when losing

a finesse would- mean the defeat of the contract or loss of game, it should always be taken. Have the cards of one suit handy, and arrange them as shown in the following examples. Only the necessary cards will be given, but it must be understood that you may hold more when you arc playing. The simplest finesse is when you hold Ace, Queen in one hand; and X.X. in the other. Leading the Ace and then the Queen will give you ,one trick. By leading a small card towards the Ace, Queen and playing the Queen, you have an even chance of making two tricks. If the King is on the left of the Ace, Queen, you lose; if on the right, you gain. So 'that by_finessing ..you must win 50 per cent of the times, and lose nothing. ' Holding Ace, King, Jack, you should finesse to catch the Queen by leading towards the high cards and ,playing tiie Jack. If the Queen falls on the Jack, don't be annoyed or say you never win a finesse.

In the above examples, only one lead was necessary for the finesse, but two or more leads are frequently necessary before a card can be captured. Holding.Ace, Queen, Jack in one hand, it would be necessary, to lead twice towards the high cards before the King could be captured. Lead, and play the Jack. If it takes the trick, you. must get the lead in the other hand,to lead the suit, and then play, the Queen., Ace, Queen and 10;. Ace, Jack, 10; and King, Jack, 10 would be finessed in the same manner. ..'>..'

In the. above examples, all the honors have been in one hand, and the examples should be quite clear. When the honors are divided the examples are a little more different. Holding Ace in one hand and King 7 Jack in the other, or Ace, Jack in one hand and King in the other, the best method is to finesse towards the hand containing the two honors but lead the "Ace or King first. The -Queen may be a singleton, in one. hand, so play one high card, then lead again,and play the Jack. Even when: Ace, King, Jack are held in one hand, you should lead'the Ace, then finesse. Of course, this cannot be done every vtiine —you may not be-able to get the lead from the other hand again; but do it whenever possible. , . Finessing.—The bracketed card is the one to lead. When two cards are bracketed, whenever possible lead the highest first, then the other. . ,A.Q.X X.X.(X.)< ...--■ ? "■• ■ (A.)K.J. .. X.X.(X.) '. " A.Q.J. X.X.(X.) twice ' ••".. A.J.10. X.X.(X.) twice K.J.10. ' X.X.(X) twice* * ICJ.X. , x:x.(X.) twice - I ' ' A.J.X. (K.)X.(X.) ' K.J.X. (A ; )X.(X.) K.X.X. ' (J.)10.X. A.X.X. ' (Q.) J.X. twice A.X.X. (Q.)J.10.» twice ■' K.Q.X. X.X.(X.) (Af)X : ..(x.) q.x;x.'- . /•'■■■ •? :.;"- K.X.X. X.X.{X.) : ••■ \ - Q.J.X. X.X.(X.) Tlie last four "are not' finesse, but are given to show how to play. Holding, Ace, King,. Jack, and six or more cards -in the suit, do not finesse to catch the Queen, Lead Ace, then King, and the Queen will usually fall on the second round,,