Bridge Problem

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 250, 21 October 1944, Page 5 (Supplement)

Bridge Problem

THE BACKWARD FINESSE

Don't Always Try To Trap The King

(By BRUCE C. BELL)

POSSIBLY the most common error of the Bridge tyro is met with in the field of finessing. _ In their approach to the game, beginners aie taught that if they have a queen in one hand and an ace in the other, "they should lead the queen in and if it is not covered by the adverse king let it run in the hope of not losing any tricks in the suit.

This is all very well and is unquestionably correct when the queen is backed up by the jack and the 10. But we have a horse of an entirely different colour when the queen is i unsupported. For obviously if the queen is played in these circumstances and the king covers it, the ace must be played and there are no high ranking cards left to control the suit. In these circumstances the correct method of tackling the suit is to lead up to the queen—not from it. •

Obviously, if you had the Iv x in dummy and x x in your own hand, you would not lead the king or the small card from dummy, as you would lose two tricks, but,, on the other hand, if you lead a small card from your own hand up to the king you will make a trick every time the ace lies in front of the king, while you will lose two tricks only when the ace lies over the king. For an exactly similar reason you should always lead up to the queen when lit is unsupported by other high ranking cards. Take last week's example:—

South correctly played the hand at three no trumps and West led the 2 of clubs. East put up his king and Declarer took the trick with the ace, as there was no object in holding it off.

Now South went over to dummy with the ace of spades and played the queen of diamonds. When East played low the queen was allowed to run and West gathered in the king. Declarer was left with no prospect whatsoever of taking any trick outside his honour cards and submitted to defeat in a contract that should have been assured.

At the ooening lead, South should have counted his winners—two in clubs, one in diamonds, two in hearts and three in spades, a total of eight certain. And apart from the diffuse possibility of a squeeze,_ the only chance of a ninth trick is in diamonds.

After winning the first trick South should lay down the ace of diamonds and lead a small diamond up to the queen. If the king is in East's hand he is light anyhow. But fortunately West holds the king, and East later must make his queen of diamonds and, in consequence thereof, his contract.

Next Week's Hand This hand was dealt at rubber Bridge and played at three no trumps by South.

West led the 5 of clubs; East playing the queen of clubs, which South permitted to hold the trick. Next East played the king of clubs and again South played low, West discarding the 3. Now East switched to the 7 of diamonds, South played the 6, West the 9, and dummy took the triek with the queen. How would you play the hand if you were Declarer?