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Posted on Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 5 a.m.

Bridge column, July 4: Finessing can be done in reverse

By Philip Alder

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That well-known humorist A.N. Onymous said, "Too many people confine their exercise to jumping to conclusions, running up bills, stretching the truth, bending over backward, lying down on the job, sidestepping responsibility and pushing their luck."

One of those words is relevant to this Independence Day deal. West leads the diamond king against four hearts. How should South plan the play?

After West opened one no-trump, showing 15-17 points, South and North pushed into game.

South faces a potential loser in each suit. But since only 15 high-card points are missing, he knows that West has them all.

South wins the first trick and plays a heart to his ace. If both opponents follow suit, another heart lead would endplay West. He could cash the diamond queen, but then would have to sacrifice a trick whatever he did. Here, though, West takes the second heart, cashes the diamond queen, and exits safely with his last trump, East discarding diamonds.

South wins in his hand and plays a club to dummy's king. West takes the next club and leads his last club. How can South avoid a spade loser?

West is known to have the queen. But he will not have a doubleton -- why not?

Because if East had five spades, he would have run from one no-trump into two spades.

South must try a backward finesse. He ruffs the third club and leads his spade jack, running it if West does not cover. Or, if West does cover, declarer wins with dummy's king, then plays a spade to his eight, hoping that East has the 10.

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COPYRIGHT: 2013, UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE
DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSAL UCLICK FOR UFS

Comments

arunb

Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 2:01 p.m.

A simpler line of play would be - win the diamond Ace and play back a diamond. West must win and can return a heart safely. Now play HA and heart back. Now any return gives the contract. The H10 can be anywhere.

arunb

Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 2:02 p.m.

Sorry - meant it to be S10 and not H10.