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Updated 16th August 2026 |
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Answer to Hand of the week,
week commencing
Sunday 29th January 2012
Plan your play in 3NT after the ♦8 lead with East following with the
♦10 at trick One
♠ A K 3
♥ A J 10 5
♦ 6 5 4
♣ Q J 6
♠ J 4 ♠ Q 10 8 6 5
♥ 8 7 4 2
♥ K 6 3
♦ A Q 9 8 7 3
♦ 10 ♣ 2 ♣ 10 8 7 5
♠ 9 7 2
♥ Q 9
♦ K J 2
♣ A K 9 4 3
W
N
E
S
1NT
NO
3NT
NO
NO
NO
On this hand it is very tempting to think about
finessing the Heart Queen. However this is totally unnecessary as you have 9 tricks
at trick one after winning the Jack. (1 Diamond, 5 Clubs, assuming Clubs to be
no worse than 4:1, 2 Spades and 1 Heart) If you do finesse and it fails you run
the risk that East will get in and fire a Diamond through and you could go off,
losing 4 quick Diamond tricks. From the cards played at trick one you know that West
has all the remaining high Diamonds and must have led from an original holding
of AQ98 in Diamonds (Rule of 11 Says 11-8 =3 and you can account for all three
at trick one seeing the K J in your hand and the 10 in East) If West has the
©K
he might have overcalled with 2¨
if he holds Five Diamonds headed by the AQ and a
King sitting over the 1NT bidder. So I would refrain from taking the Heart
finesse and cash the 9 tricks. As the cards lie East had a
singleton Diamond and would not be able to return a Diamond but this
irresponsible Heart finesse is just not good bridge. You can also view
watch the following movie to see how the hand pans out. (You need bridgvu.exe
programme or BridgeBase programme on your machine already to view it ) and
it is available free from
http://www.haroldschogger.com/videos.htm alternatively watch the film
www.haroldschogger.com/movies2.htm