Andrew:

Retaining a Finesse Position

(i)		(ii)
♦ A 6 5 3		♣ Q 10 3 2
---------		-----------
♦ KJ942		♣ A K 5 4

In (i) the Finesse or Drop Test tells you that the best odds play (albeit marginally) is to cash the two top cards and hope for ♦ Q to drop. Does it matter whether you cash ♦ A or ♦ K first?

An emphatic yes! You should cash ♦ A first – to preserve your finessing options should the suit lie like this:

	♦ A 6 5 3
♦ -	======	♦ Q 10 8 7
	♦ K J 9 4 2

After ♦ A, ♦ 7, ♦ 2, discard, you can lead ♦ 3 to (♦ 8 and) ♦ 9, cross back and then lead ♦ 5 to (♦ 10 and) ♦ J. ♦ K fells ♦ Q and you have scooped up the suit for no losers.

Note that if both opponents follow low under ♦ A and East follows low on the second round, the odds slightly favour rising with ♦ K. Also note that you would also cash ♦ A first with:

♦ A 6 5 3 2

----------

♦ K J 9 4

overriding the Unblocking Rule [high from shorter length; low from longer length]. In (ii) above you are hoping (and expecting) ♣ J to drop in three rounds, However it costs nothing to retain the ♣ Q10 finesse position. You should cash ♣ AK to the two rounds. This will be necessary if the layout is like this:

	♣ Q 10 3 2
♣ J 9 8 6	-----------	♣ 7
	♣ A K 5 4

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South Deals
None Vul

♠	8 4
♥	9 5 2
♦	A 6 4 2
♣	K 10 3 2

♠	K J 9 6 2
♥	Q 10 3
♦	Q
♣	J 9 8 6

N
W		E
S

♠	Q 10 7 3
♥	A 8 6 4
♦	10 9 7 5
♣	7

♠	A 5
♥	K J 7
♦	K J 8 3
♣	A Q 5 4

West	North	East	South
			1 ♦
1 ♠	2 ♦	3 ♠1	3 NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

Raising preemptively to the level of the spade fit (nine spades = bid for nine tricks).

3 NT by South

Lead: ♠ 6

On our 3 NT deal, declarer won a second spade with the ace. Needing all four tricks from each minor, he tested (say) clubs by cashing ♣ AQ first, to retain ♣ K10 finesse position in case West held ♣ J98x [nothing he could do if East held ♣ J98x]. East duly discarded on the second, so he led a third club to the (nine and) ten.

Without cashing the king of clubs (he might –would – need the dummy entry), declarer turned to diamonds, cashing the ace to retain his ♦ KJ(8). When West’s queen dropped, he could lead to his eight if East played low. East inserted the nine, however so declarer won the jack, West discarding. He crossed to the king of clubs and led a third diamond to the (seven and) eight and cashed the king. Nine tricks and game made.

Note that the first-round finesse of the jack of diamonds would yield just two tricks in the suit (ace-king); cashing the ace first yielded all four.

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Andrew:

Retaining a Finesse Position

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