TIP OF THE MONTH

AS A DEFENDER, DUCK WHEN DECLARER TAKES A REPEATABLE FINESSE

Andrew Robson

A defender who can anticipate how the declarer is going to play a hand is a dangerous defender indeed. Accurate anticipation is in part a product of experience and intuition, but there are certain situations that can easily be learnt.

Take a situation in which declarer has a repeatable finessing position. If he takes a winning finesse, he is sure to want to repeat the finesse. Look at the diamonds on this month’s deal:

Dealer: South. N/S Vul.       A 8 6   7 5   A Q J 4 2   J 6 5   J 9 4 2 J 10 9 8 9 7 A 9 4 10 7 6 4 3 2 K 10 8 3 K 10 3     K Q 5 3   A K Q   6 5   Q 8 7 2

Playing teams, the auction proceeds:

West	North	East	South
			1
Pass	2	Pass	2NT
Pass	31	Pass	3NT
End

1 Showing his delayed (i.e. three-card) support, and offering a choice of games

Declarer won West’s J lead with the Q, and led the 5 to dummy’s J. Say East wins with the K – and returns the 3. Declarer wins the K, plays to dummy’s Q, cashes the A, and concedes the 2 to East’s 10. East plays the 6 to declarer’s ace and declarer crosses to the A, cashes the 4, then returns to the K-Q. Nine tricks.

However, anticipating that declarer will repeat the diamond finesse, East smoothly ducked the J at trick two (key play). Declarer crossed back to his Q, and led the 6 to the Q. This time East won his K – and led the 3. Declarer won the K, crossed to the A, and cashed the A hoping for an even split.

It was not to be. West discarded a club, so dummy’s diamonds were dead (for the lack of an entry to return to them after conceding the fourth round). Declarer was left hoping that the missing spades were split 3-3. He cashed the K but, when East discarded a club, he was unable to make any more tricks apart from the A. Down one.

Footnote: Against this wily East, declarer should have taken the precaution of ducking the first diamond altogether. Now try defeating 3NT!