Pat Harrington
In previous articles, we’ve learned about how dangerous our opponents are. Sometimes only one opponent is dangerous, sometimes it’s both, and sometimes neither opponent is particularly threatening. We’ve learned to diminish the threat of a dangerous opponent by holding up on the opening lead or by playing to keep the danger hand off lead. Let’s see how “keep away” works on the next two deals.
♠ 10 6 4
♥ 10 7
♦ 9 7 3 2
♣ A J 6 5
♠ A K Q
♥ A 8 2
♦ A K 5
♣ K 10 9 2
You are South, playing 3NT. West leads the ♥5. East plays the ♥Q. Count winners — three spades, one heart, two diamonds and two clubs. You need one more trick. The best place to do that is in clubs. A winning finesse can be repeated to make an overtrick, but even a losing finesse works. The only concern is that a defender will win the ♣Q and run enough hearts to set you. Holding up on winning the ♥A can create a safe opponent.
You aren’t sure from the lead how hearts split, but it’s reasonable to assume that West started with four or five of them. If the missing hearts split 4–4, there is nothing to fear.
The most the defenders can win is three hearts and the ♣Q. A holdup play caters to a 5–3 or 6–2 heart split. Let the defenders win the first two heart tricks. It is now safe to let East gain the lead, which tells you how to play clubs. You have a two-way finesse for the ♣Q and should finesse to keep the dangerous opponent, West, off lead. Finesse West for the ♣Q. You should make 3NT whether the finesse wins or loses.
Here’s the complete deal. Notice that you actually guessed the ♣Q correctly, but you would still have made your contract if the finesse had lost to East. Finessing clubs the other way leads to declarer’s demise. The defenders win four hearts and the ♣Q.
| ♠ 10 6 4 | ||
| ♥ 10 7 | ||
| ♦ 9 7 3 2 | ||
| ♣ A J 6 5 | ||
| ♠ J 7 2 | ♠ 9 8 5 3 | |
| ♥ K J 9 5 4 | ♥ Q 6 3 | |
| ♦ 10 6 | ♦ Q J 8 4 | |
| ♣ Q 7 4 | ♣ 8 3 | |
| ♠ A K Q | ||
| ♥ A 8 2 | ||
| ♦ A K 5 | ||
| ♣ K 10 9 2 |
Now try this one. You are South, playing 3NT. West leads the ♣5. East plays the ♣J.
♠ A K Q 3
♥ 5 4
♦ A J 9
♣ 10 6 4 2
♠ 7 6
♥ K 6 3
♦ K 10 8 5 2
♣ A K 9
Winners are three spades, two clubs and two diamonds. Two more tricks must be developed in diamonds. Is there any concern about losing the lead? You decide the safe way to play diamonds. Finesse East for the ♦Q, although you don’t need it to win to make 3NT.
The important thing is that West, if he wins the ♦ Q, cannot hurt you in any suit.
Here is the complete deal. If you finesse diamonds the other way, East will have no trouble switching to the ♥Q. Your ♥ K will be trapped and 3NT goes down.
| ♠ A K Q 3 | ||
| ♥ 5 4 | ||
| ♦ A J 9 | ||
| ♣ 10 6 4 2 | ||
| ♠ 10 8 2 | ♠ J 9 5 4 | |
| ♥ A 8 7 2 | ♥ Q J 10 9 | |
| ♦ 6 | ♦ Q 7 4 3 | |
| ♣ Q 8 7 5 3 | ♣ 7J | |
| ♠ 7 6 | ||
| ♥ K 6 3 | ||
| ♦ K 10 8 5 2 | ||
| ♣ A K 9 |
Don’t get the wrong idea from these examples. You guessed the queen each time, but that was not your main objective. You could afford to lose a trick to the queen as long as it was lost to the safe opponent. You would still have made 3NT if West had held the ♦Q.