taking your best shot

h 7 5 3

b A Q 6 5

f K Q J

d A 6 3

N

W E

S

h A Q 8

b K 4

f A 10 7 3

d K J 9 5

Source: Bobby Wolff

Dealer: S

Vul: Both

W	N	E	S
			1NT^1
P	4NT	P	6NT
P	P	P

¹ 15-17HCP

Opening Lead: bJ

Contract: 6NT

North’s 4NT bid is quantitative. It asks South to bid 6NT with a maximum, and pass with a minimum notrump opening.

In which suit should South try his first finesse? If you go along with the general principle of playing longer and stronger suits first, look again. Sometimes circumstances dictate exceptions.

How should South proceed?

	h 7 5 3
	b A Q 6 5
	f K Q J
	d A 6 3
h J 9 2	N W E S	h K 10 6 4
b J 10 9 8 3		b 7 2
f 9 8 4		f 6 5 2
d Q 7		d 10 8 4 2
	h A Q 8
	b K 4
	f A 10 7 3
	d K J 9 5

South won his bK, led a club to dummy’s dAce and took a club finesse, losing his dJack to West’s dQ. West exited with another heart and South continued with clubs, trying to split the suit. The suit failed to break and a winning spade finesse was now needed to hold South’s losses to down one.

With ten top winners, South must choose the best possible course to two more tricks. A lucky lie in clubs might produce two more tricks, but before he tries his luck, he should first determine that he needs it.

At trick two, South should cross to dummy in diamonds to try the spade finesse. When this wins, he has a much safer play for one additional club winner. First he plays the dK and dA. If no dQ appears, he leads a third club from dummy towards his Jack. This is about an 85% chance to score three club tricks..

In the actual layout, West’s dQ drops and South can score an overtrick by finessing against East’s d10.

But what if the spade finesse had failed? Then South would have had to play for four club winners to reach a total of twelve tricks, by playing first the dA and then a finesse to South’s dJack.

May 2012 (Bridge Calendar 1997)