Bridge: July 7, 2023

This week’s deals have treated declarer’s play when he must choose among two or more finesses. It’s better to try everything — combine your chances — than to rely on a single chance.

Cover the East-West cards. West leads the jack of spades against four hearts. How will you try for 10 tricks?

Say you win the first spade and draw trumps. At IMP scoring, take the best play for the contract. You can finesse in diamonds by leading to the jack, but only after taking the K-A. You guard against a doubleton queen with East.

OVERTRICK

When the queen falls, you can finesse in clubs for an overtrick. If East’s diamonds were Q-10-9-8, you would finesse in clubs.

At matchpoint duplicate, your play would be different. The contract is “normal” — every pair will reach four hearts — so you would try for the maximum number of tricks: You would take the ace of diamonds and lead to the jack. If the cards lay perfectly, you would make two overtricks, and you would be unlucky to go down.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A 7 2 H J 9 6 2 D K J 5 3 C 5 2. Your partner opens one diamond. The next player bids two spades (preemptive). What do you say?

ANSWER: You could bid three diamonds, but since your most likely game is four hearts, you must try to locate a heart fit. By agreement, a negative double here promises enough strength to compete at the three level, with heart length plus diamond help or clubs. Discuss negative doubles with your partner.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S A 7 2

H J 9 6 2

D K J 5 3

C 5 2

WEST

S J 10 9

H 8 5

D 10 9 7 6

C K 7 6 3

EAST

S K Q 8 4

H 7 3

D Q 8

C J 10 9 8 4

SOUTH

S 6 5 3

H A K Q 10 4

D A 4 2

C A Q

South West North East
1 H Pass 2 H Pass
4 H All Pass
Opening lead — S J

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