Unlucky Louie asked me if a defense signal can affect the odds of a finesse winning.
In a penny game, Louie had bet on today’s slam. West led the queen of trumps and Louie took the KA. East threw ten clubs.
“I led the king and a second diamond next,” Louie said, “and West folded. When I took dummy’s queen, I could finesse either hearts or clubs for my 12th trick. East’s ten of clubs seemed to say he had the king, so I led a heart to my jack – and went down. West had the club king all along. Didn’t East’s signal change the odds?”
BOOK
Not in theory. Louie could have discarded the KA of hearts with club finesse in reserve unless the queen fell. But his best play is to continue with dummy’s Ace of Diamonds and hit his Jack of Clubs. He then walks out with a trump card.
If West leads a heart, Louie gets a free trick. If West leads a club, Louie can play dummy’s queen, and if East has the king, Louie can scramble and finesse hearts.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: SK 6 3 HK 5 4 DAQ 10 6 3 CA Q. You open a diamond, your partner bids a heart, you jump to 2NT and he tries three spades. What are you saying?
ANSWER: If partner had AQ42,Q1082,J5,987, he would have no reason to bid spades; he could comfortably raise your 2NT to 3NT. His second bid warns of notrump and asks if you can support his first suit. Invite four hearts. Partner may have slam ambitions.
Southern Dealer
NS vulnerable
NORTH
SK 6 3
HK 5 4
DAQ 10 6 3
CAQ
WEST
SQJ 10
HQ 10 8
D 7
CK 8 6 5 3 2
EAST
S 5
H 6 3 2
DJ 9 8 5 2
C 10 9 7 4
SOUTH
SA 9 8 7 4 2
SHARK 9 7
DK 4
CJ
South West North East
1 S Pass 3 D Pass
3 S Passes 3 NT Passes
4 H Passes 4 S Passes
6 S All Pass
Opening Conduct — SQ
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