Bridge Bites

BRIDGE BITES #10

PRACTICE FINESSE

Brian Gunnell

The humble finesse is the first thing we learn, and we also learn that some finesses win, some lose. Later we learn that some finesses are purely for practice and serve no useful purpose. Here is a case in point.

As South you open 1♠, and your left-hand opponent jumps in with a jump overcall to 2NT. What does this bid mean?

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The standard interpretation for that bid is that it shows the two lower unbid suits, so in this case the minors. It’s called the Unusual No Trump, though not so unusual any more, just about everybody plays it. It should be at least 5-5, and is generally a preemptive effort, with the emphasis on distribution rather than high-card strength.

Anyway, the bidding proceeds apace, and soon you find yourself in 6♠, after this auction:

Both Vulnerable

South West North East

1♠ 2NT Dbl 5♣

Pass Pass 6♠ Pass

Pass Pass

♠ QJ965

♥ KJ97

♦ A2

♣ AQ

        Dummy

West            East

       Declarer

♠ AKT72

♥ AT8

♦ 765

♣ 42

West leads a Club, your job is to make 12 tricks. What is your plan?

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A Diamond loser is unavoidable, so you must guess the whereabouts of the ♥Q if this slam is to make. And then there is the small matter of the Club suit. Do you take the finesse?

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