[rmnka447]

This hand came up in a club game. It looks to be a good instructional hand for newer players.

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The opening lead was 2 ♣ and the first trick went:


♣ 2, ♣ 9, ♣ 10, ♣ A


As South, how do you play the hand to make 4 ♥? (Novices and Beginner replies only)

[rmnka447]

Hint:

Spoiler

What fortuitous lie of the cards might help you make this hand?

[rmnka447]

Answer:

Spoiler

After the opening lead, it looks like you have to lose at least 1 ♦ trick and 2 ♣ tricks no matter what. Making game seems to depend on the ♠ finesse working. But even if the ♠ finesse works, you could still might go down if trump break 3-0.

Since you have to decide about how you will play before you make the first play on trumps. Your only clue is that LHO (West) has overcalled 2 ♦ and would seem to be more likely to have a void in trump, if any exists. Accordingly, you lead low from hand and are relieved to see West follow with ♥ Q which you capture in the Dummy with the ♥ A, East following. You lead a trump back to hand winning with ♥ K capturing East's remaining trump.

Now what?

You could now go to Dummy with the ♠ A and finesse the ♠ J on the following trick.

But it doesn't hurt to stop and think about whether there is any possible lay of the cards that would make it possible to avoid the ♠ finesse. You originally held 4 ♣ in hand and 3 ♣ were in dummy. If ♣ happen to break 3-3, you would be able to pitch a ♠ from Dummy on the 4th ♣ and avoid the finesse altogether. West did start with a low ♣ at trick 1 indicating 3 or 4 ♣, so that fits with the possibility of a 3-3 break.

The next step is to work out whether you can be forced to take the ♠ finesse before you know if ♣ break 3-3. If you immediately play a ♣ from hand and East wins and tries to lead ♠ through your hand, you can win in Dummy with the ♠ A and play a third round of ♣. If one player show out on the 3rd round of ♣, you are left with taking the ♠ finesse to make the contract. But if both follow, you can play you remaining high ♠ and pitch Dummy's last ♠ on your long ♣, if East gets in and tries to lead a second ♠ through you to force the finesse.

This hand is about combining chances.

If the hand appears to come down to making a particular play, if it doesn't hurt your chance of making that play, then it's often right to postpone making that play til as late as you can. That way you might get more information about the hand or may be able to look for other possibilities to make the hand.

It's also about not getting fixated on a particular play. My partner, an intermediate player who played the hand, got so fixated on the finesse that she missed the fact that ♣broke 3-3 when the opponents gave her a favorable defense playing the 2nd and 3rd rounds of ♣ for her. Unfortunately, the ♠ finesse failed.

[helene_t]

An alternative plan:

Spoiler

Assuming that West leads high-of-doubleton and wouldn't underlead an honour sequence, and assuming that E plays third-hand-high, the lead must be either a singleton or specifically from K52. Given that E didn't double the 3♦ bid, W must have quite good diamonds, so I don't think he would lead from K52. So I will think about how I can make it if the lead is a singleton.

I draw trumps and play a small diamond from the hand. W need strong nerves to play low as he won't know that the Jack won't hold the trick otherwise. He plays a diamond back. Given that he made a 2-level overcall and is short in clubs, there's a decent chance that he has ♠Q. So I cash two spades and exit. Hopefully W wins and will have to concede a ruff-and-discard.