20 May 2015

Learn Your Suit Combinations

Consider the following scenario:

You have

AJ843 (North)

K102 (South)

There are three things to consider:

1. The Queen – play for the drop or finesse?

Answer: With a nine-card fit missing the Q, and no help from opponents’ bidding, you would follow basic rules, play the AK in the hope of the Queen dropping. However, with an 8 card fit (as shown), the odds favour playing to finesse the Queen.

2. If you choose the finesse,  which way? Finesse through West or finesse through East?

Answer: If the suits breaks 3-2 then which way you finesse is a pure guess. However, there is an added advantage if the suit breaks 4-1 to finesse through West.

3. Cash cater?

Answer: Cash cater means before you take any finesse for the Queen make sure that you cash a top honour first to cater for any singleton Queen.

The correct play:

1. Cash the King

2. Lead the 10 (to tempt West to cover)

a) If West covers with the Queen, take the Ace. You may have to cross back to South and finesse the 8 if the suit breaks 4-1

b) If West follows low on the lead of the 10 – run it (which means play low from dummy)