The successful declarer will look for ways to avoid
finessing. Here is an example where one finesse is better than
two..
Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)
Hand #30
Dlr
N
Vul
N/S
A87
KQ872
J42
87
Q96
5
Q10983
KJ42
10542
96
K765
653
KJ3
AJ1043
A
AQ109
West
North
East
South
Pass
Pass
1
Pass
2NT*
Pass
6
All Pass
*Heart raise
BIDDING: North's
passed-hand jump to 2NT showed a five-card heart raise with 10-12
support
points. South felt there must be a good play for slam and
promptly bid it.
PLAY: With no attractive
lead, West finally decided on the ten of diamonds. Declarer saw
that the hand offered several ways to succeed. There was the
spade finesse and the club finesse. Or two finesses in the club
suit could work. Playing East for any two honors offered a 75%
line of play. However, examining the problem more closely,
declarer saw a better play. After winning the diamond ace he went
to dummy with a trump to ruff a diamond in his hand. Another
heart to dummy drew the last trump and then he ruffed dummy's last
diamond. Now a spade to the ace and a low club to his queen left
West in a bad situation. He had to either lead a black suit into
the South hand or lead a diamond providing a "sluff and ruff" for
declarer. Either way, South had his twelfth trick.
Note that declarer could have played a club to his nine or ten instead
but playing to the queen gave him a chance to make seven if the club
king and the spade queen were both in the East hand. This was a
pairs event so overtricks were important.
