I suspect the sequence of play in column line contains unexplained subtleties, probably due to column length restrictions.

That is, once one stakes everything on spades being 3 – 3 as the column states, simply beginning trump from hand instead of ruffing the club to lead the first trump from the board also produces ten tricks: four spades, one club, and five diamonds.

Ruffing the club does seem to add some small extra chances, however. For example, the JD might be a singleton, limiting declarer to four diamond tricks (suit blocks). Or, East might rise with the AS holding Ax and the defense might be unable to prevail (e.g., East might have KQ hearts doubleton). Potentially, the club ruff might drop the JC tripleton, which might help on some layouts.

Hi Jim,Maybe by ruffing the second club declarer caters for Jxxx break in diamonds,and the extra chance of JC coming down in three rounds as you so rightly mentioned..the 10C has a role to play,so you have 4S,3D,3C tricks..no doubt I stand to be corrected by our host..regards~Patrick.

Hi Jim2 & Patrick,

I think the club finesse might help in several variations. One, which I would suspect if and when the initial club finesse loses, I would expect a club to come flying back so that with spades 3-3 the defense can duck the first spade, setting the stage, for taking defensive club trick(s) after the next round of trumps.

Of course, the club 10 with declarer will deny that miss adventure, but if East leads a low club back (anyone but the 8) West should get his hopes up. By his leading the four East seemed to understand his responsibility, but, at least to me, I would put my faith in the eight, not the four.

Also please remember, that these hands are both played and defended by mere human beings, not being walking bridge computers (who is?) and without taking ten minutes or more before every play, when problems arise, all defensive possibilities are not often seen clearly.

Because of that above fact, many hands are only somewhat guessed, albeit by different types of analytical talent with that range varying greatly.

The only state of wonder, at least to me, is why West upon winning the king of clubs did not lead one back, playing partner for the ten.

However, I may, like others, may be missing something critical, but at some point plays need to be made, even if all the huge number of possibilities have not all been uncovered.

Thanks for pursuing this analysis, but then I may add to that, I think!

Patrick –

The chance of Jxxx of diamonds and J-third of clubs was one of the layouts to which my last sentence referred.

I agree the initial club finesse must be taken, else a later club through the closed hand would be fatal when the board is out of trump.

#jim2 yes. I would have gotten this wrong. I would have taken the CA and slapped the SK down. As long as East holds up for a round, I’m dead.

This is a great hand for Frank Stewart’s “Society of Finessers” – the winning play is actually to take a practice finesse!

Hi Jim,If the diamonds are Jxxx,cos of the blockage,you will not know until its too late,therefore I merely say its always better to ruff a club first after club finesse..as you have only three diamond tricks not four..otherwise we agree!

To Jim2 & Slar,

From a teacher’s viewpoint my inexperience in not even coming close to becoming proficient at it, makes me often wonder, especially pertaining to strictly bridge, how much learned knowledge is processed and to what degree, from only just a specific card combination, or rather to including the whole hand analysis and what first it will take to succeed, and then, of course, the best way to make sure that happens.

My guess to that solution would then just emphasize how important everyday numeracy becomes, first on declarer play how many of each suit may be held by either opponent and then on defense since numbers culminating with 13 should emphasize to each defender just how many of each suit both partner and thus declarer started with (again ending with 13) and then, of course, how to proceed to give each other the best chance to take the hoped for number (with matchpoints, considering, with even overtricks so vitally important, its bastardization, only increasing the degree of difficulty to what I consider an unreal and too often toss-up finalization).

And finally directly to Slar, a practice finesse is only named that because the definition suggests that the only reason to take that finesse has nothing to do with gaining a trick, but only to see if one’s finesses are working, and as we now all agree, this one is indeed vital and in some respects because of its specificity, it becomes a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

No pun intended, but I lie a lot.

Hi Patrick,

Yes, your analysis could be described as proceeding from the good to the very good when you refer to ruffing a club first, just in case the diamonds are 4-1 without the singleton jack, but the club jack comes tumbling down, third.

When I was a teenager, but already well into bridge, I used to dream playing against the redoubtable Terence Reese (a hero back then and until Buenos Aires, 1965) in the finals of the bridge World Championship and winning because of such plays.

Unfortunately someone awakened me, to face the real world, but with the recent uncovering of all the horrible cheating going on worldwide, please, anyone, another sleeping pill!

Goodbye Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and hello Dracula and the Wolfman.

Hi Bobby,In life as in bridge one needs heroes,YOU are one that we could all aspired to..in every which way.Best regards~Patrick.:)

Patrick –

I believe that is still covered in my posts.