Page 25 - ABF Newsletter February 2025

run to an honour in the fourth hand (Nos. 1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12). There are many combinations of this type of finesse, but most are variations of those shown above. If students grasp the thinking behind the ‘top twelve’, they should be able to work out the others when they come up.
When I teach this in class, I use prepared hands where declarer has to make 3NT. Each wallet has a different finesse at trick one but also reinforces the skills of suit establishment – unblocking, overtaking, preserving entries, finessing and ducking. As well as getting trick one right, they meet lots of ‘old friends’ which they need to recognise. There is no bidding, so they work in threes with declarer and dummy’s hands face up on the table, as I explained in the June 2024 issue. Each wallet has a booklet with the con- tract and lead on the outside and the answer inside (as shown).
These wallets also emphasise the importance of planning before playing a card from dummy at trick one – a wrong choice at trick one and the contract is unmakeable. An ‘incoming finesse’ can happen the first time any suit is led by defenders; it doesn’t need to be at trick one and the lead can be from declar- er’s right as well as declarer’s left. It also applies to suit contracts though that adds another dimension. However, once you have a good grasp of trick one finessing at notrumps, you will be able to apply the skill to the other areas of the game.
I had been teaching bridge for years before I ever thought to do a lesson on the above topic. I assumed that my students would work it out for themselves from my lessons on ‘normal’ finessing – I was wrong. It was only when I started doing post mortems on random hands in which dummy recorded the win- ning tricks (see June 2021) that I realised how many tricks (and contracts) were being lost by incorrect play at trick one.
I have designed 20 hands in booklet form which teach trick one finessing at notrumps and revise suit establishment. If you would like a free PDF and/or Publisher copy with associated lesson notes, then email
ildalziel@gmail.com
Board 1 ]J10xxx [xxx
}xx
{Axx
]x ]A987
[ Q J 10 9 } K Q J 10 9 {xxx
South to make 3NT, }K led
Play: You should hold up the }A until the third round of the suit. Then establish spades playing ]K, ]Q first. Win In Short Hand.
Short suits: 5 tricks ([AK, }A, {AK). Work suit: Spades will provide 4 tricks.
Danger suit is diamonds. When opponents get in with the ]A (in the work suit) they might cash enough diamonds to defeat the contract.
Why: Holding up the }A until the third round means East will have no diamond left (if diamonds are 5-3). You hope East has the {A and when he gets in with it has no diamond to return.
]KQx [AKxx }Axx {Kxx
[xx }xxx
{ Q J 10 9
1 x
2 J
3 x
4 x
5 Q
6 x
7 K
8 J
9 x
10 x
11 Q
12 x
Answers to finessing quiz when defenders lead
Ensures three tricks wherever the queen lies. I call this the come to me finesse. Hoping West has the queen. I call this the second hand finesse. Ensures two tricks wherever the king lies.
Ensures three tricks if West has the king.
It’s now or never for the queen.
Ensures one trick no matter what lies where.
It’s now or never.
It’s now or never.
Ensures one trick no matter what lies where.
Ensures two tricks no matter what lies where.
If West has the ace your K-x is now a partial stop.
Ensures two tricks no matter what lies where.
Australian Bridge Federation Ltd. Newsletter: February 2025
Page: 25