What is a finesse?
Finessing is a card play technique that allows you to win tricks with lower ranking cards if the higher ranking cards that will normally win are placed appropriately.
Let's see this in action.
Dummy
AK
Declarer:
32
Here Declarer has 2 tricks no matter what in this suit -- the Ace and the King.
Now let's say Declarer is missing the King but has the Queen instead:
Dummy
AQ
Declarer:
32
Here Declarer has at least 1 trick in this suit -- the Ace. They might also get an extra trick if the King is in a favourable location for Declarer.
Where does the King need to be?
The King needs to be on Declarer's left hand side.
Go grab a deck of cards and play along!
DummyAQ
LHOK5
RHO64
Declarer32
Even with the King in the proper location Declarer still has to play well. They need to be in their hand (not Dummy) in order to take two tricks.
When in their hand they play the 2 towards the AQ in Dummy. If LHO plays low (which they probably will) Declarer can now insert the Queen. This will win the trick since RHO does not have the King which is the only card that can beat the Queen. Now Declarer has scored 2 tricks with this holding.
What happens if Declarer plays the suit from Dummy?
You can see that no matter what card Declarer plays from Dummy the King will win a trick. If Declarer plays the Ace to start with, LHO can play their 5 and the King will win on the next trick. If Declarer plays the Queen to start with LHO will win the King right away.
What happens if the cards are laid out like this:
DummyAQ
LHO53
RHOK5
Declarer32
In this situation there is no way to get more than 1 trick. There is nothing you can do so it can't hurt to play a low card towards Dummy's Q. If it wins -- great! If it loses you still get one trick and you were never going to get 2.
Examples to test your knowledge
Grab a deck of cards and play along. Figure out the answer then play it out in real life to see if it works.
On this example you are missing the Ace and also the Queen, Jack and Ten. You can place those cards wherever you want. You are on lead and can lead a card from Dummy or from your hand. What is the best way to get one trick from this holding?
Dummy:
K2
Declarer:
43
How do you play this combination for ONE trick.
On this example you are missing the King as well as 5 low cards in the suit. You can place those cards wherever you want. You are on lead and can lead a card from Dummy or from your hand. What is the best way to get three tricks from this holding? You have only three cards left in each of your hands so once in Dummy there is no way back to your hand.
Dummy:
AQT
Declarer:
J73
How do you play this combination for THREE tricks.
On this example you are missing the Queen as well as 5 low cards in the suit. You can place those cards wherever you want. You are on lead and can lead a card from Dummy or from your hand. What is the best way to get four tricks from this holding? You have only three cards left in your hand so once in Dummy there is no way back to your hand.
I started taking bridge lessons for the first time in Feb of 2016 at 68 years old. I had a terrible teacher who stood in front of the class and read the book. I have been struggling on my own, reading and practicing, practicing and reading for the past 3 years. I just got 20 masterpoints last week. I am struggling so hard it is not fun anymore. Until, I finally found your blog. O M Gosh. It is incredible. You make things understandable. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
I started taking bridge lessons for the first time in Feb of 2016 at 68 years old. I had a terrible teacher who stood in front of the class and read the book. I have been struggling on my own, reading and practicing, practicing and reading for the past 3 years. I just got 20 masterpoints last week. I am struggling so hard it is not fun anymore. Until, I finally found your blog. O M Gosh. It is incredible. You make things understandable. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
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