Sunday, November 25, 2001		Bridge

"THIRD hand plays high," and "Don’t finesse against your partner" are sayings that we all hear.

The intriguing thing is that every so often a situation comes along when it would have paid to break the rules. The trouble lies in recognising the situation.

South opened One No-trump and North, after a Stayman inquiry of Two Clubs, raised to Three No-trumps. West led the three of Clubs to the five, Queen and Ace and the play was soon over.

Declarer had plenty of time to establish his nine tricks — losing a Spade, two Hearts and a Club — and nobody thought anything much about the hand.

But could the defenders have organised themselves a fifth trick?

Suppose that, after the Club lead, East plays the seven rather than the Queen. (Effectively he is finessing against dummy’s nine rather than against his partner.

Now the defence is in charge. South wins cheaply but, whether he plays on Spades or Hearts next, West wins and leads another Club to the nine and Queen.

When East gets in with his Ace of Hearts he can lead a third Club and his partner has the King and eight sitting over declarer’s Jack and six.

I must warn you that it does not always work! East’s play of C7 on the first trick might have proved disastrous if his partner had started with, say, KJ83 in the suit.