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Andrew:
Rarely right to lead an honour when finessing.
It is generally a mistake to lead an honour when finessing. If the defender playing second has the missing higher honour, he can cover the card, and draw two of your honours for one of his: a bad trade for you.
Look at these combinations:
(a) AK10x facing Jxx
(b) AJxx facing Qxxx
(c) AQxxx facing Jxxx
In (a) you should cash the ace (king) in case the queen is singleton. You should then cross to the other hand and lead low (not the jack) to the ten. You will score all four tricks when the queen is sitting in front of the jack in a two or three card holding. Leading the jack on the second round costs a trick when the next hand has the queen singleton remaining.
In (b) you should lead low (not the queen) to the jack, then cash the ace. In order to score all four tricks, you need the player sitting under the ace-jack to have precisely a doubleton king. But if you lead the queen first, he will cover with his king, and you will then have to lose a thirdround trick to his partner’s ten.
In (c) you should lead low (not the jack) to the queen. Then, assuming two low cards have appeared, cash the ace. You will score all the tricks in the suit if the king is singleton or doubleton in front of the ace. But if you lead the jack first, you will lose an unnecessary thirdround trick in the suit when the hand in front of the ace holds a singleton king.
Click here to bid and play this hand
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South Deals Both Vul |
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| West | North | East | South |
| 1 NT | |||
| Pass1 | 3 NT2 | Pass | Pass |
| Pass |
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| 3 NT by South |
| Lead: ♠ 5 |
This illustrative deal sees West attack declarer’s weak spot with a spade lead - to dummy’s jack, East’s king and declarer’s ace (no point in ducking as they will surely lead a second spade). Needing to run nine tricks without losing the lead, declarer needs to get lucky in both minors.
At Trick Two declarer leads a low club (not the queen). West’s king beats air, and dummy’s ace wins. He crosses to his queen and next leads a low diamond (not the jack) to dummy’s queen (winning). He cashes the ace, and sees West’s king drop. He can now cash his remaining top cards in both minors. 10 tricks and game made.
