Look For Extra Chances

Dealer:  South Vul: None	Betty ♠AQ862 ♥743 ♦32 ♣A75
Freddie ♠KJ953 ♥J95 ♦JT964 ♣-		Charlie ♠7 ♥KQT62 ♦Q875 ♣T93
	Annie ♠T4 ♥A8 ♦AK ♣KQJ8642

South	West	North	East
Annie	Freddie	Betty	Charlie
1♣	Double	1♠	Pass
3♣	Double	4♣	Pass
6♣	All Pass

Opening Lead: ♠ 5

I kibitzed this hand in a recent casual game. While there are a number of things that could be discussed here, I want to discuss how Annie played the hand. Put yourself in her shoes. How would you play this hand in 6♣, given the lead of the ♠5?

She played it the way a lot of players I've seen would have played it. After thinking about the opening lead for a little bit she said, "Well, let's find out right away if we make." She played the ♠Q. When the finesse worked, she breathed a sigh of relief, drew trump, and claimed all the tricks except for the ♥8, which she conceded.

But what if the finesse had failed? What if Charlie had had the ♠K? She probably would have chalked it up to bad luck and moved on. However, there are ways that she can make, even if Charlie has the ♠K. I'm not sure this is the best way, but here is a simple way Annie could have improved her odds.

At trick 1 she could have played low from dummy and played the ♠10 from her hand. If Charlie had had the ♠K, that would have been ok. After drawing trump, Annie could throw away her heart loser on Betty's good ♠A and ♠Q. What if Charlie had had the ♠J, rather than the king? It looks like Annie would now be losing a trick she didn't need to. This is true, but Annie could still finesse the ♠Q later and, when it works, use the ♠A to throw away her ♥8. It's only when Charlie had both the ♠K and ♠J that Annie gets set.  That is, by playing this way she would have had two ways to make rather than one.

And, as the cards lie, Annie would have been doubly rewarded. Her ♠10 would win, and then she could still finesse the ♠Q, thereby winning 3 spade tricks and using the extra spade to throw away her heart loser. Then she would have won all 13 tricks for an overtrick.

The moral of the story, if you can find it: it is better try a play that gives you multiple chances.