| North | No. 1 You lead low from the South hand and LHO plays low. You need 6 tricks. |
|
|
|
||
| South | ||
 76543 |
||
| ___ Play the A
(drop). |
||
| ___ Play the Q
(finesse). |
||
| ___ Guess. The plays are exactly equal. | ||
Bridge Brief Broadcast Archive |
Back to Bridge Brief Archive Index
January 11, 2003
Should You Play for the Drop or Finesse?
Should You Play for the Drop or Finesse?
You have learned that how you play a suit varies based on what you know.
However, you must have a good understanding of the starting place. What is the
correct mathematical play if no other information is available? Below is a set
of card combinations. In each case decide the best play for the number of tricks
indicated. Should you play for the drop of the missing honor or should you take
a finesse? You are in the South hand.
Problems:
| North | No. 1 You lead low from the South hand and LHO plays low. You need 6 tricks. |
|
|
|
||
| South | ||
| 76543 |
||
| ___ Play the A
(drop). |
||
| ___ Play the Q
(finesse). |
||
| ___ Guess. The plays are exactly equal. | ||
| North | No. 2 You lead low from the South hand and LHO plays low. You need 5 tricks. |
|
|
|
||
| South | ||
| 2 |
||
| ___ Play the K
(drop). |
||
| ___ Play the 9
(finesse). |
||
| ___ Guess. The plays are exactly equal. | ||
| North | No. 3 You lead low from the South hand and LHO plays low. You need 8 tricks. |
|
|
|
||
| South | ||
| 2 |
||
| ___ Play the A
(drop). |
||
| ___ Play the J
(finesse). |
||
| ___ Guess. The plays are exactly equal. | ||
| North | No. 4 You lead low from the South hand and LHO plays low. You need 4 tricks. |
|
|
|
||
| South | ||
| 2 |
||
| ___ Play the A
(drop). |
||
| ___ Play the 10
(finesse). |
||
| ___ Guess. The plays are exactly equal. | ||
| North | No. 5 You lead low from the South hand and LHO plays low. You need 5 tricks. |
|
|
|
||
| South | ||
| 2 |
||
| ___ Play the A
(drop). |
||
| ___ Play the 10
(finesse). |
||
| ___ Guess. The plays are exactly equal. | ||
| North | No. 6 You lead low from the South hand and LHO plays low. You need 6 tricks. |
|
|
|
||
| South | ||
| 2 |
||
| ___ Play the A
(drop). |
||
| ___ Play the 10
(finesse). |
||
| ___ Guess. The plays are exactly equal. | ||
Answers:
Values rounded to 1/10th of a %.
No. 1 - Play for the drop of the king by playing the
A. It is 2.0% more likely.
| West | East | Occurrence |
| 2 |
K |
26.0% |
| Drop | 26.0% | |
| K2 |
--- |
24.0% |
| Finesse | 24.0% | |
No. 2 - Play for the drop of the ten by playing the
K. It is 10.8% more likely.
| West | East | Occurrence |
| xxx |
xxx |
35.5% |
| 10x |
xxxx |
8.1% |
| xxxx |
10x |
8.1% |
| xxxxx |
10 |
1.2% |
| Drop | 52.9% | |
| 10xx |
xxx |
17.8% |
| 10x |
xxxx |
8.1% |
| 10xxx |
xx |
16.2% |
| Finesse | 42.1% | |
No. 3 - Play for the drop of the queen by playing the
A. It is 7.8% more likely.
| West | East | Occurrence |
| xx |
xx |
40.7% |
| xxx |
Q |
6.2% |
| Drop | 46.9% | |
| Qx |
xx |
20.4% |
| Qxx |
x |
18.7% |
| Finesse | 39.1% | |
No. 4 - Play for the finesse against the jack by playing the
10. It is 27.8% more likely.
| West | East | Occurrence |
| Jx |
xxxxxx |
2.1% |
| Jxx |
xxxxx |
8.8% |
| xxxxxxx |
J |
0.2% |
| xxxxxx |
Jx |
2.1% |
| xxxxx |
Jxx |
8.8% |
| Drop | 22.0% | |
| Jx |
xxxxxx |
2.1% |
| Jxx |
xxxxx |
8.8% |
| Jxxx |
xxxx |
16.4% |
| Jxxxx |
xxx |
14.7% |
| Jxxxxx |
xx |
6.4% |
| Jxxxxxx |
x |
1.3% |
| Jxxxxxxx |
--- |
0.1% |
| Finesse | 49.8% | |
No. 5 - Play for the drop of the jack by playing the
A. It is 0.4% more likely.
| West | East | Occurrence |
| Jx |
xxxxx |
4.4% |
| Jxx |
xxxx |
13.3% |
| xxxxxx |
J |
0.5% |
| xxxxx |
Jx |
4.4% |
| xxxx |
Jxx |
13.3% |
| Drop | 35.9% | |
| Jx |
xxxxx |
4.4% |
| Jxx |
xxxx |
13.3% |
| Jxxx |
xxx |
17.8% |
| Finesse | 35.5% | |
No. 6 - Play for the drop of the jack by playing the
A. It is 11.1% more likely.
| West | East | Occurrence |
| Jx |
xxxx |
8.1% |
| Jxx |
xxx |
17.8% |
| xxxxx |
J |
1.2% |
| xxxx |
Jx |
8.1% |
| xxx |
Jxx |
17.8% |
| Drop | 53.0% | |
| Jx |
xxxx |
8.1% |
| Jxx |
xxx |
17.8% |
| Jxxx |
xx |
16.2% |
| Finesse | 42.1% | |
-Gary King