Study 9P01   Main

Ruffing Finesse

by Richard Pavlicek

A ruffing finesse is the lead of a significant side-suit card when the opposite hand is void, then ruffing or not depending on the whether LHO covers or plays low. When the ruffing finesse loses, it may still provide material gain with a loser-on-loser play, also covered here. About the Techniques

1. Ruffing finesse

win 3	A — 3 2 —			Trick 1 S	Lead K!	2nd	3rd	4th
— A 3 4 —			— 2 K Q —
South leads	— K Q A —

2. Ruffing squash finesse

win 3	A — 3 2 —			Trick 1 S	Lead K!	2nd	3rd	4th
— A 10 4 —			— Q K Q —
South leads	— K J A —

3. Finesse or ruffing finesse

win 4 auto	— A Q J A —			Trick 1 S	Lead 4	2nd 7	3rd	4th
— K 8 7 2 —			— 6 5 K Q —
South leads	2 4 4 3 —

Option to play either opponent for K.

4. Desperation finesse

win 3	2 A Q 3 —			Trick 1 S 2 N	Lead 2 A	2nd 3 J	3rd Q! 2	4th 10 K
A K 3 K —			3 J 10 A —
South leads	K Q 2 2 —

If East has K, South wins only 1 trick.

5. Loser-on-loser

win 3 auto	A — 5 4 4			Trick 1 S	Lead K	2nd 2	3rd 4!	4th A
— 3 2 K Q —			— A 5 — A K
South leads	— K Q A 2 —

6. Repeat ruffing finesse

win 5	A K — 4 3 2 —			Trick 1 S 2 N 3 S	Lead Q! 2 J!	2nd A 10	3rd K A	4th 2 5
— A K 9 6 5 —			— 3 2 Q J 10 —
South leads	— Q J 10 A K —

7. Repeat ruffing squash finesse

win 5	A K — 4 3 2 —			Trick 1 S 2 N 3 S	Lead Q! 2 J!	2nd A 10	3rd K A	4th 9 5
— A K 7 6 5 —			— 10 9 Q J 10 —
South leads	— Q J 8 A K —

8. Loser-on-loser ruffing finesse

win 4 auto	A — 5 4 3 2 —			Trick 1 S 2 E 3 S	Lead Q Q J!	2nd 2 K	3rd 2! 6	4th A 3
— K 3 2 7 6 —			— A 4 Q J 10 —
South leads	— Q J 10 A K —

9. Finesse and ruffing squash finesse

win 4 auto?	— K 10 9 A K —			Trick 1 S 2 E 3 N	Lead 2 6 K!	2nd 7 2	3rd 9! 10	4th Q K
— J 7 Q J 10 —			— A Q 8 6 5 —
South leads	A 2 4 3 2 —

Appropriate if confident East has A (third).

10. Overtake ruffing finesse

win 5 bi	— A J 10 9 A —			Trick 1 S 2 N	Lead K J!	2nd 2	3rd A!	4th 6
— 3 2 K Q J —			— Q 8 7 6 5 —
South leads	A K 4 3 2 —

With North on lead would be “undertake” instead.

Study 9P01   Main

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11. Jettison ruffing finesse

win 4	A — A 4 3 2			Trick 1 S 2 E 3 S	Lead Q 3 J	2nd 7 K A	3rd A! Q	4th K 2
— A 7 — A K Q			— K 9 8 3 2 —
South leads	K Q J 10 K —

12. Jettison loser-on-loser trump control

win 5	A — A 5 4 3 2			Trick 1 S 2 E 3 S	Lead 10 2 K!	2nd 2 K	3rd A! 3	4th A 2
K 3 2 — A K Q			— A 9 8 4 3 2 —
South leads	2 K Q J 10 K —

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Anti ruffing finesse

13. Cover refusal anti ruffing finesse

win 1 auto bi	— A 10 9 8 2 —			Trick 1 W 2 W	Lead K Q	2nd 8! 9!	3rd 3 4	4th 2 2
A K K Q J — —			Q — 6 5 4 3 —
West leads	2 2 A K Q —

Auto/bi cases trivial.

14. Immediate cover anti ruffing finesse

win 2 auto bi	— A 4 3 4 3 —			Trick 1 W 2 E 3 S	Lead J 5 2!	2nd A! K	3rd J 7	4th 2 3
K K Q J 7 —			A Q J — 6 5 —
West leads	3 2 2 A K —

Auto/bi cases trivial.

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© 2014 Richard Pavlicek