In contract bridge, a finesse is a technique which allows to promote tricks on base of a favorable position of one or more cards in the hands of the opponents. If one can lead up to a finessable position as e.g. Ace, Queen an additional trick can be won if the King is positioned in front of the combination of Ace and Queen.
A more general definition of a finesse would be:
- ''One or more plays, allowing to promote additional tricks by means of leading up to a combination of cards in the hope that one or more cards of intermidiate rank of the same suit are trapped in front of that combination.
- Such a combination is called a tenace.''
Table of contents |
2 Indirect Finesse 3 Double Finesse 4 Deep Finesse 5 Trump Finesse or Ruffing Finesse 6 Suit Combinations |
S: 6 3
S: 6 5 4
S: -
H: 2
D: 4 3
C: 5
The Encyclopedia of Bridge has a list of all suit combinations and how to play them depending on how many tricks you need. A good player does not need to memorize this, and can usually deduce the correct play at the table. However, it is worthwhile to study the suit combinations table. Also remember that the optimal play in a suit may not be best in the context of the entire hand.
Direct Finesse
S: A Q
H: -
D: -
C: -
S: 7 2
H: -
D: -
C: -
Indirect Finesse
S: K 7
Double Finesse
S: A Q 10
H: 6
S: 7 4 3
H: A
Deep Finesse
S: A K 10
Trump Finesse or Ruffing Finesse
S: K Q J
H: A
D: -
C: -
A Q J 5 3
K 6 5 4 A 7 3 2
A 7 5 9 6 3
6 5 A K 9 4 2
The correct play is to win the Ace of Diamonds and to continue with the Ace of Spades followed by the Queen. Even if the King is with South, declarer loses 3 tricks only, if trumps are 3-2. And if trumps are 4-1 the game will still make
if the King of Spades is sitting with North. The advantage of the losing trump
finesse to the losing normal finesse is the gain of tempo.Suit Combinations
In optics, finesse is a parameter characterizing a Fabry-Perot etalon.