The Squishing Finesse
By Ralph Welton
A squishing finesse is a combination of forcing out your opponents' honor, and finessing.
Huh? You're gonna have to show me that one...
example 1
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Dummy ♥ 4 3 2 You ♥ Q J T |
OK, Little Bear. This is the forcing out part of a squishing finesse. You can lead hearts repeatedly to force out the ♥K and ♥A, establishing a heart trick for yourself.
The ♥QJT are not "losing honors" because you can lead them just as advantageously as leading toward them.
Now let's turn it into a finesse...
example 2
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Dummy ♠ A 3 2 You ♠ Q J T |
Let's suppose your QJT is supported by the ace in the dummy.
If the ♠K is on sides (in the West), you might be able to force it out and squish it, promoting your ♠JT without losing a trick.
Lead your ♠Q, and watch to see if the ♠K is played. If it is, squish it with your ♠A, and promote your lesser honors to master status. You will then lose no spade tricks, winning three rounds of spades.
If the ♠K is not played, play low in the dummy and turn your "forcing out" play into a finesse. With the ♠K on sides, your ♠Q will win the trick. Then lead the ♠J and do it again, winning three rounds of spades.
A squishing finesse is difficult to visualize because it seems to contradict the guideline of leading toward losing honors. If your ♠Q weren't supported by promotable honors, it would indeed be a losing honor, which you should not lead. But honors aren't "losing honors" if forcing out the opponents' critical card establishes new masters for yourself. Force out the ♠K and squish it, and your ♠JT are promoted.
example 2 (repeated)
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Dummy ♠ A 3 2 You ♠ Q J T |
Notice that you have an extra honor – four spade honors to play on three rounds of the suit. No matter how you choose to play them, you will crash two of your honors.
When your squishing finesse succeeds – when the critical honor is on sides – the critical honor covers the honor you lead, right before you squish it. You are happy to play two of your honors on the same trick, because you squish their honor between them, and you hold the lesser honors which become the new masters.
example 3
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Dummy ♣ J T 3 You ♣ A Q 2 |
Here you have the same honors, just in different hands.
You could lead toward the ♣AQ, and finesse, hoping the ♣K is on your right. Then, if you have a dummy entry, cross to dummy and lead the ♣J for a squishing finesse.
This sequence of plays works, but is inefficient. Can you find an improvement?
Reverse the order of your maneuvers. Start with a squishing finesse by leading the ♣J on the first round. If it wins, the lead will still be in the dummy. Then you don't need a dummy entry to repeat the finesse.
If you don't have a dummy entry, or if you need it for something else, the squishing finesse may be the only way to succeed.
example 4
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Dummy ♠ K 7 2 ♥ Q J 8 2 ♦ A 5 3 ♣ 4 3 2 You ♠ 5 4 ♥ A T 6 ♦ Q T 8 7 2 ♣ A Q 7 |
This deal contains a squishing finesse.
Which card can you lead, hoping to squish your opponents' critical honor while promoting your own lesser honors?
Oh no! The ♣Q is a losing honor. Lead from the North and finesse with the ♣Q.
Sorry, not the ♦Q. If your opponents cover it with their ♦K, you don't hold the honor that gets promoted.
You found it! Lead the ♥Q, and watch to see if the ♥K is played. If it is, squish it and promote your ♥J and ♥T.
Yikes! The ♠K is a losing honor. If you lead it, it will lose to the ace. When you lead spades, lead toward your losing honor, making a trick if the ♠A is on sides.
example 5
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Dummy ♠ A 5 2 ♥ Q T 8 ♦ K 9 3 2 ♣ J T 2 You ♠ Q J 6 ♥ A J 6 ♦ J T 8 7 ♣ A K 7 |
This time there's a squishing finesse in each suit.
Which cards do you lead and what are you hoping for in each suit?
Prepare your answers before looking.
Lead the ♣J. If the♣Q is on your right, you will be able to either finesse it or squish it, winning three club tricks.
Lead the ♦J, preparing to finesse for (or squish) the ♦Q. If the ♦J, ♦Q, ♦K, and ♦A all play on the first round, your ♦T, ♦9, and ♦8 will win the next three ♦ tricks.
Lead the ♥Q, and watch to see if the ♥K is played. If it is, squish it and promote your ♥J and ♥T. If it isn't played, finessing for it will win three heart tricks when the ♥K is on sides.
Lead the ♠Q, hoping to squish the ♠K. This promotes your ♠J to master status. You will then have two spade winners without losing the lead.
example 6
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Dummy ♦ A 9 4 You ♦ J T 2 |
This is a squishing double finesse.
You lead the ♦J, squishing either the ♦Q or ♦K if it covers your ♦J. After that, you have the ♦T9 to force out their one remaining master, establishing your second diamond trick.
And if the ♦J isn't covered, follow with the ♦4, a double finesse. You assume this will lose, but later you can lead the ♦T for a second finesse, which you hope wins your second diamond trick. This succeeds except when the ♦K and ♦Q are both off sides. The odds favor success by 3 to 1.
example 7
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Dummy ♠ A T 2 ♥ Q 9 8 ♦ K 9 3 2 ♣ J T 9 You ♠ J 9 6 ♥ A J 3 ♦ T 8 7 4 ♣ A 5 4 |
Now let's look at more squishing double finesses.
Make a plan for each suit before looking at the answers.
Lead the ♣J, intending to finesse. If the finesse loses, you later lead the ♣T and finesse again.If at least one club honor is on sides, you will get two club tricks.
Lead the ♦T, preparing to finesse for (or squish) the missing diamond honors. If the ♦J or ♦Q plays, squish it and you will be able to win two diamond tricks because you hold the promoted diamond spot cards.
This is a hard one. Lead the ♥Q, hoping to squish the ♥K.With the big honors played, cross to the North and lead the ♥9 for a squishing finesse against the ♥T.
If the ♥K and ♥T are both on sides, you will win three heart tricks.
Lead the ♠J, hoping to squish the ♠K or ♠Q. This promotes your spade spot cards so you will be able to force out the remaining spade honor, winning two spade tricks.And if the ♠J is not covered, finesse, planning to finesse again later. If either finesse wins, you get your second spade trick.
example 8
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Dummy ♠ J 9 3 You ♠ K T 8 4 |
If you lead from the North toward your losing ♠K, you will eventually lose tricks to the ace and queen no matter which opponent holds them.
How might you avoid losing to the ♠Q?
The ♠K is a losing honor. Don't lead it. Lead toward it.In additon, combine leading toward it with a finesse. Lead the ♠J.
Ouch! Not what you wanted. If you lead the ♠T, It will lose to the ♠Q. You will also lose later to the ace.
Lead the ♠J, preparing to finesse. If the ♠Q covers your ♠J, squish it, promoting your ♠T, ♠9, and ♠8. The ace will be your only spade loser.
example 9
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Dummy ♥ Q J 8 You ♥ A T 6 |
How do you play this combination to win three heart tricks?
This fails. When you lead ♥A, it will win the trick. But your opponents will save their ♥K for the next trick.
Correct. If the ♥K isn't played, follow with the ♥6, finessing for the the ♥K.If the ♥K covers the ♥Q, squish it, while promoting your ♥J and ♥T.
You'd better rethink this. Leading the ♥6 makes it easy for the opponents to win a trick with their ♥K.
example 10
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Dummy ♦ A 8 6 4 You ♦ J T 9 |
How should you play these diamonds, hoping for just one loser?
Playing the ♦A on the first round is not the best plan.Your opponents will save their ♦K and ♦Q for the next two tricks.
If you don't squish one of their honors, you will lose two diamond tricks.
Playing the ♦A on the second round is not the best plan.Your opponents will see when you play your ♦A, and follow suit with spot cards.
If you don't squish one of their honors, you will lose two diamond tricks.
Correct. If one of the diamond honors is on sides, you'll be able to squish it.Taking two finesses succeeds unless BOTH the ♦K and ♦Q are off sides.
example 11
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Dummy ♣ A K 2 You ♣ T 9 8 |
Assume each opponent holds at least 3 clubs.
Is there any lie of the cards where you can win all three club tricks?
example 12
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Dummy ♦ Q J 3 You ♦ A 4 2 |
You can play this combination without crashing any honors. You have three honors for three rounds of diamonds.
So, one option is to cash the ♦A, and lead to your ♦QJ, driving out the ♦K and establishing a second diamond trick for yourself.
A second option is to start by leading low to the ♦Q, driving out the ♦K first, establishing a second diamond trick while retaining the ♦A for an entry to the South hand.
A third option is to lead the ♦Q for a squishing finesse. Whichever side the ♦K is on, it will be played, and you will still have two diamond tricks.
Why might this third option be your best bet?
If the ♦K is on sides, you get your two tricks without losing the lead.
Why might one of the first two options be your best bet?
If the lead starts in the South hand, you may not want to use up a dummy entry to lead the ♦Q for the squishing finesse.
For example...
example 13
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Dummy ♠ A 3 2 ♥ 5 4 3 2 ♦ Q J 3 ♣ 4 3 2 You ♠ 5 4 ♥ K Q J T ♦ A 5 4 2 ♣ A K Q |
They lead the ♣J against your 3N contract. You are lucky they didn't start spades. You need nine tricks to make 3N. How many do you have?
Correct.3 clubs + 1 diamond
+ 1 spade = 5 masters.
You can establish 3 more by driving out the ♥A, and a ninth one with your ♦QJ.
No, not 7.3 clubs + 1 diamond
+ 1 spade = 5 masters.
You can establish 3 more by driving out the ♥A, and a ninth one with your ♦QJ.
No, not 8.3 clubs + 1 diamond
+ 1 spade = 5 masters.
You can establish 3 more by driving out the ♥A, and a ninth one with your ♦QJ.
No, not 9. At least not yet.3 clubs + 1 diamond
+ 1 spade = 5 masters.
You can establish 3 more by driving out the ♥A, and a ninth one with your ♦QJ.
Should you cross to the dummy and try the squishing finesse in diamonds?
Leading hearts first is correct.
To play this hand correctly you must not begin by crossing to the dummy to try the diamond finesse. Crossing to the dummy would use up your ♠A. When they get the lead, with the ♥A or with the off sides ♦K, they might cash enough spades to set your contract.
You must lead hearts first, establishing 3 heart tricks while you still can stop them from cashing spade winners. Your ♠A is your spade "stopper."
After you drive out the ♥A, pay attention to what suit they return. If they knock out your spade stopper, you will have to try the squishing finesse in diamonds because you will no longer be able to afford to lose the lead, and you will definitely lose the lead without the finesse. If the ♦K is on sides, your finesse will win and you will make 3N.
And if they win the ♥A and return anything other than a spade, you can choose any of the three diamond options from example 39 to make 9 tricks without risk. In fact, leading toward the losing honors in diamonds may make 10 tricks.
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