I know that I bang on a bit about finesses, and if you think I don’t like them … you are right!

On many hands, however, they are unavoidable, but as often as you can they should be a last resort. Today’s hand is a beauty in that it is anti-finesse and also anti “reflex play”.

South opened one heart, North raised to two and South had an easy raise to four hearts — West led a low diamond.

It all looked easy — declarer saw a diamond loser and a club loser and the chance to take that juicy spade finesse for an overtrick — what could go wrong? Hmmm — read on ….

East won the diamond and returned a diamond, ruffed by South — declarer now played the Ace of hearts and a small heart to the Queen and when West showed out declarer started to breathe a bit more heavily.

He now took the spade finesse and when this lost West made the great play of the diamond Queen, forcing declarer to ruff again. This was now the position:

Declarer had lost two tricks and still had a club and a trump to lose — down one!

In a state of shock he said to partner, “Unlucky 4-1 break in trumps!”

But partner was having none of it: “Why did you ruff at trick two?”

Discard a spade and now the J10 of diamonds in dummy are a parking spot for your other two spades and all you lose is the Ace of clubs — contract made!

South now went into a deeper state of shock that someone was suggesting he not take a finesse with 109 opposite AQJ6! Throw away all those lovely spades? Yes dear, if you want an easy ten tricks!

Two 70 per cent plus games in August to report: Malcolm Moseley & Finn Moseley on August 18 (71.11 per cent), Julia Tadman & Josh Hussey on August 18 (71.43 per cent). That is the third 70-plus game by Josh and Julia this year — great stuff!

The next set of Beginners Bridge Lessons will start on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 6:45pm to 9pm and run until the end of March with a break for Christmas. Message bridgelessons@bermudabridge.com for details and registration.

• David Ezekiel can be reached at davidezekiel999@gmail.com

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, August 28

North/South

1 Charles Hall/Magda Farag

2 Kim Simmons/Lorna Anderson

East/West

1= Betsy Baillie/Heather Woolf

1= Patricia Siddle/Louise Rodger

Monday, August 31

1 Elizabeth McKee/Margaret Way

2 Sheena Rayner/Magda Farag

3 Betsy Baillie/Stephanie Kyme

Tuesday, September 1

1 Joshimar Hussey/Julia Tadman

2 Ross Cooper/Desiree Woods

3= Andy McComb/Jaques Bonneau

3= Jean Schilling/Sanja Thompson

Wednesday, September 2

1 Gertrude Barker/Jane Smith

2 Martha Ferguson/Judy King

3 Loise Rodger/Margaret Way

Thursday, September 3

1 Judy King/Martha Ferguson

2 Stephen Cosham/Delton Outerbridge