LEARNING CENTER

K. This is your basic "third-hand-high" situation. You can't "finesse"--there is nothing to finesse against. Partner might have AJxxx or Q9xxx.  You have to play the king.

10. There is no reason to do anything but return partner's suit. When you have 2 cards remaining, return the higher one. (With three cards remaining you would return the lowest).

Declarer has the queen. When partner throws (or signals with an honor), he indicates that it is the top of a "sequence." Throwing a king shows the queen; throwing a queen throws the jack.  Here, partner doesn't have the 10, of course, but he has all the cards touching the jack that are missing--in effect a sequence.  Plays like this clarify the suit for you. Had he played a spot card, you wouldn't know who had the queen or jack.

. There is no good reason not to continue partner's suit.

2. Do not cover the first of touching honors. This is the remaining position:

If you make the mistake of covering, declarer can win the A and then finesse to the 9. He takes 4 spade tricks in all. Add that to 2 hearts, 2 clubs and the A and he has 9 tricks.

If you don't cover, he is down. You can cover the next spade and declarer can never enjoy the spade suit.

The full deal is below. Note that partner did well to play second-hand low when declarer led a low diamond earlier in the play.

Click here to play Lesson Deal #3.