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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 28, 2007

Cy the Cynic says that when the forecast is a 50 percent chance of rain, it means the weatherman has no idea. It's a bad idea to rely on a finesse - a 50 percent chance - when you have no idea whether it will work.

North would have reached a more successful contract if he had bid 3NT. At four spades, South finessed with dummy's queen on the first heart, and East took the king and returned a heart. South took dummy's ace, led a trump to his hand and tried a diamond finesse. East won, and the defense cashed a heart and the ace of clubs for down one.

Instead of relying on finesses, which are as fickle as the weather, South must win the first heart, lead a trump to his hand and return a diamond to the 10.

South might still go down if the cards lay badly, but on the actual deal he is safe since West can't get in to lead another heart. When South regains the lead, he can draw trumps and pitch a heart on the diamonds, losing one heart, a club and a diamond.

South dealer

Neither side vulnerable

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