The Finesse: Only a Last Resort

How much do you really know about finesses? A finesse is one of the most common techniques in bridge and yet one of the most abused. The term "finesseaholic" describes a player who never met a finesse he/she didn't want to take. So often the finesse is really a last resort, only when other more promising lines of play are not available or have failed. As a common technique, so much is often taken for granted. Often there are questions that need be resolved. Is it a two-way guess? Which suit should be finessed first? Who is it safe to finesse into? Which card should be led may make the difference between success and failure. Are there clues in the bidding or lack of bidding? One definition of "experience" is what we get when we don't get what we want. After you play bridge for a while, you will learn that the finesses you desperately need to work are the ones that fail. Profit from experience. Avoid an unnecessary finesse that may lead to disaster if it loses.