Card Combinations

by Ed Rawlinson

After beginning bridge players learn how to finesse, the first rule they learn about card
combinations concerns when to finesse (“eight ever, nine never”). Like many rules of thumb,
this one is a generalization rather than an absolute. There are refinements. There are exceptions.
Consider:
A. AKJxx B. AKJ10xx C. AKJ10x D. AJxxx
xxx xx xxx K10x
(Note: In these and other examples, the recommended line of play assumes sufficient
transportation between the hands). Example A illustrates a basic refinement. Cash the Ace first,
then return to South and finesse the queen. This protects against a singleton queen offside. In
example B, the correct play is not to cash the Ace first, but to finesse twice. This would lose to
the singleton queen, but works for four small singleton possibilities in East. If you cash the Ace
first, you can’t pick up queen-fourth with West. In example C, cash the Ace first and return to
South twice to finesse. In D, you can finesse in either direction after cashing a high card first.
The choice may be influenced by the bidding, the lead, the need to keep one defender off-lead,
table feel, or your personal crystal ball.

All of the above examples involve the “eight ever” principle (finessing for the queen when
holding an 8-card fit). There are hundreds of other card combinations for which the best play
could be learned. My 1976 edition of The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge lists 656 such
combinations. This tutorial will certainly not discuss or list all of them. It will list several of the
more common situations and will discuss factors which might cause you to go against the odds.

Consider the bidding. The “nine never” rule recommends playing for the drop when missing
the queen in a 9-card fit (Example E):
E. AJxx A typical exception occurs when South has these cards after West
K10xxx has preempted 3D. With this bidding the correct play would be to
play West for shortage (cash the Ace and finesse the 10).
F. AJ10xxx In general, the recommended play with this holding is to finesse twice.
xxx However, suppose you have:
♠-xxxx S W N E West leads the Q♠. East cashes the AK of spades
♥-xxxx 1♥ 1N*2♥ P and shifts to the ♣8. West wins the A and shifts to
♦-AKx All pass the ♦Q. Although you know the mathematically
♣-xx *15-17 correct play is to finesse twice, the bidding tells you
that West has all the missing honor cards, and your best chance is to
♠-xx hope for KQ doubleton and play the Ace on the first heart lead. If the
♥-AJ109x bidding had been
♦-xx S W N E you would finesse twice in hearts.
♣-KQJx 1♥ P 3♣*P
3♥ All Pass
*7-10 hcp, 4♥

Page 1 of 4 Card Combinations by Ed Rawlinson [Link]

Protect against bad splits.
G. AQ10xx Cash an honor in North hand, then King. This protects
Kxx against Jxxx in West. If you cash King first then Ace,
No side entry to South you can’t get back to South to finesse the 10.
H. AQ9xx Lead to honor in North hand. This reveals a 4-0 split
K10xx and allows you to finesse either way.
I. AQ9xxx Cash King first. There are only 4 trumps out. If East has
K8x J10xx, you have an unavoidable loser. However, if West
South has side entry. has them, you can lead to the AQ9 twice and pick up the
whole suit. If you begin by cashing the Ace first, you
can’t recover.

Principle of Restricted Choice

J. AK10xxx Cash the Ace. If East follows with the Q or J, treat this as
xxx a singleton and return to South to finesse the 10. The
principle gets it name from the fact that, when East has a singleton Jack or Queen, he must play
it (he has a restricted choice). When he has doubleton QJ, he chooses which to play.
Mathematicians have sworn that the odds of a legitimate singleton Q or singleton J are greater
than the whimsy of one or the other from QJ doubleton. Other examples of restricted choice:
K. A10xxx Lead to the Ace. If West plays an honor, finesse the 9. OR
K9xx Lead to the King. If East plays an honor, finesse the 10.
The principle would apply in examples J and K when you have an 8-card fit rather than a 9-card
fit. The principle applies whenever you are missing touching honors.
L. AKQ9 Cash the AK. If East plays an honor on the second round,
xxx return to South and finesse the 9.

Consider the scoring (IMPs vs. matchpoints).

In IMPs making a game or slam contract is critical. You should give up overtricks if doing so
increases the chances of making your contract. In matchpoints, overtricks are important.
M. AKQ109 The correct play for the most tricks is to cash the AKQ.
xx However, suppose that you have no side entries to North
and you must get 4 tricks in this suit to make the contract. Then you should finesse the 10 on the
first round.
N. A10xxxx The correct play for six tricks is the same as example K
K9x above. However, the correct play to guarantee five is to
play low to the 9 or 10. This protects against 4-0 splits.

A source such as The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge will show the correct play for the
maximum number of tricks and also the correct safety play for a lesser number.

Other card combinations (for maximum number of tricks).

O. AK10x Cash Q. Finesse the 10.
Qx
P. AK10xx Cash Q-A-K.
Qx

Page 2 of 4 Card Combinations by Ed Rawlinson [Link]

Q. A10xxx Cash K. Finesse the 10.
Kxx
R. AK109 Finesse the 10.
xxxx
S. KQJ9 Lead to K. Then finesse the 9.
xx
T. KQ9x Lead to J. Then finesse the 9.
Jx
U. KQJ98 Lead to the K. Then lead to the Q.
xx
V. KQxxx Finesse the 9.
J9
W. KQxx Lead to the K. Then lead to the Q.
Jxx
X. KQ9xx Lead to K, then to J.
Jxx
Y. AQ9 Finesse the 9, then the Q. (When two tricks are needed)
xx
Z. AQ109xx Finesse the Q. Then play A.
x
AA. A10x Low to Q. Then finesse 10.
Qxx
BB. AQ98 Finesse the 9, then the 8.
xxx
CC. AQxx Low to A; then (unless East plays J) low to Q
10xx
DD. Qxxx Lead to the 10, then to the 9.
A109
EE. AQxxxx Cash A; then lead to Q.
10x
FF. Qxxxxx For 5 tricks, lead to the 10. For 4 tricks, cash A and lead to
A10 Q.
GG. A9xxx Lead the Q; then run the 10.
Q108
HH. A9xxx Lead to 10. If it loses to J, run the Q.
Q10x
II. Axxxx Run the Q, then the 10.
Q109
JJ. Q109xx Cash A; low to 10.
Axx
KK. A109xx Cash A; low to Q.
Qxxx
LL. KQ109 Finesse the 10.
xx
MM. KQ98 Finesse the 9; then the 8.
xx

Page 3 of 4 Card Combinations by Ed Rawlinson [Link]

 NN. KQxx Low to the 10. Then lead to K. If it wins, play low from Q
10x
OO. KQxxxxx Duck one round. Then lead K.
---
PP. AJxxxx Low to 10; then finesse J OR run 10, then low to J.
10x
QQ. AJ8x Run the 10; then finesse J. If 10 is covered, then finesse 8.
10xxx
RR. AQ10xxx Finesse the 10, then the Q.
xx
SS. Kxxx Lead to one honor, then the other. If you believe that one
Jxx opponent is short is this suit, lead to the honor behind that
opponent.

Defensive card combinations.

TT. Q109 West leads the 3. Declarer plays the 9. You should always
Kxx play low. Declarer must have the Ace, since you would
Suit contract have divorced/shot any partner who would underlead an
Ace at a suit contract (opening lead). If declarer has Ax(xx), playing the King will give him 3
tricks in the suit. Playing low will leave him with only 2 tricks.
SS. J9x Partner leads fourth best against 3NT. Declarer plays the 9.
Qxxx It rarely pays to play the Q (only when partner has lead
from AKxx). Instead, encourage partner. What you hope is that declarer has Kx. Then, when
the defense regains the lead, partner’s A will drop declarer’s K, and you can cash two more
tricks. If declarer started with Ax, he will get 2 tricks (the 9 and the A). If you played the Q, he
would get 2 tricks (the A and later the J). So playing the Q gains nothing. Withholding the Q
wins when declarer started with Kx. This play is for defense against NT, not suit contracts. In
suit contracts, your partner should not be underleading an ace.

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