Blum on Bridge Card Combinations Part IV
	This morning upon arising I called my friend and favorite bridge partner, Mary Mason in Naples. I told her that I had bad feelings about writing this final article on how to play hand combinations missing the king because even I have almost fallen asleep reading my columns the past three weeks. On the other hand, other authors only write about isolated hands in their columns and I feel this is one of the most important elements of card play. Mary agreed they are not terribly exciting, saying she has had a bit of trouble falling asleep recently, but my articles seems to have cured her. I said, "I'll tell what. How would you play this combination? You have AQ105 in dummy and J43 in your hand." Mary thought for a moment, asking if she had entries to her hand. "Of course," I said. All of these examples assume there has been no adverse bidding and you have no problems outside of having to play the correct card. She then said she would probably play the jack and later finesse the ten or queen. Now let me remind you that Mary has to be considered one of the top ten players in our area. When I told her that to win all four tricks she must finesse the ten and then the queen, she was surprised. If lho holds the king singleton or king doubleton and covers the jack, rho holds the nine plus three smaller cards and will eventually win your five. The added advantage finessing the ten first is that when you make a 2nd play toward the queen, lho must play the king if it is a doubleton and you win the ace. This "best" play works 27 percent of the time. "Finish your column. I'm sleepy," Mary said. Notice this seven-card holding of AQ765-J4. It's a 40 percent chance to win four tricks leading toward the jack and hope rho holds king doubleton or the suit splits 3-3. If the four was the nine, play toward the nine. If it fails, run the jack. It's almost a 50-50 chance. Please also note the huge importance of that nine in so many combos. Most will play the following correctly, but some may not QJ65-A32. Do not finesse. Play the ace then up to the jack and later to the queen, a 69 percent winner of three tricks. Though it's only a 9 percent chance, it is best to play to the nine with the combo of J532-AQ9 to win four tricks hoping to finesse against K10 or K106. An interesting eight-card holding is AQ932-J54. The max is to finesse the queen. If it loses cash the jack. If it holds, finesse the nine. I can never stress too much to you who want to be a better declarer the importance of keeping your eyes open to spot cards. Would you see this most obvious play holding AQ632-J95 to win four tricks? Run the jack and when lho covers with the king, play the ace. Now lead to the nine. If you are a spot reader, you will win those four tricks 85 percent of the time. Be careful with this rather common holding of AQ106-J432 that you finesse the ten and not lead the jack in case lho has a singleton king (37 percent). Holding nine cards between you and dummy most of the time it is best to finesse the queen. However, if you are playing at IMPs (teams) or party bridge you want to be sure to secure the contract. Thus, with a combination such as A9532-QJ64 needing only four tricks, you win 100 percent of the time leading to the ace then back to the queen-jack. Without the nine, this play still wins 95 percent of the time. Incidentally, to win all five tricks by running the queen wins only 27 percent holding the nine and 20 percent without it. With adverse distribution you may end up by winning only two tricks. Tsh, tsh! It is always best to finesse if you and dummy have ten cards between you. However, though it is proper to play the ace with eleven cards (AQJ765-98432) it is only 2 percent more likely to find that singleton king with rho than finding lho holding king doubleton. Card counting in other suits could well be a deciding factor. The Encyclopedia of Bridge lists over 650 hand combinations missing one or more honors, and shows how each should be played to obtain the best result. It is the only book I know of that has this list. Though I would not purchase it at this time as an up-to-date Encyclopedia is in the process of being published, you will find a copy or two of the most recent editions in our Naples-Marco libraries.